Collaborative Research: EDGE CMT: Discovery and functional characterization of genes that govern ciliate-algal symbiosis

合作研究：EDGE CMT：控制纤毛虫-藻类共生的基因的发现和功能表征

• 批准号: 2308644
• 负责人: Tingting Xiang
• 金额: $ 89.98万
• 依托单位: University of California-Riverside
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-11-01 至 2026-09-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2308644&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; EDGE; CMT; Discovery

Cnidarians, most notably corals, are cornerstones of marine ecosystems and are powered by their symbiotic dinoflagellate algae. However, these symbiotic relationships are particularly susceptible to environmental perturbations such as high temperature, that can result in the loss of the algae, known as bleaching. Strategies to stem bleaching of corals and other species can inform conservation efforts to overcome the crisis coral reefs face globally. This project will utilize a single-celled model involving a ciliate that forms endosymbiotic relationships with dinoflagellate algae to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing these symbiotic relationships. The knowledge gained about the molecular basis of the symbiosis in this project will provide a deeper understanding of how symbiosis breaks down under stress and may allow for the development of strategies to mitigate coral bleaching. Additionally, this project will directly lead to the training and career development for young scientists with diverse backgrounds from the University of Guam and the University of California, Riverside, both of which are Minority-Serving Institutions. Endosymbiotic algae in the family Symbiodiniaceae power cnidarians, like corals, sea anemones, and jellyfish, which are cornerstones of marine ecosystems but have been increasingly threatened by environmental perturbations and stress. Despite the critical nature of cnidarian-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis, the underlying mechanisms that govern this symbiotic interaction remain largely unknown. Most of the genes in Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis are not accessible to hypothesis-driven research due to extremely limited knowledge about their function. To overcome these limitations, this project will utilize a single-celled ciliate model which enables identification of genotype-phenotype relationships by employing systematic high-throughput screening and protein tagging approaches. This project is expected to elucidate novel mechanisms of endosymbiosis involving Symbiodiniaceae and provide unprecedented insights to the gene functions required for symbiosis in general.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

刺胞动物，尤其是珊瑚，是海洋生态系统的基石，由共生的甲藻提供动力。然而，这些共生关系特别容易受到高温等环境扰动的影响，这可能导致藻类的损失，即白化。阻止珊瑚和其他物种白化的策略可以为保护工作提供信息，以克服全球珊瑚礁面临的危机。该项目将利用涉及纤毛虫的单细胞模型，纤毛虫与甲藻形成内共生关系，以确定控制这些共生关系的分子和细胞机制。在该项目中获得的有关共生分子基础的知识将有助于更深入地了解共生在压力下如何崩溃，并可能有助于制定减轻珊瑚白化的策略。此外，该项目将直接促进关岛大学和加州大学河滨分校（这两所均为少数族裔服务机构）具有不同背景的年轻科学家的培训和职业发展。共生藻科的内共生藻类为珊瑚、海葵和水母等刺胞动物提供能量，这些动物是海洋生态系统的基石，但越来越受到环境扰动和压力的威胁。尽管刺胞动物-共生科共生具有至关重要的性质，但控制这种共生相互作用的潜在机制仍然很大程度上未知。共生科共生中的大多数基因由于对其功能的了解极其有限，无法进行假设驱动的研究。为了克服这些限制，该项目将利用单细胞纤毛虫模型，通过采用系统的高通量筛选和蛋白质标记方法来鉴定基因型-表型关系。该项目预计将阐明涉及共生科的内共生的新机制，并为共生所需的基因功能提供前所未有的见解。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查进行评估，被认为值得支持标准。