Microbes in the digestive tract of animals play an important part in the health of the animal. Sometimes this microbial community is disturbed as other bacteria enter and establish themselves, which results in an interference with the normal function of this community. In this study, the researchers propose to develop tools for identifying mechanisms that prevent invasive species from establishing themselves in the digestive tract. The goal of the proposed research is to identify mutations that enable the native symbiont to better prevent invasive species from establishing itself. In a synthetic biology approach, the researchers will combine different mutations to engineer a probiotic defender strain that can fight off invaders belonging to different species. The broader impacts of this research include a five-day training class in genome sequencing that will be offered to undergraduates from colleges that are less research intense to expose the students to state-of-the-art research and technologies. Graduate students will be trained. The research will be presented at scientific meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals. The findings from this study will be applicable to other animals and provide new insights into how microbial communities prevent invasive species from entering a digestive tract, which is important for the well-being of all animals and can lead to new approaches to prevent dysbiosis.

The goal of this proposal is to prove the feasibility and establish the necessary tools for identifying genes important for preventing the colonization of invasive bacteria using the leech Hirudo verbana as a simple model system. The first aim is to determine the colonization parameters that allow the invasive strains to establish themselves in the digestive tract. The second goal is to repetitively expose the native symbiont, Aeromonas veronii, to an invasive strain. The pressure exerted by the invasive strain will select for a native symbiont that has an enhanced capability to fight off the invader. These gain-of-function experiments will be done for two different invasive species. In the third aim, mutations that are linked to the improved ability to fight off invaders will be validated by moving them into a new strain. In addition, mutations detected in lineages evolved against different species will be combined into the same genetic background to engineer a super-defender that can fight off both invasive species. In the final aim, genetic tools will be developed for a second symbiont that is an obligate anaerobe. This study will lay the foundation for identifying molecular mechanisms that native symbionts use to prevent invasive bacteria from invading.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
1710511
Program Officer
Mamta Rawat
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2017-08-01
Budget End
2021-07-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
$299,999
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Connecticut
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Storrs
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06269