NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Japan

这一行动资助奥本大学的贾斯汀·哈维德于2013年夏天在日本冲绳琉球大学开展了一个生物科学研究项目。该项目的标题是“罕见的日本虾盐平衡的分子机制”。主持会议的科学家是藤田义久博士和Hidako博士。甲壳类中离子/盐调节(即渗透压调节)的分子机制只在很小范围的物种中得到了表征，主要是具有海洋祖先的十足类螃蟹。Anchialine栖息地(沿海池塘和池塘)的Atyid虾是解决这种知识缺乏的机会，因为它们具有决定性的淡水祖先，但已经适应了这些以盐度剧烈波动为特征的“极端”环境。先前的研究发现，夏威夷特有的红色盐藻在盐度转移后具有非典型的基因表达模式。具体地说，在其他甲壳类动物中，盐度转移过程中典型的和显著上调的基因(~100倍)在红鳍金枪鱼中没有显著变化。然而，目前还没有公开发表的研究探讨对虾物种渗透调节或功能进化的分子机制。为了在进化的背景下研究这一点，正在使用高通量基因表达测量(RNA-Seq)来研究来自日本琉球群岛的额外的尖吻对虾物种渗透调节的分子机制。这些对虾物种代表着(来自淡水和海洋环境的)钩吻类栖息地的独立入侵，因此，表征它们的渗透调节机制将进一步加深我们对泛盐度分子基础的有限理解，并解决在类似自然选择压力下的收敛进化。该项目阐明了渗透调节的进化，渗透调节是所有生物的关键生物学过程。EAPSI奖学金的广泛影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验；介绍各自地点的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施；以及对社会、文化和语言的定位。这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在其科学家、工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期为国际合作进行教育，从而确保拥有一支具有全球意识的美国科学队伍。此外，在该项目期间，来自科学领域代表性不足群体的本科生正在接受培训和指导。此外，该项目正在促进奥本大学和俄勒冈州立大学科学家之间的研究合作，以及最近向该研究员提供的美国国家科学基金会博士论文改进补助金(DEB 1311500)。从EAPSI奖学金中获得的经验将被介绍给奥本大学的学生，试图提高当地对国际研究合作的认识，特别是与EAPSI奖学金相关的机会。最后，在阿拉巴马州运动科学外展计划中现有的安基林模块的基础上，安基林生境和生物体正被用来吸引K-12学生学习各种生物学概念。

This action funds Justin Havird of Auburn University to conduct a research project in Biological Sciences during the summer of 2013 at The University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan. The project title is "Molecular Mechanisms of Salt Balance in Unusual Japanese Shrimps." The host scientists are Drs. Yoshihisa Fujita and Michio Hidaka.The molecular mechanisms of ionic/salt regulation in crustaceans (i.e., osmoregulation) have only been characterized for a narrow range of species, mainly decapod crabs with a marine ancestry. Atyid shrimps from anchialine habitats (coastal ponds and pools) represent an opportunity to address this lack of knowledge since they have a decisively freshwater ancestry but have adapted to live in these "extreme" environments characterized by drastically fluctuating salinities. Previous research found that the Hawaiian endemic atyid Halocaridina rubra has atypical patterns of gene expression following salinity transfer. Specifically, genes typically and dramatically up-regulated (~100 fold) during salinity transfer in other crustaceans do not change significantly in H. rubra. However, no published studies have examined the molecular mechanisms of osmoregulation or functional evolution of anchialine shrimp species. To examine this in an evolutionary context, the molecular mechanisms of osmoregulation from additional anchialine shrimp species from the Ryukyus Islands, Japan are being investigated using high-throughput measures of gene expression (RNA-Seq). These shrimp species represent independent invasions of anchialine habitats (from both freshwater and marine environments) and characterizing their mechanisms of osmoregulation will thus further our limited understanding of the molecular basis of euryhalinity and address convergent evolution in response to similar natural selection pressures. This project illuminates the evolution of osmoregulation, a critical biological process for all living organisms.Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, undergraduates from underrepresented groups in the sciences are being trained and mentored during this project. Additionally, this project is fostering research collaborations between scientists at Auburn University and Oregon State University in conjunction with a recent NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (DEB 1311500) to the Fellow. The experiences gained from this EAPSI fellowship will be presented to students at Auburn University in an attempt to raise local awareness about international research collaborations in general and the opportunities associated with an EAPSI fellowship specifically. Lastly, anchialine habitats and organisms are being used to engage K-12 students in a variety of biological concepts, building on a current anchialine module in the outreach program Alabama Science in Motion.