CAREER: Integrative Systematics: Taxonomy and Evolution of Megalomyrmex Ants and Their Venom

该奖项全部或部分由《2021年美国救援计划法案》（公法117-2）资助。本研究旨在研究蚂蚁毒液的变化和功能以及物种的多样性。Megalomyrmex由45种不同生活方式的蚂蚁组成，其中一些是捕食者，另一些则与其他昆虫保持更有益的联系。这些共生蚁用毒液武器保护同伴免受掠食者的威胁。相反，一些大蝇属昆虫是群居寄生虫（即一种群居昆虫利用另一种群居昆虫），并利用它们的毒液统治其他物种。在这种情况下，巨巨蚁会吃掉同伴物种的幼蚁和食物。由于毒液介导的相互作用的广度，巨蟾在有毒生物中是例外的。通过研究毒液的成分，可以发现新的天然产物，其中一些可以用于农业或医学实践。这项研究将公众参与和研究综合教育计划结合在一起，该计划包括发展非生物学专业的本科课程-混合研究和扩展重点，同时创造广泛的科学思维途径。这些项目将涉及博士后、博士生和本科生研究人员的培训和指导。学员将制定与拟议目标一致的项目，并在科学会议和科学出版物上展示成果。将建立与俄亥俄蚂蚁研讨会相关的本科生暑期实习计划。有毒物种的进化和毒液的复杂性可以为进化生态学提供广泛的见解，因为毒液成分的变化催化了物种形成和共同进化。提出的研究利用目前的毒液进化理论来探索与蚂蚁毒液生物碱有关的比较问题。挑战在于，尽管有多个平行的起源，我们仍处于了解生态进化过程与毒液和谱系多样化之间关系的早期阶段。这在一定程度上是因为使用比较系统发育、功能分析以及行为和化学生态学的交叉方法的必要性。Megalomyrmex是解决蚂蚁谱系多样化和毒液进化问题的理想模型，因为物种与其他生物体进行各种营养相互作用。在本项目中，研究人员将：(1)利用比较系统发育确定巨巨蚁的毒液和生活方式（即捕食者、营养共生者、寄生虫）进化，同时利用共同发育推断揭示宿主和寄生蚂蚁物种对之间的生态关系；(2)通过检验毒液复杂性假设，阐明生态生活方式如何预测毒液相关特征（如使用、毒液滴大小、毒性），并促进毒液进化；(3)利用现代综合分类方法培养分类学家的同时，划分隐种并修订meggalomyrmex；(4)通过展示共生关系的生态关系，同时开设一门新的通识教育课程，“共生系统：偶然或自私”，扩大对科学和自然的参与。本课程以本科生研究经验（CURE）为基础，将包括比较系统发育学、综合分类学和自然历史研究。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 award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).The proposed work investigates the changes and function of ant venom and species diversification over time. Megalomyrmex consists of 45 ant species with a range of lifestyles, where some are predators and others maintain more beneficial associations with other insects. These mutualist ant species protect their associates from predatory threat using venom weaponry. In contrast, several Megalomyrmex species are social parasites (i.e., one social insect exploiting another social insect) and use their venom to dominate these other species. In this case, Megalomyrmex ants consume young ants and food from their partnering species. Megalomyrmex is exceptional among venomous organisms because of the breadth of interactions mediated by venom. By studying the composition of venom, novel natural products, some of which can be used in agricultural or medicinal practices, could be discovered. This research brings together public engagement and a research-integrated education plan that includes the development of a non-biology majors’ undergraduate course—blending research and outreach foci, while creating broad access to scientific thinking. These projects will involve training and mentoring of postdocs, PhD students, and undergraduate student researchers. Trainees will develop projects aligned with proposed aims and present results at scientific meetings and in scientific publications. An undergraduate summer internship program associated with Ohio Ant workshops will be established. The evolution of venomous species and venom complexity can provide wide-ranging insights into evolutionary ecology because changes in venom composition catalyze both speciation and coevolution. The proposed research leverages current venom evolution theory to explore comparative questions relating to ant venom alkaloids. The challenge is that, despite multiple parallel origins, we are in the early stages of understanding how eco-evolutionary processes relate to venom and lineage diversification. This is in-part because of the necessity for cross-cutting approaches using comparative phylogenetics, functional assays, and behavioral and chemical ecology. Megalomyrmex is an ideal model to address questions about ant lineage diversification and how venom evolves because species engage in various trophic interactions with other organisms. In this project, researchers will: (1) determine venom and lifestyle (i.e., predator, trophic mutualist, parasite) evolution in Megalomyrmex ants using comparative phylogenetics, while uncovering ecological relationships between host and parasite ant species pairs using cophylogenetic inference; (2) clarify how ecological lifestyles predict venom-related traits (e.g., use, venom drop size, toxicity) and contribute to venom evolution, by testing venom complexity hypotheses; (3) delimit cryptic species and revise Megalomyrmex while training taxonomists using a modern integrative taxonomic approach; and (4) broaden engagement in science and nature by demonstrating the ecological relationships of symbioses, while instructing a new general education course, Symbiotic systems: Serendipity or selfishness. This course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) will include comparative phylogenetics, integrative taxonomy, and natural history studies.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.