Functional Genomics of a Dietary Shift in a Mammalian Herbivore: Creosote Feeding in Neotoma Lepida

哺乳动物草食动物饮食转变的功能基因组学：Neotoma Lepida 的杂酚油喂养

• 批准号: 0817527
• 负责人: Maria Denise Dearing
• 金额: $ 36.46万
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-15 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0817527&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Functional; Genomics; Dietary; Shift; Mammalian

Principal Investigators: Dr. M. Denise Dearing, Dr. Kirk ThomasProject Number: IOS-0817527TITLE: Functional Genomics of a Dietary Shift in a Mammalian Herbivore: Creosote Feeding in Neotoma lepidaFor mammals that consume plants, one of the greatest challenges in shifting from one diet to another is the detoxification of novel plant toxins. We propose to advance our knowledge of the mechanisms used by mammalian herbivores by capitalizing on population differences in the feeding behavior of the desert woodrat. Approximately 11,000 before present, populations of desert woodrats occupying what is now the Mojave desert, underwent a major shift from feeding on a diet of juniper to that of a natural invader, creosote. Populations of woodrats that currently live in the Mojave have adapted to highly toxic creosote as evidenced by their ability to ingest greater quantities of creosote compared to populations that have no prior experience. In this project, the investigators will determine the underlying mechanisms for this difference in ability to process creosote. The investigators will use a combination of approaches from pharmacology and molecular ecology as well as cutting edge genomics techniques. The investigators expect to find specific liver enzymes that convey the ability to consume creosote toxins. The differences in liver enzymes between woodrats may be valuable in explaining differences among human populations in the metabolism of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds. This work will promote the understanding of how mammals adapt to radical changes in diet after natural climate change. The data can be extrapolated to predicting how woodrats will respond to current and future climate change. One of the broader impacts is a contribution to scientific infrastructure in the form of a transcriptome of a non-model organism that will be available to other scientists. The investigators are committed to scientific outreach and participate in one or more outreach events annually in the community (e.g., science fairs, public lectures). The project will provide cutting edge, interdisciplinary training for a postdoctoral fellow, graduate students, undergraduates, summer high school students and for an assistant professor from an undergraduate institution. Trainees on this project will come from underrepresented groups in science, e.g., women and ethnic minorities.

首席研究员：M. Denise Dearing 博士、Kirk Thomas 博士项目编号：IOS-0817527 标题：哺乳动物草食动物饮食转变的功能基因组学：Neotoma lepida 中的杂酚油喂养对于以植物为食的哺乳动物来说，从一种植物转变为一种饮食方式的最大挑战之一饮食的另一个作用是排毒新型植物毒素。 我们建议通过利用沙漠林鼠摄食行为的种群差异来加深对哺乳动物食草动物使用机制的了解。 大约 11,000 年前，居住在现在莫哈韦沙漠的沙漠林鼠种群经历了一次重大转变，从以杜松为食转向以自然入侵者杂酚油为食。目前生活在莫哈韦沙漠的林鼠种群已经适应了剧毒的杂酚油，与没有经历过的种群相比，它们能够摄入更多的杂酚油，这证明了它们的能力。在该项目中，研究人员将确定杂酚油加工能力差异的根本机制。 研究人员将结合药理学和分子生态学方法以及尖端基因组学技术。 研究人员希望找到具有消耗杂酚油毒素能力的特定肝酶。 林鼠之间肝酶的差异可能有助于解释人类在药物和营养化合物代谢方面的差异。 这项工作将促进人们了解哺乳动物如何适应自然气候变化后饮食的彻底变化。 这些数据可以推断林鼠将如何应对当前和未来的气候变化。 更广泛的影响之一是以非模式生物转录组的形式对科学基础设施做出贡献，可供其他科学家使用。 研究人员致力于科学推广，每年参加一次或多次社区推广活动（例如科学博览会、公开讲座）。 该项目将为博士后、研究生、本科生、暑期高中生和本科院校的助理教授提供前沿的跨学科培训。该项目的学员将来自科学界代表性不足的群体，例如妇女和少数民族。