Notice of Intent: Do Western Bat Species Possess Natural Defenses to White-nose syndrome?

Funding Opportunity Number: P16AS00188 Opportunity Category: DiscretionaryFunding Instrument Type: Cooperative AgreementCategory of Funding Activity: Natural ResourcesCFDA Number: 15.945Eligible Applicants Public and State controlled institutions of higher educationAgency Name: DOI-NPSClosing Date: Jun 01, 2016Award Ceiling: $154,399Expected Number of Awards: 1Creation Date: May 23, 2016Funding Opportunity Description: White-nose Syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) threatens bat populations throughout the US, and has spread as far west as Oklahoma and Nebraska and most recently in Washington. WNS is predicted to arrive in New Mexico within five years. WNS-free areas, such as Carlsbad Caverns National Park (CAVE), provide critical opportunities for understanding and using natural bat defenses. Our previous results at CAVE identified 18 Actinobacteria (key antibiotic producers) that can inhibit Pd in lab studies (50% of all isolates showing inhibition). We propose to use genetic sequencing (genome and transcriptomics) to identify the actual antimicrobial compounds being produced on bats. This will reveal which bacteria on bats are actively producing antifungals in the wild to identify the most promising candidates for WNS biocontrol. To promote public education and outreach about WNS and its impact on bats to CAVE's large visitor population, we propose to work with local schools and to create an inte...

Source: Grants.gov - May 23, 2016 Category: Research Tags: Natural Resources Source Type: funding