Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Dasyurid Marsupials Based on Protamine P1 Genes

小行星9419907 有袋类是澳大利亚和新几内亚的主要陆生食肉动物。这项拟议中的研究将继续丰富的传统调查dasyurid relationshisp，一个开始近世纪前与基本的解剖描述，并在最近纳入了直接比较基因序列。该项目在结合来自三个基因的信息方面取得了新的进展，一个是来自线粒体基因组的快速进化位点，一个是来自线粒体基因组的缓慢进化位点（分别是细胞色素B和12 rDNA），一个是来自细胞核的基因（鱼精蛋白P1）。鱼精蛋白是精子细胞中包装染色体DNA分子的短肽，其基因序列已被证明在阐明几种哺乳动物群体的关系方面具有价值。 一旦收集到所有的dasyurid物种，这个基因数据库将完善我们的估计，dasyurid进化的具体问题，可以解决的点。最重要的是，这些问题的答案是精确的。新的分析程序检测物种及其地区的共同进化关系（如果有的话），以及重建祖先适应的方法，是强大的，因为他们对一个已知的同源性。实际上，进化发生学是一个框架，它将生物多样性的近似生态学解释与其最终的进化对应物相结合。

9419907 Krajewski Dasyurid marsupials are the dominant terrestrial carnivores of Australia and New Guinea. The proposed study will continue the rich tradition of investigation into dasyurid relationshisp, one that began nearly a century ago with basic anatomical descriptions and has lately incorporated direct comparisons of gene sequences. The project breaks new ground in combining information from three genes, one rapidly and one slowing evolving locus from the mitochondrial genome (cytochrome b and 12rDNA, respectively), and one from the nucleus (protamine P1). Protamines are short peptides that package chromosomal DNA molecules in sperm cells, and their gene sequences have proven valuable in elucidating the relationships of several mammalian groups. Once assembled for all dasyurid species, this genetic database will refine our estimate of phylogeny to the point where specific questions about dasyurid evolution can be addressed. Most importantly, the answers to such questions can be made precise. New analytical procedures for detecting the coevolutionary relationships (if any) of species and their areas, as well as methods for reconstructing ancestral adaptations, are powerful because they operate on a known phylogeny. In effect, phylogeny is the framework for integrating, proximate, ecological explanations of biological diversity with their ultimate, evolutionary counterparts.