The evolution of gene expression and functional specialization in Siphonophora (Cnidaria)

管水母（Cnidaria）基因表达和功能特化的进化

• 批准号: 1256695
• 负责人: Casey Dunn
• 金额: $ 70万
• 依托单位: Brown University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-03-15 至 2017-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1256695&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: evolution; gene; expression; functional; specialization

Different species have different degrees of specialization between their cells, genes, and organs. Understanding the evolutionary origins and genomic underpinning of this functional specialization is critical to understanding the diversity of life on Earth and the implications of division of labor for complex systems. This project will investigate functional specialization in a group of marine invertebrate species with some of the most extreme divisions of labor, the siphonophores. Siphonophores are made up of hundreds of specialized bodies that each perform particular tasks, such as feeding or defense. The investigators will measure gene activity in multiple types of specialized bodies in twelve species of siphonophores, and characterize the anatomical differences between these bodies. Evolutionary analyses will indicate which genes have shifts in activity that are associated with shifts in the division of labor.This project will test general hypotheses about the evolution and impact of the division of labor in complex, integrated organisms. It will also develop new statistical methods and computational tools that will enable evolutionary analyses of gene activity in other species. In addition, this grant provides support to produce new animations that communicate findings to a broad audience (posted at http://creaturecast.org).

不同的物种在其细胞，基因和器官之间具有不同程度的专业化。了解这种功能专业化的进化起源和基因组基础对于理解地球上生命的多样性以及劳动分裂对复杂系统的影响至关重要。该项目将研究一组海洋无脊椎动物物种的功能专业化，其中一些最极端的劳动分裂，即虹吸管。 siphonophores由数百个专业机构组成，每个专业机构都执行特定的任务，例如喂养或防御。研究人员将在十二种虹吸管中的多种类型的专业体中测量基因活性，并表征这些身体之间的解剖学差异。进化分析将表明哪些基因的活性转变与劳动分工的转移有关。该项目将检验有关劳动分工在复杂，综合生物体中劳动分工的一般假设。它还将开发新的统计方法和计算工具，以实现其他物种基因活性的进化分析。此外，该赠款为制作新动画提供了支持，这些动画将发现与广泛的受众传达（发布在http://creaturecast.org上）。