U.S.-Japan Cooperative Research: Environmental Regulation of Gene Expression for Reproductive Hormones in Birds

该奖项将支持华盛顿大学动物系John Wingfield教授和东京医科大学通识教育系Masaru Wada教授之间为期两年的美日合作研究项目。温菲尔德博士研究环境因素在控制鸟类繁殖周期中的作用。他目前的研究涉及在不同环境条件下对不同物种的鸟类进行生殖激素检测。他与和田教授的项目涉及合作开发和应用鸡生殖激素的cdna探针，因为这些探针将与这些鸟类的脑下垂体DNA杂交。鸟类的繁殖周期是多种多样的，从短暂的繁殖季节到基本上连续的繁殖季节，从精确的时间到机会主义的繁殖期，都是连续的。这项合作工作将测量生殖激素基因表达的变化，以响应环境信号。这将扩展温菲尔德博士目前的研究，测试可预测性的恒定性/偶然性模型，作为一个潜在的统一假说，解释鸟类--或许还有其他生物--如何在不同的环境条件下整合环境成熟。

This award will support a two-year U.S.-Japan cooperative research project between Professor John Wingfield, Department of Zoology, University of Washington, and Professor Masaru Wada, Department of General Education, Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Dr. Wingfield studies the role of environmental factors in controlling the breeding cycle in birds. His present research involves assaying reproductive hormones in different species on birds under different environmental conditions. His project with Professor Wada involves collaboration to develop and apply cDNA probes for the reproductive hormones in chicken, since these probes will hybridize with the pituitary DNA of these birds. Avian reproductive cycles are diverse, spanning continuums from brief to essentially continuous breeding seasons, and from precisely timed to opportunistic reproductive periods. This collaborative effort will measure changes in gene expression for reproductive hormones in response to environmental signals. This will extend Dr. Wingfield's current research to test a constancy/contingency model of predictability as a potential unifying hypothesis to explain how birds, and perhaps other organisms, integrate environmental maturation under varying environmental conditions.