Post-Genomics & Proteomics
Background
Exploring environmental influences on the genome and proteome, in plants, animals and micro-organisms
The Post-Genomics & Proteomics programme is applying integrated genomic and proteomic approaches to environmental science.
NERC asked the UK science community to suggest topics for research in a web-based open call for expressions of interest. An advisory group then chose scientifically rigorous topics that fitted NERC's strategic priorities.
Project outlines
How strongly a gene is 'switched on' to make proteins can be influenced by the environment. One team is investigating fruit flies, puffer fish and chickens to see whether recently-discovered microRNA molecules regulate how the animals respond to environmental influences such as parasitic infection, temperature and, for the chickens, exposure to elevated steroid levels as developing eggs.
Another team is investigating how flounder and sticklebacks respond and adapt to cocktails of man-made pollutants, and whether these pollutants put a selection pressure on the fish. This should help determine whether chronic pollution in estuaries and rivers is reducing the genetic diversity of their fish populations. It may also help regulators develop better ways to assess and regulate pollution.
Almost every species of vertebrate has nematode parasites (roundworms), and infections often vary with the seasons as well as the hosts' sex, and age. Because they're so ubiquitous, nematodes are an important component of the environment, affecting an individual's reproductive 'fitness', and hence even population dynamics. Researchers are applying new methods from genomics to explore how vertebrate-nematode interactions affect ecology and evolution in natural environments.
Another group is investigating the molecular mechanisms that either stop or let plants expand their ranges into different environments. Such work could help us predict how species' distributions will alter as climate or land use changes.
In some plants, a prolonged cold spell early in development speeds up later flowering vernalisation. Researchers hope to uncover the molecular variation that lets one well-studied species, the 'model' plant Arabidopsis (thale cress), adapt to varying winter lengths.
Researchers are also using post-genomic techniques to identify and explore marine microbial communities, explaining how individuals interact, and how their activities affect biogeochemical cycles (such as the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and oceans).
Data handling
The programme uses the services of the NERC Environmental Bioinformatics Centre to provide researchers with a comprehensive set of bioinformatics and data management tools, for use when archiving, collating and mining data sets.