Excellence in Research: Genome Evolution of Amoebozoa: Resolving the deep phylogeny of Amoebozoa through genomic and proteomic features.

Spelman College, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

Microscopic organisms have played an instrumental role in our understanding of many cellular processes. They constitute the majority of all living organisms, yet little is known about their diversity, behavior and genomics. This project focuses on amoeboid organisms belonging to the supergroup Amoebozoa. They exist in diverse natural habitats including marine, freshwater, and soil environments, and as symbionts or parasites affecting livestock and humans. Amoebozoans have long been considered simple and primitive, but recent studies have shown that they are more complex than previously thought. Despite their evolutionary and ecological significance, the biodiversity and evolution of Amoebozoans is not well understood. This project uses a combination of methods including whole genome analysis and advanced microscopy to resolve their phylogeny (how they are related to each other). The project will also examine key evolutionary features such as genome size and complexity as well as mechanisms of amoeboid movement. Knowledge of amoeboid movement has broad implications beyond Amoebozoans. It will give insights into groups that employ similar locomotive mechanisms, such as mammalian cells including macrophages and cancer cells. This project will also provide interdisciplinary training for women of African American origin and a postdoctoral fellow in advanced microscopy, genomics, proteomics, phylogenomics and microbial diversity. Recent molecular studies made significant progress in our understanding of Amoebozoan diversity and evolution. However, the deep relationships among Amoebozoan subgroups are largely unresolved and some key lineages remain unplaced in the tree of Amoebozoa. The supergroup Amoebozoa is an old lineage, estimated to have evolved from a common ancestor over a billion years ago. Resolving ancient relationships is a difficult endeavor due to limited data and other historic and algorithmic challenges. This project will use a combination of approaches including cellular proteomic and whole genome sequencing to resolve the tree of Amoebozoa. Genome sequencing will provide not only large amounts of genetic data helpful for resolving the tree of Amoebozoa but also additional genomic architectural data that can be used to study the evolution of the group. Given that Amoebozoa holds a key evolutionary position in the tree of life, resolving the tree of Amoebozoa will elucidate many fundamental evolutionary questions including the origin and evolution of life cycles, multicellularity, host-parasite interactions, amoeboid movement, and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) across domains. In addition to this, study of Amoebozoan genomes and their complexity will give insights on how genome size impacts behavior and adaptation to various ecological niches. 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.