Assembing the Tree of Life: An Integrative Approach to Investigating Cnidarian Phylogeny

组装生命之树：研究刺胞动物系统发育的综合方法

• 批准号: 0531763
• 负责人: Marymegan Daly
• 金额: $ 56.51万
• 依托单位: Ohio State University Research Foundation -DO NOT USE
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-10-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0531763&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Assembing; Tree; Life; Integrative; Approach

The phylum Cnidaria is one of the earliest evolving animal groups and includes prominent members of the marine fauna such as corals, sea anemones and jellyfish. Because cnidarians diverged from the rest of the animals prior to the evolution of organs, their overall anatomy is quite simple. Despite this however, cnidarians have attained incredible diversity, comprising over 11,000 species, many of which display elaborate structures and complex life histories. The lack of organs and other anatomical landmarks has made it difficult for scientists to discern their evolutionary relationships. Recent technological and theoretical advances in the sequencing and analysis of DNA provide the opportunity to use the information encoded within an organism's genetic code to elucidate evolutionary relationships. The primary aim of this proposal is to obtain DNA sequence data from 1,800 cnidarian species: this will generate approximately 23 million base pairs of cnidarian DNA sequence, and the specimens from which the sequences are obtained will be retained in natural history museum collections. The information encoded in the DNA will be used to reconstruct cnidarian phylogenies (evolutionary trees), using computer algorithms and supercomputing facilities. Some of the questions this proposal will address are: Was the ancestor to all of cnidarians solitary or colonial? Are jellyfish or hydras more closely related to the corals? How and when did coral skeletons evolve? What are the evolutionary transitions between a simple hydra polyp and a complex Portuguese Man-of-War colony? Reconstructing a cnidarian evolutionary tree is important for our understanding of the patterns and processes that accompanied the early diversification of animal life. Formal and informal education will result from this research. Undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scholars, including those belonging to groups under-represented in the sciences, will be trained. A symposium on cnidarian evolutionary relationships will be organized by the investigators at a national scientific meeting. A Cnidaria Tree of Life database will be developed to include outreach and learning components such as images, common names, and keys designed to appeal to students at all levels as well as interested users such as divers and aquarists. Museum exhibits will be created based on research results, one at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, and one, entitled "Cnidarian Diversity in the Oceans" that will be part of the new Oceans Hall, due to open at the National Museum of Natural History in 2008. A website and classroom poster (in both English and Spanish) integrated with the latter exhibit will be created in collaboration with a K-12 educator supported through NSF's Research Experience for Teachers program.

刺胞动物门是最早进化的动物类群之一，包括珊瑚、海葵和水母等海洋动物群的重要成员。由于刺胞动物在器官进化之前就与其他动物分化，因此它们的整体解剖结构非常简单。然而，尽管如此，刺胞动物已经达到了令人难以置信的多样性，包括超过 11,000 个物种，其中许多具有复杂的结构和复杂的生活史。由于缺乏器官和其他解剖标志，科学家们很难辨别它们的进化关系。 DNA 测序和分析方面的最新技术和理论进展提供了使用生物体遗传密码中编码的信息来阐明进化关系的机会。该提案的主要目的是获取 1,800 个刺胞动物物种的 DNA 序列数据：这将生成约 2300 万个碱基对的刺胞动物 DNA 序列，获得序列的标本将保留在自然历史博物馆藏品中。 DNA 中编码的信息将用于利用计算机算法和超级计算设施重建刺胞动物系统发育（进化树）。该提案将解决的一些问题是：所有刺胞动物的祖先都是独居动物还是殖民地动物？水母或水螅与珊瑚的关系更密切吗？珊瑚骨骼是如何以及何时进化的？简单的水螅水螅和复杂的葡萄牙战舰殖民地之间的进化转变是什么？重建刺胞动物进化树对于我们理解伴随动物生命早期多样化的模式和过程非常重要。 这项研究将产生正式和非正式教育。本科生、研究生和博士后学者，包括那些属于科学领域代表性不足的群体的学者，将接受培训。研究人员将在一次全国科学会议上组织一次关于刺胞动物进化关系的研讨会。将开发刺胞动物生命之树数据库，其中包括图像、通用名称和密钥等外展和学习组件，旨在吸引各个级别的学生以及潜水员和水族爱好者等感兴趣的用户。博物馆展品将根据研究成果制作，其中一项在堪萨斯大学自然历史博物馆，另一项题为“海洋中的刺胞动物多样性”，该展品将成为新海洋大厅的一部分，将于国家自然博物馆开放2008 年的历史。与后一个展览相结合的网站和课堂海报（英语和西班牙语）将与一位 K-12 教育者合作创建，该教育者受到 NSF 教师研究经验计划的支持。