NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Oviposition-relevant gustatory receptor evolution as a missing link governing insect-host plant specialization

这一行动为NSF 2021财年生物学博士后研究奖学金提供了资金，综合研究调查了支配基因组、环境和表型之间相互作用的生命规则。该奖学金支持研究员的研究和培训，这些研究员将以创新的方式为生活规则领域做出贡献。确定昆虫-寄主植物关联的凝聚力理论已被证明是最具挑战性的生物学问题之一。虽然昆虫与寄主植物之间的生态和进化关系往往取决于几个关键基因的变异，但我们对哪些基因驱动寄主植物联想以及这些基因的变异如何影响寄主植物的选择或利用知之甚少。昆虫在哪里产卵会产生非常真实的适合性结果，这使得产卵成为将遗传变异和寄主植物利用联系起来的强烈候选行为。这项研究将确定与产卵有关的味觉受体基因，并量化这些基因在寄主植物用途不同的密切相关的鹰蛾物种内和物种之间的差异。该研究员将在麦奎尔鳞翅目多样性中心工作，直接指导本科生和研究生的科学家，并扩大在STEM中代表性不足的学生和普通公众对昆虫神经科学的知识和兴趣。这个项目测试了一种假设，即在产卵相关的感官受体上的选择是鳞翅目昆虫寄主广度的主要驱动因素。该项目专注于味觉受体(GRs)，因为它们是用于感知植物表面化合物并诱导或阻止产卵的主要感官受体。这位研究员将(1)测试味觉受体基因的变异是否与寄主广度不同的物种的寄主使用有关，(2)通过比较特定性别的基因表达来确定参与寄主选择的味觉受体基因，以及(3)测试不同种群之间的受体基因序列和基因表达的差异是否与特定种群的寄主使用相关。这一奖学金将为该研究员提供从进化角度收集和分析分子数据的培训。此外，该项目将为未来神经行为学实验中的基因编辑提供功能相关的目标，并将作为研究神经系统自然选择的模型；该研究员的博物馆外展活动和学生参与研究确保这些想法和培训将到达不同的公众受众。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 2021, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the Fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. Identifying a cohesive theory of insect-host plant associations has proved one of the most challenging biological questions. While the ecological and evolutionary relationships between insects and their host plants often hinge on variation in a few key genes, we know relatively little about which genes drive host plant associations and how variation in these genes affects host plant selection or use. Where an insect lays her eggs has very real fitness consequences, making oviposition a strong candidate behavior to connect genetic variation and host plant use. This research will identify taste receptor genes involved specifically in oviposition and quantify variation in these genes within and across species of closely related hawkmoths that vary in host plant use. The Fellow will work within the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera Diversity to directly mentor scientists at the undergraduate and graduate level and to broaden knowledge of and interest in insect neuroscience both in students underrepresented in STEM and the general public. This project tests the hypothesis that selection on oviposition-related sensory receptors acts as a primary driver in host breadth in Lepidoptera. The project focuses on gustatory receptors (GRs) because they are the primary sensory receptors used to sense plant surface compounds and elicit or deter oviposition. The Fellow will (1) test whether variation in gustatory receptor genes is associated with host use in species that vary in host breadth, (2) identify gustatory receptor genes involved in host selection by comparing sex-specific gene expression, and (3) test whether variation in receptor gene sequences and gene expression across populations are associated with population-specific host use. This fellowship will provide the Fellow with training in collecting and analyzing molecular data from an evolutionary perspective. Furthermore, the project will provide functionally relevant targets for gene editing in future neuroethology experiments and will serve as a model for studying natural selection on the nervous system; the Fellow’s museum outreach activities and involvement of students in research ensures these ideas and training will reach a diverse, public audience.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.