Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center

10 Apr, 10 AM - 16 Apr, 11 PM

Project Summary: Functional Genomics of a Dietary Shift in a Mammalian Herbivore: Creosote Feeding in Neotoma lepida For mammalian herbivores, one of the greatest challenges in shifting from one diet to another is the metabolism of novel plant toxins. We propose to advance knowledge of the biotransformation mechanisms used by mammalian herbivores by capitalizing on interpopulation differences in the feeding behavior of the herbivorous desert woodrat, Neotoma lepida. Approximately 11,000 before present, populations of desert woodrats occupying the area now known as the Mojave desert underwent a major shift from feeding on a diet of juniper to that of a natural invader, creosote (Larrea tridentata). Populations of woodrats that currently live in the Mojave have adapted to creosote as evidenced by their ability to ingest greater quantities of creosote compared to closely related populations that have no evolutionary or ecological experience with creosote. My research group has documented a divergence in the activities of hepatic biotransformation enzymes; the Mojave population has higher activities of three biotransformation enzymes as well as greater gene expression of several biotransformation enzymes compared to a closely related population that feeds on the ancestral diet of juniper. In the proposed research, we will test the following hypotheses using a combination of approaches that include functional genomics and molecular ecology: Hypothesis 1: Mojave woodrats evolved hepatic biotransformation enzymes that enhance their capacity to consume creosote toxins compared to closely related populations that feed on the ancestral diet of juniper. Hypothesis 2: Creosote feeding has evolved multiple times within Mojave populations and divergent populations of woodrats in the Mojave have converged on similar biotransformation enzymes to metabolize creosote. We will test these hypotheses with two general approaches: 1) comparing the gene expression of biotransformation enzymes of several populations of woodrats to identify candidate genes and 2) conducting functional tests of candidate genes to determine their role in the metabolism of creosote toxins. Scientific Merit This work will promote our understanding of how organisms (mammalian herbivores) adapt to radical changes in their diet after natural climate change and how they interact with a critical feature of their environment, i.e., plant toxins in their diet. We seek to identify the underlying mechanisms responsible for phenotypic variation among mammalian herbivores with respect to differential processing of plant secondary compounds. The project will develop valuable molecular tools through the sequencing the woodrat transcriptome and creating custom oligo-microarrays that will advance this natural system for future use in ecological and evolutionary studies. Broader Impacts This research will provide scientific infrastructure in the form a transcriptome of a non-model organism that will be available to other interested scientists. The PIs are committed to scientific outreach and participate in one or more outreach events annually in the community. The project will provide interdisciplinary training in cutting edge technologies for an Assistant Professor from an RUI, a postdoctoral fellow, graduate student several undergraduates (some from an RUI) and summer high school students. It is likely that the post docs, graduate students, and undergraduates on this project will come from underrepresented groups in science given that my lab the majority of trainees in my lab consist of women, students with disabilities and ethnic minorities.

Visit #17766 @Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center

Approved

Under Project # 19825 | Research

Functional Genomics of a Dietary Shift in a Mammalian Herbivore:

research_scientist - University of Utah

Reservation Members(s)

Jael Malenke Apr 10 - 16, 2009 (7 days)
Jael Malenke Apr 10 - 16, 2009 (7 days)
Jael Malenke Apr 10 - 16, 2009 (7 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Mayhew housing facilities 3 Apr 10 - 16, 2009
Campground 3 Apr 10 - 16, 2009