Domestication was one of the most influential technological innovations of the last 13,000 years. This project will study the domestication of fungi. Because of underlying differences in population biology, ecology, and artificial selection by humans for desired traits, the researchers hypothesize that the effect of domestication on fungi is distinct from plant and animal domestication. The researchers have recently developed Aspergillus oryzae as a model of fungal domestication. This species is a filamentous mold used for millennia in the production of traditional fermented Asian foods and beverages. In using these fungi as part of food processing and production, humans have changed the traits and DNA blueprint of these fungal species. This project will explore those changes. This research has the potential to improve the safety of food fermentation and to shed light on the health benefits of fermented foods. Importantly, this project will involve the public in scientific discovery through a citizen-science project. Members of the public will be encouraged to contribute samples of homemade or commercial fermented foods. Undergraduates, through direct research experiences or through hands-on coursework, will isolate and identify microorganisms from food samples. Students will gain practical experience in microbiology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics. The results of this project will be adapted into a film in partnership with faculty and undergraduate students in the arts.
In parallel with the domestication of plants and animals, fungi (e.g. yeasts and molds) were also domesticated for their utility in food preservation, flavoring, aroma, and texture. However, it remains largely unexplored whether the generalizations formed through the study of domesticated plants and animals can be extended to domesticated fungi. To address whether the patterns and effects of domestication are similar between fungi and across plants, animals, and fungi, the researchers will analyze patterns of genomic and phenotypic variation across hundreds of isolates of A. oryzae and its progenitor A. flavus, and compare these results to two existing models of fungal domestication (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Penicillium roqueforti). It will identify the genomic regions that were targeted by artificial selection and determine the phenotypic effect of domestication on A. oyzae. The project will measure growth rate, inhibitory effects on community food microbes, volatile compound profiles, and gene expression profiles of A. oryzae and A. flavus strains under diverse conditions. The outcomes of this research will shed light on the process of domestication and its effect on fungi and will increase our knowledge of the genomic and evolutionary processes underlying adaptation.
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.
