Coevolution of Marine Sponges and Symbiotic Cyanobacteria and Eubacteria

海洋海绵与共生蓝藻和真细菌的共同进化

• 批准号: 0209329
• 负责人: Robert Thacker
• 金额: $ 17.91万
• 依托单位: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-08-15 至 2005-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0209329&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Coevolution; Marine; Sponges; Symbiotic; Cyanobacteria

ABSTRACTDEB-0209329Dr. Robert W. Thacker of the University of Alabama at Birmingham has been awarded a grant to investigate evolutionary relationships between marine sponges in the family Dysideidae and the microbial symbionts [cyanobacteria ("blue-green algae")] and other bacteria] that live inside these sponges. Many species in the Family Dysideidae produce chemical compounds with anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. Although the porous bodies of these marine sponges can host diverse microbial communities, the role of microbial symbionts in the production of pharmaceutically active compounds remains unclear. A preliminary study by Dr. Thacker suggests that as sponges have evolved and split into distinct species, their microbial communities have evolved in tandem and are specific to each species of sponge. This study will examine several species of Dysidea and related genera from the Western Pacific, Caribbean, and Mediterranean regions. Sponge DNA sequences and microbial DNA sequences will be compared to test the hypothesis that sponges and their symbionts share parallel evolutionary histories. This study will also investigate the placement of the Family Dysideidae into either Order Dendroceratida or Order Dictyoceratida by comparing DNA sequences among members of the Dysideidae and selected sponges from the two orders. In addition, this study will test whether the production of pharmaceutically active compounds is associated with the presence or absence of specific symbionts. This research project will provide a rare, direct comparison of the evolutionary histories of sponges and their symbionts, with an immediate impact on the fields of sponge taxonomy, drug discovery, and host-symbiont coevolution. The project will also provide a greater understanding of the evolutionary histories of sponges and their symbionts, which will accelerate and enrich the search for new anti-viral and anti-cancer drugs. Increased knowledge of these host-microbe interactions will directly impact our understanding of all types of animal-microbe interactions, including those involving humans.

摘要DEB-0209329博士。阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校的罗伯特·W·撒克 (Robert W. Thacker) 获得了一笔资助，用于研究海绵科海绵与生活在海绵体内的微生物共生体 [蓝藻（“蓝绿藻”）] 和其他细菌] 之间的进化关系。海绵。 Dysideidae 科的许多物种产生具有抗病毒和抗癌特性的化合物。 尽管这些海绵的多孔体可以容纳多种微生物群落，但微生物共生体在药物活性化合物生产中的作用仍不清楚。 萨克尔博士的一项初步研究表明，随着海绵进化并分裂成不同的物种，它们的微生物群落也同步进化，并且对于每种海绵来说都是特定的。 这项研究将研究来自西太平洋、加勒比海和地中海地区的几种 Dysidea 物种和相关属。 海绵 DNA 序列和微生物 DNA 序列将进行比较，以检验海绵及其共生体具有平行进化历史的假设。 本研究还将通过比较 Dysideidae 科成员和来自这两个目的选定海绵之间的 DNA 序列，研究 Dysideidae 科是否属于 Dendroceratida 目或 Dictyoceratida 目。 此外，这项研究还将测试药物活性化合物的产生是否与特定共生体的存在或不存在相关。该研究项目将对海绵及其共生体的进化历史进行罕见的直接比较，对海绵分类学、药物发现和宿主-共生体协同进化领域产生直接影响。 该项目还将让人们更好地了解海绵及其共生体的进化历史，这将加速和丰富新的抗病毒和抗癌药物的探索。 对这些宿主与微生物相互作用的了解的增加将直接影响我们对所有类型的动物与微生物相互作用的理解，包括涉及人类的相互作用。