Collaborative Research: Aplysina Red Band Syndrome: Investigating the etiology, pathogenesis, and ecology of an emerging marine disease

合作研究：海兔红带综合症：研究一种新兴海洋疾病的病因、发病机制和生态学

• 批准号: 0726944
• 负责人: Robert Thacker
• 金额: $ 23.6万
• 依托单位: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-11-01 至 2011-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0726944&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Aplysina; Red; Band

The emergence of new diseases and the re-emergence of adapted forms of familiar diseases have renewed interest in the roles of pathogens in natural ecosystems. Pathogens are important regulating factors within host populations, as they can impact distribution, growth and reproduction. In the marine environment, epidemic outbreaks of unknown diseases have been reported with alarming frequency over the last two decades, yet little is known regarding the causes of these diseases or their effects on hosts, host populations, and communities. Gochfeld and colleagues recently described a new disease affecting Caribbean sponges of the genus Aplysina, a dominant component of Caribbean coral reef communities. Aplysina Red Band Syndrome (ARBS) is widespread in the Caribbean, and has rapidly increased in prevalence, making it an ideal study system to increase our understanding of emerging diseases on coral reefs. The research is timely and studying a non-coralline model of marine diseases is significantly beneficial, particularly in light of restrictions on collecting corals, even for research purposes. The goals of this research proposal are to characterize the etiology (causes) and pathogenesis (effects) of ARBS as a newly emerging disease on coral reefs. This research addresses four objectives: (1) Characterize the microbial community associated with ARBS; (2) Examine host responses to ARBS at the ecological, physiological and biochemical levels; (3) Examine the relationships between ARBS prevalence and other members of the coral reef community; and (4) Investigate the effects of environmental stressors on ARBS susceptibility and virulence. The research takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of marine diseases. In addition to supporting the multidisciplinary field and laboratory research experiences of three graduate students, this project will allow undergraduate students to perform ecological research using modern molecular and biochemical technologies. Protocols and results from this project will be incorporated into courses taught by the PIs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The PIs will work with the Alabama Science in Motion Program, the McWane Center (Birmingham, AL) and the Central Gulf of Mexico Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence to develop field and laboratory exercises in environmental sciences targeted to middle-school and high-school science courses. In addition, public presentations with the Alabama Museum of Natural History, Mississippi''''''''s J.L. Scott Marine Education Center, and the McWane Center will enhance public awareness of these invertebrates, their importance in the marine environment, and general environmental issues that threaten their survival. Results from this research will further our knowledge of host-pathogen relationships, enhance our understanding of these interactions in coral reef systems, and improve coral reef conservation efforts.

新疾病的出现和熟悉疾病的适应形式的重新出现，重新引起了人们对自然生态系统中病原体作用的兴趣。病原体是宿主群体内的重要调节因素，因为它们可以影响分布、生长和繁殖。在海洋环境中，过去二十年来，未知疾病流行性爆发的报道频率惊人，但人们对这些疾病的原因或其对宿主、宿主群体和社区的影响知之甚少。 Gochfeld 及其同事最近描述了一种影响加勒比海绵属海兔的新疾病，海兔属是加勒比珊瑚礁群落的主要组成部分。海兔红带综合症 (ARBS) 在加勒比地区广泛存在，并且患病率迅速上升，使其成为加深我们对珊瑚礁新出现疾病的了解的理想研究系统。这项研究是及时的，研究海洋疾病的非珊瑚模型非常有益，特别是考虑到收集珊瑚的限制，即使是为了研究目的。本研究计划的目标是描述 ARBS 作为珊瑚礁新出现的疾病的病因（原因）和发病机制（影响）。这项研究有四个目标：(1) 描述与 ARBS 相关的微生物群落特征； (2) 在生态、生理和生化水平上考察宿主对ARBS的反应； (3) 检查 ARBS 流行率与珊瑚礁群落其他成员之间的关系； (4) 研究环境应激源对 ARBS 敏感性和毒力的影响。该研究采用多学科方法来研究海洋疾病。除了支持三名研究生的多学科领域和实验室研究经验外，该项目还将允许本科生利用现代分子和生化技术进行生态研究。该项目的方案和结果将纳入 PI 在本科生和研究生级别教授的课程中。 PI 将与阿拉巴马州运动科学计划、麦克韦恩中心（阿拉巴马州伯明翰）和墨西哥湾中部海洋科学教育卓越中心合作，开发针对初中和高中的环境科学领域的现场和实验室练习科学课程。此外，阿拉巴马州自然历史博物馆、密西西比州 J.L.斯科特海洋教育中心和麦克韦恩中心的公开演讲将提高公众对这些无脊椎动物、它们在海洋环境中的重要性以及一般性的认识。威胁他们生存的环境问题。这项研究的结果将加深我们对宿主与病原体关系的了解，增强我们对珊瑚礁系统中这些相互作用的理解，并改善珊瑚礁保护工作。