Multifunctional Nature of Protostomian Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Like Molecules

原口促性腺激素释放激素样分子的多功能性质

• 批准号: 1352944
• 负责人: Pei-San Tsai
• 金额: $ 48万
• 依托单位: University of Colorado at Boulder
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-01 至 2020-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1352944&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Multifunctional; Nature; Protostomian; Gonadotropin; Releasing

Evolution is driven, in part, by changes in the function of molecules that control the physiology of the organism. Studying these changes is crucial for understanding the unique adaptations developed by organisms to survive the test of time. One molecule whose change over time can influence evolution is a hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH activates reproduction to ensure the propagation of all vertebrate species. In invertebrates, GnRH is assumed to also activate reproduction although consistent support for such an assumption is lacking. It is hypothesized that invertebrate GnRH is not universally important to reproductive activation in invertebrates. Instead, invertebrate GnRH may assume a wide range of functions in neural, motor, and metamorphic control. The project investigates non-reproductive function of GnRH and a related peptide in an invertebrate animal, the sea slug Aplysia californica. These studies may reveal non-reproductive roles of GnRH critical to the survival of invertebrate species. To study the non-reproductive function of GnRH and the related peptide, adipokinetic hormone, a combination of whole organism studies and molecular and biochemical techniques will be used. The investigators will address the following aims: 1) Examine the role of GnRH in metamorphic development, 2) Perform in vitro functional analysis of GnRH receptor isoforms, investigate their distribution, and 3) Investigate the function of adipokinetic hormone. The work challenges a vertebrate-centric notion that invertebrate hormones essentially function as their vertebrate counterparts. This conceptual shift is important for advancing our knowledge on how changes in hormone function contribute to the survival, adaptation, and evolution of metazoans. For broader impacts, this project will provide Dr. Tsai with opportunities for: (1) undergraduate training, (2) minority recruitment, (3) inter-departmental and trans-Pacific collaborations, (4) information dissemination via the development of a novel website that uses humor and cartoons to engage K-12 students in comparative reproduction, and (5) outreach activities to showcase sea slugs to middle school students. Data collected from these studies will be shared through peer-reviewed publications and the Invertebrate Brain Platform http://invbrain.neuroinf.jp/modules/htmldocs/IVBPF/Top/index.html.

进化的部分原因是控制生物体生理的分子的功能变化。研究这些变化对于理解生物体生存时间测试的独特适应至关重要。一种随着时间的变化可以影响进化的分子是一种称为促性腺激素释放激素（GNRH）的激素。 GNRH激活繁殖，以确保所有脊椎动物的传播。在无脊椎动物中，尽管缺乏对这种假设的一致支持，但假定GNRH也可以激活繁殖。假设无脊椎动物GnRH对于无脊椎动物的生殖激活并不重要。取而代之的是，无脊椎动物GNRH可以在神经，运动和变质控制中具有广泛的功能。该项目调查了无脊椎动物动物，海slug aplysia californica中GnRH和相关肽的非生殖功能。这些研究可能揭示了GnRH对无脊椎动物生存至关重要的非生殖作用。为了研究GNRH和相关肽的非生殖功能，脂肪激素，整个生物体研究以及分子和生化技术的组合。 研究者将解决以下目的：1）检查GNRH在变质发展中的作用，2）对GnRH受体同工型进行体外功能分析，研究其分布，3）研究脂肪动力学激素的功能。这项工作对以脊椎动物为中心的概念提出了挑战，即无脊椎动物的激素本质上是其脊椎动物的同类。这种概念上的转变对于促进我们对激素功能变化如何促进后生动物的生存，适应和进化的知识很重要。 For broader impacts, this project will provide Dr. Tsai with opportunities for: (1) undergraduate training, (2) minority recruitment, (3) inter-departmental and trans-Pacific collaborations, (4) information dissemination via the development of a novel website that uses humor and cartoons to engage K-12 students in comparative reproduction, and (5) outreach activities to showcase sea slugs to middle school students. 从这些研究收集的数据将通过同行评审的出版物和无脊椎动物脑平台http://invbrain.neuroinf.jp/modules/htmldocs/ivbpf/top/index.html共享。