Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Molecular Adaptations to the Polar Night: A Bipolar Comparison of Terrestrial Invertebrates  (MAPN)

Outline
Survival through the polar night requires a suite of molecular and physiological adaptations that have not yet been adequately defined. Our current NSF-supported research (2004-2007) uses a genomics approach to examine physiological adaptations that enable the midge, Belgica antarctica, to survive on the Antarctic peninsula. This insect is the southern-most, free-living terrestrial animal, and during its two-year lifetime the midge is exposed to a wide range of stressful environmental conditions. It spends the polar winter as a larva encased in ice, and then during the austral summer, while feeding on mats of algae, it is exposed to extremes of temperature and frequent bouts of desiccation and rehydration. Our work, based at Palmer Station, explores the physiological tolerance of this insect to environmental stress and focuses especially on the role of stress proteins (heat shock proteins) in the stress response. By the final year of our current project we anticipate having a fairly complete overview of the role of the stress proteins in the response of the midge to its environment. We have also initiated a study of the heat shock proteins in the tick, Ixodes uriae, a parasitic organism that is hosted by maritime birds in both Antarctica and in the Arctic. Interestingly, this is a species of tick that is present at both poles but not in between, suggesting that it has been distributed by birds that migrate between the poles. Our proposal for IPY 2007-2008 uses our current work in Antarctica to launch a new thrust that will compare our results from Antarctica with the molecular adaptations to be found in the more variable terrestrial habitat in the Maritime Arctic. Two species will be examined in depth: one of several species of midges that live in the Arctic (closely related to B. antarctica) and the tick I. uriae. We intend to not only examine the potential role of stress proteins in these two organisms but to also initiate a more comprehensive approach to identifying genes that are uniquely. expressed during the polar winter. We anticipate that the heat shock proteins will be among those expressed during this time, but we expect that numerous additional genes will be upregulated. Suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) will be used to isolate genes of interest from summer and winter individuals from both poles, and a proteomics approach will be used to identify proteins that are uniquely synthesized in summer vs. winter animals.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Our proposed project is particularly relevant to Theme 4, the investigation of new frontiers. By probing the molecular basis of adaptations to the polar night, we anticipate discovering genes and mechanisms that may have broader application for medicine, agriculture and other branches of the life sciences.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Work in our laboratories currently includes researchers from the United Kingdom, who formerly worked with the British Antarctic Survey, and Japan (cloning of cold-hardiness genes). Our proposal will add a scientist from Denmark.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Our project focuses on a bipolar comparison of maritime terrestrial invertebrates. We propose to continue our work at Palmer Station, Antarctic Peninsula. A final decision has not yet been made on the Arctic location but may include Point Barrow, Alaska or the Danish Polar Center’s Zachenberg Station in northeast Greenland.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 04/2007 to 06/2007      04/2008 to 06/2008      09/2009 to 11/2009
Antarctic: 12/2006-2/2007      12/2007-2/2008      12/2008-2/2009

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
We plan to continue using the facilities at Palmer Station and an as yet unidentified Arctic station.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Our legacy will be though the impact made by our outreach activities to teachers, students and the general public regarding IPY and our research activities.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency

We already have support from the National Science Foundation for the 2006-2007 austral field season. We plan to submit a renewal application that will expand this project to include research in the Arctic.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
We currently have support for the 2006-2007 austral field season from the National Science Foundation. Our proposal will be submitted for review by the appropriate US and international IPY committees.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Expansion

This project is an expansion of an ongoing funded program.

How will the project be organised and managed?
For the past 20 years David Denlinger and Richard Lee have collaborated on NSF-funded research related to the molecular, physiological and ecology of insect cold tolerance and dormancy. We plan to continue this collaboration in this self-managed, freestanding project.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Our current project involves an extensive outreach program that includes a high school teacher as a member of our research team, daily distribution of an email journal to more than 200 teachers, an interactive website (www.units.muohio.edu/cryolab/), publication of articles in professional teaching journals and presentations at professional meetings for teachers.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The results of our research will be published promptly in internationally recognized journals.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
We currently have funding for the 2006-2007 austral field season and plan to submit a renewal application for the extension and expansion of this project.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
We We would welcome logistical or scientific collaborations with other IPY projects.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof David Denlinger
Department of Entomology
318 West 12th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio
43210
USA

Tel: 614-292-6425
Mobile: no
Fax: 614-292-2180
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation