U.S.-Mexico Research: Ecological Genetics of Desert Adapted Drosophila

9402161 Pitnick美国-墨西哥奖将支持亚利桑那州立大学的Scott Pitnick教授与瓜伊马校区蒙特雷高等理工学院的Edward Pfeiler教授合作进行一项研究。研究人员打算利用索诺兰沙漠特有的四种嗜钙果蝇的等位酶变异性来表征所有四种物种的遗传结构，并在资源可用性的背景下比较不同季节每种物种的遗传结构。他们还将研究基因型和对极端温度的差异耐受性之间的关系。索诺兰沙漠特有的四种果蝇已经成为生态遗传学研究的重要模型。然而，由于缺乏对这些种群的遗传结构以及遗传结构如何随资源可用性和季节变化的了解，它们的用途受到限制。拟议的工作，通过补充使用设施和专业知识，将增加我们对该领域的了解。＊＊＊

9402161 Pitnick This U.S.-Mexico award will support Prof. Scott Pitnick of Arizona State University in a research collaboration with Prof. Edward Pfeiler of the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Guaymas campus. The investigators intend to use allozyme variability of four cactophilic Drosophila species, endemic to the Sonoran Desert, to characterize the genetic structure of all four species and to compare the genetic structure of each species at different seasons in the context of resource availability. They will also examine the relationship between genotype and differential tolerance to thermal extremes. The four Drosophila species endemic to the Sonoran Desert have been an important model for studies of ecological genetics. Their usefulness, however, has been limited by the lack of knowledge of the genetic structure of these populations and how genetic structure varies with resource availability and with season. The proposed work, through complementary use of facilities and expertise, will increase our understanding of the field. ***