Molecular Biology of the Dinoflagellates: Research Fellowship in Marine Biotechnology

甲藻在几个方面与真核生物不同，其中之一是它们的染色体被认为是永久浓缩的，除非在DNA合成或受精期间。这项研究将利用分子技术(染色体分离、染色体限制性内切酶消化和释放的DNA片段的克隆、Southern杂交、原位杂交、放射自显影)来证明遗传活性DNA存在于染色体外细丝中，而不是散装或结构DNA中。一旦技术被开发出来，将检查和比较来自不同进化谱系的不同极端的甲藻，以及这些物种的休眠包囊。营养细胞和包囊之间的相似之处(包囊必须保持低水平的代谢活动，同时在长时间休眠期间保护其DNA不被降解)应该为研究适应机制提供有价值的见解，这可能与现代甲藻独特的染色体结构有关。这项奖学金将允许安德森博士在法国巴黎大学阿拉戈实验室完成研究和培训。延长在该实验室逗留的动机是从同事那里学习细胞和分子生物学技术，这些同事拥有专注于甲藻的强大持续项目--甲藻是一类在生态和进化上具有重要意义的海洋藻类，一直是安德森博士出色研究的重点。这项培训和技术转让的载体将是一个项目，研究甲藻将遗传信息打包和转录的独特方式，既作为营养细胞，也作为静止的包囊。这个项目本身具有基础性的科学重要性，但也让安德森博士能够学习新的概念和工具，这些概念和工具可以被纳入他正在进行的研究项目中，该项目的重点是有毒浮游植物的生理生态。

Dinoflagellates are distinctive among eucaryotes in several ways, one being that their chromosomes are thought to be permanently condensed except during DNA synthesis or fertilization. This investigation will employ molecular techniques (chromosome isolation, restriction enzyme digestion of the chromosomes and cloning of the released DNA fragments, Southern blot hybridization, in situ hybridization, autoradiography) to demonstrate that genetically active DNA is found in extrachromosomal filaments, not in the bulk or structural DNA. Once the techniques are developed, dinoflagellates from different from different extremes of a proposed evolutionary lineage will be examined and compared, as will the resting cysts of these species. The similarities between vegetative cells and cysts (which must retain low level metabolic activity while protecting their DNA from degradation during prolonged dormancy) should provide valuable insights into adaptive mechanisms that might relate to the unique chromosome structure of modern dinoflagellates. This fellowship award will allow Dr. Anderson to accomplish the research and training at the Laboratory Arago of the University of Paris in France. The motivation for an extended stay at this lab is to learn cell and molecular biological techniques from colleagues who have strong ongoing programs focused on the dinoflagellates - an ecologically and evolutionarily important class of marine algae that has been the focus of Dr. Anderson's excellent research. The vehicle for this training and transfer of technology will be a project examining the unique manner in which dinoflagellates package and transcribe genetic information, both as vegetative cells and as resting cysts. This project is of fundamental scientific importance on its own but also to allow Dr. Anderson to learn new concepts and tools that can be incorporated into his ongoing research program, which focuses on the physiological ecology of toxic phytoplankton.