NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology: Characterizing the genetic mechanisms of bacteria-phage coevolution in Listeria and Salmonella

这一行动资助了NSF 2022财年生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大了生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该研究金支持一项针对该研究员的研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。每年，感染性细菌在食品和农业行业造成数十亿美元的收入损失，此外还导致全球数百万人死亡。从历史上看，抗生素一直是控制这些病原体的主要手段，但抗生素耐药性的上升可能会破坏这些方法。最近，被称为噬菌体的细菌特异性病毒已被用作抗菌控制剂，但关于它们与行业相关细菌作用的性质仍有许多问题。表征噬菌体和细菌之间的关系(共同进化)，以及它们分别产生交叉感染性和耐药性的趋势，对于规划和使用噬菌体进行抗菌控制是重要的。这位研究员将对李斯特菌和沙门氏菌这两种重要的食源性细菌以及它们的一系列噬菌体进行实验。这些结果将提供有关使用农业相关系统的细菌-噬菌体共同进化的信息，同时扩展关于噬菌体生物学的一般知识。为了增加未被充分代表的群体的参与，该研究员将教授一门本科课程，重点是进化生物学如何与世界问题相交叉，并将为非裔美国人开发一个生态学与进化生物学(EEB)的指导网络。该研究员将利用经典的连续传代技术结合基因组数据来表征噬菌体和细菌之间的共同进化。肠沙门氏菌和单核细胞增多性李斯特菌的复制群体将在与特定噬菌体配对的单一培养中传代。传代后，该研究员将利用全基因组测序和时移分析来对共同进化的遗传动力学及其表型结果进行分类。在这项初步实验之后，每个细菌处理组的最后一代将与新的噬菌体进行比较，以确定其进化防御系统的特异性，然后与新的噬菌体配对，并使用与第一次实验相同的方法传代。这将考察过去的共同进化如何影响未来的适应性。第二个实验之后还将进行全基因组测序和时移分析。该研究员将通过在EEB为非裔美国人创建一个正式的指导网络来鼓励未被充分代表的群体参与生物学，目标是支持那些在该领域寻求博士和教授职位的人，同时促进在EEB内的包容性。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 2022, Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology. The Fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. Each year infectious bacteria cause billions of dollars in lost revenue in the food and agricultural industry in addition to millions of deaths globally. Historically, antibiotics have served as the primary means to control these agents, but the rise in antibiotic resistance threatens to undermine these methods. More recently, bacteria-specific viruses called phages have been used as antimicrobial control agents, but many questions remain regarding the nature of their roles with industry relevant bacteria. Characterizing the relationship (coevolution) between phages and bacteria, and their tendency to develop cross infectivity and resistance, respectively, is important for the planning and use of phages for antimicrobial control. The fellow will conduct experiments with Listeria and Salmonella, two important foodborne bacteria, and an array of their phages. Results will provide information about bacteria-phage coevolution using agriculturally relevant systems while expanding the general knowledge about phage biology. To increase participation of underrepresented groups, the fellow will teach an undergraduate course focusing on how evolutionary biology intersects with world issues and will develop a mentoring network for African Americans in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB).The fellow will utilize classic serial passaging techniques combined with genomic data to characterize the coevolution between phage and bacteria. Replicate populations of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes will be passaged in monoculture paired with a specific phage. After passaging, the fellow will utilize whole-genome sequencing and time shift assays to categorize the genetic dynamics of coevolution and its phenotypic results. Following this initial experiment, the final generation of each bacteria treatment will be assayed against novel phages to determine the specificity of its evolved defenses, before being paired with a new phage and passaged using methods identical to the first experiment. This will examine how past coevolution impacts future adaptability. The second experiment will also be followed by whole genome sequencing and time shift assays. The fellow will encourage participation of underrepresented groups in biology through the creation of a formal mentoring network for African Americans in EEB, with the goal of supporting those seeking PhDs and professorships in the field while fostering inclusivity within EEB.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.