Neuroendocrine systems of cnidarians: characterization and roles in reproduction and development

我的研究项目旨在了解线虫神经内分泌通路的功能组织和分子基础。由于蛇形动物是识别神经系统的最低无脊椎动物，这项研究提供了比较后生动物的神经递质/神经激素系统和检验化学信号功能进化保守的假说的机会。我们选择的实验模型是海罗兰(Renilla Koellikeri)，这是一种八珊瑚珊瑚虫，很容易在实验室维护，也很容易进行实验操作。一种名为鹿角Acropora millepora的六角兽也将通过合作努力得到使用。这一建议的主要目的是：(1)继续我们目前的努力，克隆和表达与神经相关的信号分子(胺转运体和生物合成酶，G蛋白偶联受体)的基因产物，以了解这些神经递质/神经激素信号转导的重要参与者的早期进化。(2)继续研究海罗兰和珊瑚的生殖和发育的神经内分泌学，探索性类固醇、维甲酸和其他化学调节剂的可能参与，并定位可能的神经调节基因在发育和性成熟过程中的表达。(3)研究信号分子对体外培养的海三色神经元再分化的影响，以及细胞分化过程中信号标志物的表达。这些研究有望促进神经内分泌学领域的重大进展，特别是关于神经内分泌介体的系统发育祖先。此外，了解生殖控制和发育的神经内分泌学基础可能会对珊瑚礁等具有重要生态意义的珊瑚类动物的管理产生影响。

My research program aims at understanding the functional organization and molecular basis of neuro-endocrine pathways in cnidarians. As cnidarians are the lowest invertebrates in which nervous systems were identified, this research offers opportunities to compare neurotransmitter/neurohormone systems in metazoans and to test hypotheses of evolutionary conservation of chemical signaling functions. Our experimental model of choice is the sea pansy (Renilla koellikeri), an octocorallian anthozoan which is easily maintained in the laboratory and lends itself readily to experimental manipulation. An hexacorallian, the staghorn Acropora millepora, will also be used through a collaborative effort. The main objectives of this proposal are: (1) To pursue our current efforts to clone and express products of genes encoding neurally related signaling molecules (amine transporters and biosynthesis enzymes, G protein-coupled receptors) in order to understand the early evolution of these important participants in neurotransmitter/neurohormone signaling. (2) To pursue our investigations on the neuroendocrinology of reproduction and development in both the sea pansy and in corals, looking into the possible involvement of sex steroids, retinoic acid and other chemical regulators and mapping the expression of putative neural regulatory genes during development and sexual maturation. (3) To investigate the effects of signaling molecules on re-differentiating sea pansy neurons in culture and the expression of signaling markers during neuronal differentiation. These investigations are expected to contribute significant advances in the field of cnidarian neuro-endocrinology, especially regarding the phylogenetic ancestry of neuro-endocrine mediators. In addition, an understanding of the neuro-endocrinological basis of reproduction control and development has potential fallouts in the management of ecologically important cnidarians such as reef corals.