Research Objectives:
Although the cold ocean ecosystems comprise 72 percent of Earth’s biosphere by volume, they remain sparsely inhabited and relatively unexploited, particularly the metazoan phyla. Consequently, the few animals that can exist at this border of intracellular freezing are ideal for exploring genomic-level processes of environmental adaptation. Understanding life at the margin will convey significant insights into the processes essential for survival under intense selection pressures.
Our study of adaptive mechanisms in genomic networks focuses on a system that faces a formidable challenge at cold temperatures: embryonic development of two antarctic echinoderms, the seastar Odontaster validus and the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri, at sea water temperatures of –1.8º C. We will quantify temperature effects on gene expression and protein turnover networks during early development by using a Bayesian network analysis to identify clusters of genes and proteins whose levels of expression are associated in fixed, synergistic interactions. Ultimately, the question to be addressed is whether it is more or less difficult (complex) for an embryo to develop in an extreme environment. To answer this question, we will decipher network topologies and subnet structuring to uncover gene connectivity patterns associated with embryonic development in this polar environment. We also intend to interest students in the developing field of environmental genomics by increasing the awareness of career opportunities within the field and increasing the racial diversity of those attracted to it.
Working in a remote, extreme environment such as Antarctica is always a challenge, but the adventurous nature of the work can be used to establish educational and outreach components of high interest to both undergraduate students and the public. We will bring the experience of working in Antarctica to a larger audience by
+ Incorporating environmental genomics into a new bioinformatics curriculum being developed at the University of Delaware,
+ Implementing an intern program to involve minority undergraduates in summer research in the United States and then to bring them to Antarctica to participate in research, and
+ Creating a K–12 education program that will bring the excitement of working in Antarctica to the classrooms of thousands of children (in the United States and around the world) through a program produced in conjunction with the Marine Science Public Education Office at the University of Delaware.
