NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: From parasitism to mutualism in a Wolbachia-Drosophila symbiosis

该行动资助了2021财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，即调查基因组，环境和表型之间相互作用的生命规则的综合研究。该研究金支持研究员的研究和培训，以创新的方式为生活规则领域做出贡献。动物-微生物共生体在自然界中普遍存在，并且在包括宿主免疫、发育、营养和生育的生物过程中被发现。许多互惠被认为是从寄生关系发展而来的，但在这些状态之间的过渡点上很少发现共生。该研究员将研究一种共生关系，其中以前寄生在果蝇上的细菌现在已经与宿主建立了双重寄生互惠关系。在保持杀死雄性宿主（雄性杀死）的能力的同时，该菌株也是宿主发育所必需的。这个系统代表了一个独特的机会，研究在共生过渡点的互利共生，让研究员调查的变化的遗传基础，并在什么情况下，这种情况可能会发展。该研究员将通过一个低成本的在线活动数据库，向来自不同背景的当地学生传授重要的科学概念。研究员将通过对感染雄性杀手沃尔巴克氏体的双带果蝇进行实验来解决这一研究课题，以解决两个主要问题：这种共生过渡的遗传基础和双重雄性杀手互利主义者成功入侵种群的背景。假设是受感染的宿主菌株已经发展出一种关键的发育缺陷，这种缺陷被寄生虫拯救。为了解决第一个问题，研究员将使用荧光显微镜、基因表达分析和转感染实验对感染的宿主菌株和未感染的菌株进行比较基因组学研究，以在遗传和细胞水平上识别假设的宿主缺陷。为了解决第二个问题，研究员将使用理论群体遗传模型，实验笼实验，和野生捕捞的D。bifasciata苍蝇，以确定在何种条件下，一个双重互惠-男性-杀手可能成功地在一个混合的人口。这项工作将在堪萨斯大学的Robert Unckless和Erik Lundquist博士的培训下完成，重点是群体遗传学、生物信息学、理论建模和显微镜。该研究还通过开发一个当地项目来补充，在该项目中，不同的科学家将让当地的孩子参与到教授科学概念的游戏和活动中，并将在网上提供给任何人。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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 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. Animal-microbe symbioses are ubiquitous in nature and are found in biological processes that include host immunity, development, nutrition, and fertility. Many mutualisms are thought to have developed from parasitic relationships but it is rare to find a symbiosis at the transition point between these states. The Fellow will investigate a symbiosis wherein previously parasitic bacteria of fruit flies have now developed a dual parasitic-mutualistic relationship with the host. While maintaining the ability to kill male hosts (male-killing), the strain is also required for host development. This system represents a unique opportunity to study a mutualism at a symbiotic transition point, allowing the Fellow to investigate the genetic basis for the change and in what contexts this condition may develop. The work includes outreach to local students from diverse backgrounds through a database of online, low-cost activities that teach important scientific concepts.The Fellow will address this research topic by performing experiments with a strain of Drosophila bifasciata infected with male-killing Wolbachia to address two main points: the genetic basis of this symbiotic transition and the contexts in which dual male-killer-mutualists successfully invade a population. The hypothesis is that the infected host strain has developed a critical developmental defect that is rescued by the parasite. To address the first question, the Fellow will perform comparative genomics on the infected host strain and an uninfected strain using fluorescence microscopy, gene expression analysis, and trans-infection experiments to identify the hypothesized host defect(s) at genetic and cellular levels. To address the second question, the Fellow will use theoretical population genetic modeling, experimental cage experiments, and population genetics of wild-caught D. bifasciata flies to determine the conditions in which a dual mutualist-male-killer may succeed in a mixed population. This work will be completed with training from Drs. Robert Unckless and Erik Lundquist at the University of Kansas and will focus on population genetics, bioinformatics, theoretical modeling, and microscopy. The research is complemented by development of a local program where diverse scientists will engage local kids in games and activities that teach scientific concepts and that will be available to anyone online.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.