RUI: Collaborative Research: Functional Genomics of Spider Silk Synthesis and fiber performance within the Western Black Widow and among cob-web weaving spiders

RUI：合作研究：西部黑寡妇和蛛网蜘蛛中蜘蛛丝合成和纤维性能的功能基因组学

• 批准号: 0951086
• 负责人: Nadia Ayoub
• 金额: $ 29.61万
• 依托单位: Washington and Lee University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-05-01 至 2015-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0951086&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Collaborative; Research; Functional; Genomics

Among silk producing organisms, spiders are unparalleled in their reliance on silk and variety of ways they use silk. Most spiders have multiple types of silk glands, with each type synthesizing a task-specific fiber or glue. Previous molecular studies of spider silk evolution and mechanical function have focused almost entirely on the attributes of the main structural proteins (fibroins). However, the spider silk system necessarily includes fibroin as well as non-fibroin genes. Hence, in this research, state-of-the-art genomic methods will be used to identify all the major elements and their relative abundance within the gene repertoires that underlie silk synthesis in cob-web weaving spiders. The functional significance of the gene repertoires will be assessed by relating them to the mechanical properties of the various fiber types produced by three different species. These results will enhance the understanding of how spiders make their high-performance silks. This knowledge is relevant to the biotechnological efforts to mass-produce synthetic spider silk for industrial and medical applications. In terms of educational impact, this research will directly involve undergraduates at a primarily undergraduate institution (Washington & Lee) and a minority-serving institution (UC Riverside) through incorporation into classroom curricula and student research projects. Importantly, the grant will enable undergraduates to travel between the institutions for cross-training and to present at national science conferences, which will let the students eyewitness the collaborative nature of research and career opportunities for professional biologists. Project results will be broadly disseminated by depositing data into genetic databases, publication in scholarly journals, incorporation into press releases, and presentations to school children and the general public.

在丝绸生产生物中，蜘蛛在依赖丝绸和使用丝绸的各种方式方面是无与伦比的。 大多数蜘蛛都有多种类型的丝绸腺体，每种类型都合成了特定于任务的纤维或胶水。 先前对蜘蛛丝进化和机械功能的分子研究几乎完全集中在主要结构蛋白（纤维蛋白）的属性上。 但是，蜘蛛丝系统必然包括纤维蛋白和非纤维蛋白基因。 因此，在这项研究中，将使用最新的基因组方法来识别COB-WEB编织蜘蛛中丝绸合成基础的基因曲目中的所有主要元素及其相对丰度。 基因库的功能意义将通过将它们与三种不同物种产生的各种纤维类型的机械性能联系起来来评估。 这些结果将增强对蜘蛛如何制作高性能丝绸的理解。 这些知识与为工业和医疗应用大量生产合成蜘蛛丝的生物技术努力有关。 在教育影响方面，这项研究将直接在主要的本科机构（华盛顿和李）和少数族裔服务机构（UC Riverside）（UC Riverside）中直接涉及本科生，并通过纳入课堂课程和学生研究项目。 重要的是，这笔赠款将使本科生能够在机构之间进行交叉培训和参加国家科学会议，这将使学生的目击者为专业生物学家提供研究和职业机会的协作性质。 通过将数据存入遗传数据库，学术期刊的出版物，将新闻稿中的出版物以及向小学生和公众的演讲中，将大致传播项目结果。