Regulatory control of endogenous viruses to generate novel eukaryotic traits

Microbes such as viruses often exchange genetic material with the organisms they infect. Although this genetic material is usually lost, it can sometimes serve as an important source for the acquisition of new traits. This award seeks to understand the process by which virus-derived genetic material can be integrated into host organisms such as insects and then used in a novel setting for the benefit of the host. Research will focus on multiple examples of these processes that have repeatedly occurred in nature, making the results from this award significant for discerning physiological and genetic patterns that lead to evolutionary leaps in form and function. This award will also contribute to the development of the next generation of scientists, who are diverse and globally competitive, and public science outreach. A network of scientists engaged in insect and microbe-related research in the southeastern US will be established. The principal investigators will organize two symposia, inviting expert speakers in the field and facilitating interactions between trainees and members of the network. Viruses are a common source for genetic material entering eukaryotic genomes, and although most DNA acquisitions are non-functional and ultimately degrade, some have given rise to new traits that have significantly influenced eukaryotic evolution. This award will investigate how genes from microbial ancestors have evolved to operate in eukaryotic genomes to produce new beneficial traits. Research will focus on endocrine and intracellular factors that regulate beneficial virus function in insect cells. Extending findings to a comparative evolutionary framework has the potential to transform knowledge of the evolution of biological complexity from microbial traits at a molecular genetic level by comparing and contrasting the processes that have been co-opted to control viral gene expression. This project was co-funded by the Plant-Biotic Interaction Program. 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.