NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Fluid homeostasis in the evolution of frog breeding phenology

Juarez, Bryan H, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology. The Fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The goal of this research is to understand the role of aquaporin proteins in allowing frogs to overcome harsh environments, and how this may be related to climate and breeding behaviors. Aquaporins allow water to move across cell membranes and therefore allow frogs to maintain water balance in many different environments. Frogs might encounter harsh weather conditions during their reproductive period and must overcome them in order to reproduce and survive. The Fellow will obtain data on the genetic diversity of aquaporins and other relevant traits from various species of frogs living in different habitats. Laboratory experiments will be used to determine how different species may adapt to hot, cold, or dry conditions and eventually inform amphibian conservation efforts. If differences across species are observed, it is implied that aquaporins are important in allowing frogs to survive changing climates and are related to breeding behaviors in frogs. Additionally, the Fellow will design and implement free public workshops for graduate students providing practical guides for reporting statistical results and enhancing scientific reproducibility, with the goal of promoting the participation of historically underrepresented groups at the postdoctoral level. This research will test three hypotheses to determine the evolutionary relationship between behavior, climate, and genetic and functional diversity in aquaporin proteins: H1) breeding period duration across anurans is related to climate, H2) diversity in aquaporin sequences is influenced by climate, and H3) aquaporin gene expression is related to temperature/water availability. H1 and H2 will be analyzed using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) regression while accounting for relevant traits such as body size or habitat preference. For H2, pairwise genetic distances will be obtained via generalized time-reversible models and then projected into a Euclidean space (required for PGLS regression) using multidimensional scaling. H3 will be analyzed using a phylogenetic multivariate analysis of variance model. It is expected that temperature will be one of the major factors influencing sequence diversity, gene expression, and breeding period duration. This research is important for understanding past biogeography and future conservation prospects in anurans. Training objectives for the Fellow include developing mentorship skills and learning to obtain and analyze data on climate, molecular sequences, and gene expression. 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.