RII Track-2 FEC: Insect Cryobiology and Ecophysiology (ICE) Network: Integrating Genomics, Physiology, and Modeling

昆虫低温生物学和生态生理学（ICE）网络的目标是了解蜜蜂如何克服严酷的冬季条件，成功地在春天出现和繁殖。北美蜜蜂一生中大部分时间都在生理状态下越冬，这种状态可以保护它们免受低温造成的损害，并在生长季节保存繁殖所需的资源。对这种越冬状态的调控决定了蜜蜂生命周期的关键要素，包括这些关键的传粉者在自然和农业生态系统中何时可用。 越冬生理的许多方面已经在不同的昆虫中进行了研究，然而，基因表达，生理和环境背景之间的复杂相互作用阻碍了对越冬的更深入了解。蜜蜂是一个很好的研究越冬的群体，因为我们已经对它们的越冬生理学有了很多了解，而且我们有多个密切相关物种的基因组资源。此外，使用蜜蜂有助于模拟人口对不断变化的环境的反应。ICE网络汇集了基因组学，基因调控，生理学和生态建模方面的专家。该模型的最终目标是预测这三个物种中的每一个将如何对温度变化作出反应。赠地大学的教师将与美国农业部农业研究服务处的科学家合作，在北达科他州、怀俄明州和新墨西哥州三个州建立密切联系。研究结果将使预测和操纵三种农业相关蜜蜂物种的越冬表型成为可能，为改善这些物种的管理和更准确地预测野生和农业蜜蜂种群奠定基础。拟议的工作将支持早期职业教师的发展，并将涉及来自不同背景的学生，包括来自西班牙裔服务机构和部落colleges.Technical DescriptionComplex表型的学生经常有共同的生理机制，但确定潜在的遗传调控仍然是一个挑战。昆虫低温生物学和生态生理学（ICE）网络的长期研究目标是了解独居和社会蜜蜂越冬表型的遗传和生理调节。越冬，也被称为滞育，是假设是由一个共同的遗传调控？工具箱？ 由于昆虫有不同的越冬策略，并且很少有机会在具有测序基因组的物种之间进行密切比较，因此识别这个工具包受到了阻碍。利用三种使用不同生态方法越冬的蜜蜂，并结合从遗传到生态水平的专业知识，ICE网络能够成功地研究越冬的基因组到表型轨迹。这项建议的目标是确定越冬表型的相对贡献常设遗传变异，生物生理学，和孕产妇的影响。在目标1中，将检查越冬表型的基因组贡献，包括通过甲基化的母体效应。专性越冬物种预计有SNPs与越冬时间的地理变异。相比之下，兼性越冬物种预计有母亲调控的表观遗传特征。在目标2中，代谢组学和氧化应激试验将用于表征越冬期间低温胁迫的生理效应。氧化损伤和抗氧化剂生产之间的平衡，以及脂质代谢的增加预计是越冬成功的重要预测因素。在目标3中，将利用目标1和目标2的研究结果开发一个模型，以预测越冬蜜蜂对不断变化的环境条件的反应是否成功。该提案将支持两名早期职业教师，三名博士后研究员，八名研究生和24名本科生的发展。ICE网络将从NMSU（一所为西班牙裔服务的大学）和隶属于北达科他州和怀俄明州现有EPSCoR项目的部落大学招收学生。基础设施的改善包括代谢组学和呼吸的核心设施设备以及生物体饲养设施的改善。这项研究将改善农业生产中使用的三种蜜蜂的管理实践。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical DescriptionThe goal of the Insect Cryobiology and Ecophysiology (ICE) Network is to understand how bees overcome harsh winter conditions to successfully emerge and reproduce in spring. North American bees spend most of their lives overwintering in a physiological state that protects them from the damage caused by low temperatures and conserves resources necessary for reproduction during the growing season. Regulation of this overwintering state determines key elements of bee lifecycles, including when these critical pollinators are available in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Many aspects of overwintering physiology have been studied in diverse insects, however a deeper understanding of overwintering has been hindered by complex interactions among gene expression, physiology, and environmental context. Bees are an excellent group in which to study overwintering because we already know much about their overwintering physiology, and we have genomic resources in multiple closely related species. Furthermore, using bees facilitates modeling of population responses to changing environments. The ICE Network brings together experts in genomics, gene regulation, physiology, and ecological modeling. The ultimate goal of the model will be to predict how each of the three species will respond to changes in temperature. Faculty from land-grant universities will collaborate with scientist from the USDA Agricultural Research Service establishing close connections in three states, North Dakota, Wyoming, and New Mexico. The results will make it possible to predict and manipulate overwintering phenotypes in three agriculturally-relevant bee species, setting the stage for improved management of those species and more accurate forecasting of wild and agricultural bee populations. The proposed work will support the development of early-career faculty members, and will involve students from diverse backgrounds, including students from Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribal colleges.Technical DescriptionComplex phenotypes frequently have shared physiological mechanisms, but determining the underlying genetic regulation continues to be a challenge. The long-term research goal of the Insect Cryobiology and Ecophysiology (ICE) Network is to understand the genetic and physiological regulation of the overwintering phenotype in solitary and social bees. Overwintering, also called diapause, is hypothesized to be regulated by a shared genetic ?tool kit.? Identifying this tool kit has been hindered because insects have diverse overwintering strategies and there are few opportunities for close comparisons between species with sequenced genomes. Using three species of bee that use different ecological approaches to overwintering and combining expertise from genetic to ecological levels, the ICE Network is uniquely poised to successfully investigate the genome to phenome trajectory of overwintering. The goal of this proposal is to determine the relative contributions to overwintering phenotypes of standing genetic variation, organismal physiology, and maternal effects. In Aim 1, the genomic contributions to overwintering phenotypes will be examined, including maternal effects through methylation. Obligate overwintering species are predicted to have SNPs associated with geographical variation in the timing of overwintering. In contrast, facultative overwintering species are expected to have maternally-regulated epigenetic signatures. In Aim 2, metabolomics and oxidative stress assays will be used to characterize the physiological effects of low temperature stress during overwintering. The balance between oxidative damage and antioxidant production, and increased lipid metabolism are expected to be significant predictors of overwintering success. In Aim 3, a model will be developed using the findings of Aim 1 and 2 to predict success of overwintering bees in response to changing environmental conditions. The proposal will support the development of two early-career faculty, three postdoctoral fellows, eight graduate students, and 24 undergraduates. The ICE Network will recruit students from NMSU, a Hispanic-serving university, and tribal college students affiliated with existing EPSCoR Programs in North Dakota and Wyoming. Infrastructure improvements include core facility equipment for metabolomics and respiration and improvements to an organismal rearing facility. The proposed research will improve management practices for three bee species that are used in agricultural production.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.