Mechanisms and Evolution of Plant Defence Against Herbivores

植物与食草动物的相互作用对自然和人工管理的生态系统的生态学和进化有着巨大而重要的影响。我的研究项目是研究抗食草动物植物防御的机制和进化，以及食草动物如何影响植物的生殖特征。在未来5年，我的实验室将致力于三个研究目标：****1)全面确定植物防御食草动物的遗传和表型机制。***2)确定影响抗草食动物防御分子和表型进化的环境和遗传因素。***3)检验抗食草动物防御是否影响植物生殖性状的进化。****为了实现目标1，我们将在一个模型系统和一个非模型系统中描述防御的遗传和表型机制。我们将结合现有的全基因组序列数据（拟南芥）和转录组数据（拟南芥），并结合综合表型，建立抗草食动物防御的基因-表型理解。候选基因的防御功能将使用CRISPR-cas9基因组编辑系统进行验证。****在目标2中，我们将开展三个项目，研究环境梯度和植物有性繁殖如何影响防御进化。首先，我们将测试是否在纬度梯度上有不同的防御，这将有助于解决目前关于生物地理学在植物-食草动物共同进化中的作用的争论。其次，我们将研究在人类活动引起环境剧烈变化的城乡梯度地区，三叶草在防氰防御中是否表现出遗传和表型的变化。第三，我们将使用转录组数据来测试在Oenothera属中重复的性别丧失是否会影响防御蛋白的分子进化。****在目标3中，我们将测试传粉者，食草动物和防御如何相互作用来影响植物生殖性状的进化。在一个项目中，我们将测试传粉者和食草动物如何相互作用来影响三叶草的花的进化（例如，花瓣大小）。在第二个项目中，我们将研究食草动物是否促进了人马座从雌雄同体到雌雄分离的进化转变。****影响这些项目的结果将为迄今为止植物防御的机制和演变提供最全面的理解。我们的研究结果将对农业和植物生物制药工业产生直接影响。***高素质人才（HQP）将在我所有的研究目标中发挥核心作用。我将为60名各级HQP （PDF, PhD, MSc, BSc）提供培训。HQP将获得多学科技术套件的专业知识，同时出版新颖的高影响力出版物。我还将为未来的科学职业提供专业培训，这在我实验室以前的HQP中被证明是有效的。**

Plants-herbivore interactions have large and important effects on the ecology and evolution of natural and managed ecosystems. My research program examines the mechanisms and evolution of antiherbivore plant defences, as well as how herbivores influence plant reproductive traits. In the next 5 years, my lab will address three research objectives:****1) Comprehensively identify the genetic and phenotypic mechanisms of plant defence against herbivores.***2) Determine the environmental and genetic factors affecting the molecular and phenotypic evolution of antiherbivore defences.***3) Test whether antiherbivore defences affect the evolution of plant reproductive traits.****To achieve Objective 1, we will characterize the genetic and phenotypic mechanisms of defence in one model system and one non-model system. We will combine existing whole-genome sequence data (Arabidopsis), and transcriptome data (Oenothera), with comprehensive phenotyping to build a genes-to-phenotype understanding of antiherbivore defences. The defensive function of candidate genes will be validated using the CRISPR-cas9 genome editing system.****In Objective 2, we will conduct three projects that examine how environmental gradients and plant sexual reproduction affect the evolution of defence. First, we will test whether plant species in the genus Oenothera vary in defence along latitudinal gradients, which will help resolve current debate about the role of biogeography in plant-herbivore coevolution. Second, we will examine whether Trifolium repens exhibits genetic and phenotypic clines in cyanogenic defences along urban-rural gradients where anthropogenic activities cause dramatic changes in the environment. Third, we will use transcriptome data to test if repeated loss of sex across the Oenothera genus affect molecular evolution of defence proteins.****In Objective 3, we will test how pollinators, herbivores and defence interact to affect the evolution of plant reproductive traits. In one project we will test how pollinators and herbivores interact to affect floral evolution (e.g., petal size) of Trifolium. In a second project we will examine whether herbivores facilitate the evolutionary transition from hermaphroditism to separate sexes in Sagittaria.****IMPACT The results from these projects will provide the most comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms and evolution of plant defence to date. Our results will have direct implications for agriculture and plant biopharmaceutical industry.***Highly qualified personnel (HQP) will play a central role in all of my research objectives. I will provide training for 60 HQP at all levels (PDF, PhD, MSc, BSc). HQP will gain expertise in a multidisciplinary suite of techniques while publishing novel high-impact publications. I will also provide professional training on future careers in science, which has proven effective with previous HQP in my lab.**