Mechanisms of Rapid and Winter Cold-Hardening in Insects

迈阿密大学和俄亥俄州立大学的研究人员正在进行的合作研究将集中在昆虫在低温下生存的分子和生理适应上。具体来说，这项工作将比较两种不同的反应，称为快速冷硬化和冬季冷硬化。第一种是在轻度寒冷后几分钟到几小时内发生的极其迅速的生理反应。这种快速的冷硬化反应在生态学上是重要的，因为它允许昆虫不断微调它们的生理功能和有机体性能，以适应环境温度的适度变化。相比之下，冬季的冷硬化使昆虫能够在极端和长时间的寒冷中生存。该项目将使用一种模式昆虫——石棺蝇（Sarcophaga crassipalpis）来研究在冷硬化过程中膜流动性和应激（热休克）蛋白的变化。钙和钙调素在调节快速冷硬化中的作用也将被研究。这些研究结果将为昆虫增强耐寒性的综合生理事件提供更全面的认识，并使昆虫能够调整其生理性能以适应环境温度的变化。该研究还可为害虫种群的破坏和昆虫和其他生物的低温长期储存提供新的策略和工具。另一个主要目标是为教师和学生提供外联和专业发展，包括继续与教师合作，在同行评议的科学教育期刊上撰写和发表基于探究的文章。这两个实验室不仅将继续致力于培养研究生和博士后学者，而且还将通过提供包括发表科学论文和在国家会议上发表报告在内的扩展研究经验来培养本科生。

Ongoing collaborative research between investigators at Miami University and Ohio State University will focus on molecular and physiological adaptations used by insects for surviving low temperature. Specifically this work will compare two distinct responses, termed rapid cold-hardening and winter cold hardening. The first is an extremely swift physiological response that occurs within minutes to hours after mild chilling. This rapid cold-hardening response is ecologically important because it allows insects to continuously fine-tune their physiological function and organismal performance to match even modest changes in environmental temperature. In contrast, winter cold-hardening allows insects to survive extreme and extended periods of cold.This project will use a model insect, the fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis, to investigate changes in membrane fluidity and stress (heat shock) proteins that occur during cold-hardening. The role of calcium and calmodulin in regulating rapid cold-hardening will also be investigated. The results of these studies will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the integrated physiological events that enhance cold tolerance and allow insects to adjust their physiological performance to match changes in environmental temperature. This research may also provide new strategies and tools for disruption of insect pest populations and for the long-term storage of insects and other organisms at low temperature. Another major objective is to provide outreach and professional development for teachers and students, including continued collaborations with teachers in the development and publication of inquiry-based articles in peer-reviewed, science education journals. The two laboratories will continue their commitments to training not only graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, but also undergraduate students by providing extended research experiences that include publication of scientific papers and presentations at national meetings.