This Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Integrative Organismal Systems and Plant Genome Research Program and Plant Biotic Interactions Program, totaling $856,318, will fund research from March 1, 2023 to February 28, 2027. The grant supports a collaborative project between seven laboratories to further understanding of the role of extracellular RNA (exRNA) in intercellular and interkingdom communication. Specifically, the researchers aim to test the hypothesis that RNA secreted by host cells plays a key role in maintaining microbiome and overall health through cellular communication and microbiome modification. They will investigate how exRNAs are selected for secretion and uptake within and among species, the mechanisms of exRNA transfer between signaling and receiving cells, and the impact of exRNA on microbiome composition using human gut, insect gut and plant leaf surface models. The findings could enable manipulation of exRNA communication in agriculture and medicine to develop environmentally friendly pesticides and treatments promoting healthy microbiomes. Overall, this award advances the Biological Sciences program's goals of strengthening the biological sciences enterprise and increasing knowledge of major problems through basic research.
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