NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2020: Genomic insights into plant-insect coevolution

该行动为2020财年美国国家科学基金会生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金，扩大生物学中代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持研究员的一项研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该研究员将对曼陀罗（Datura wright）和烟草角虫（Manduca sexta）之间的相互作用进行研究，并接受生物信息学技术方面的培训。该研究项目将产生丰富的物种遗传数据，可用于研究员，未来的学生和进化遗传学领域，以产生和测试关于植物-昆虫相互作用进化的假设。其中一种是农作物的主要害虫，因此，本研究也将有助于开发新的害虫防治方法。该研究员将参与与美国原住民社区和学生的外展活动，与亚利桑那州多个保留地的美国原住民社区交流现代和传统的农业实践，并为原住民学生提供实践研究经验。该研究员将致力于两个研究目标：1)为d.r ightii提供高质量的参考基因组，以便与m.s sexta进行比较；2)对来自西南地区的两个物种的个体进行重新测序，以进行共同进化动力学的种群基因组学分析。在比较d.r ightii和m.s sexta的参考基因组时，研究员将测试同步基因复制事件的存在，这是拮抗共同进化历史的分子特征。第二个目标中使用的方法将允许研究员区分互利共生的四种共同进化模型——相互匹配、制裁、伴侣忠诚反馈、信号和识别——以理解D. wright和M. sexta之间的互利共生共同进化是否以及如何塑造了他们的互动。总之，这些结果将阐明拮抗和互惠压力在形成植物-昆虫相互作用中的相对重要性。这两种形式的共同进化可能同时起作用，单独起作用，或者在这个系统中不起作用（如果特征是为了响应其他环境压力而进化的）。因此，这项研究将为多方面植物-昆虫相互作用的共同进化动力学提供广泛的见解。这项工作的影响将通过学生辅导，以及通过为美国土著学生和社区服务的项目扩大公共和教育宣传。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The Fellow will conduct research on the interactions between jimson weed (Datura wrightii) and tobacco hornworms (Manduca sexta) and receive training in bioinformatics techniques. The research project will generate a wealth of genetic data on species of interest that can be used by the Fellow, future students, and the field of evolutionary genetics to generate and test hypotheses regarding the evolution of plant-insect interactions. One of these species is a major crop pest, thus, this research will also contribute to the development of novel pest-control methods. The Fellow will engage in outreach activities with Native American communities and students, to exchange modern and traditional agricultural practices with Native American communities on multiple reservations throughout Arizona in addition to providing Native students with hands-on research experience. The Fellow will work towards two research goals: 1) produce a high-quality reference genome for D. wrightii for comparison of that to M. sexta, and 2) re-sequence individuals of both species from across the Southwest to conduct a population genomics analysis of the coevolutionary dynamics. In comparing the reference genomes of D. wrightii and M. sexta the Fellow will test for the presence of synchronized gene duplication events, a molecular signature of antagonistic coevolutionary history. The approach used in the second objective will allow the Fellow to distinguish among four coevolutionary models of mutualism – mutual matching, sanctions, partner fidelity feedback, and signaling and recognition – to understand if and how mutualistic coevolution between D. wrightii and M. sexta has shaped their interactions. Together, these results will illuminate the relative importance of antagonistic and mutualistic pressures in shaping plant-insect interactions. It is possible for both forms of coevolution to act simultaneously, individually, or not act in this system (if traits evolved in response to other environmental pressures). As such, this study will provide broad insights into the coevolutionary dynamics of a multifaceted plant-insect interaction. The impact of the work will be broadened through student mentoring, and public and educational outreach through programs that serve Native American students and communities.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.