POWRE: Development of Tools for the Experimental Evolution of a Floral Trait in Antirrhinum

长期以来，人们一直认为传粉者的琼斯选择推动了艳丽花朵性状的进化，但传粉者介导的选择作用已被证明难以在田间证明。传粉者已被证明影响植物繁殖成功和交配模式的组成部分。然而，传粉者选择如何转化为多态植物种群基因频率的变化仍然是一个重大挑战。这项由POWRE资助的研究的主要目标是测试传粉者的选择是否足以推动实验植物种群中花特征的进化。本研究的可行性是通过使用一个特别合适的植物传粉系统。一个单一的基因，sulfurea，决定了金鱼草花的颜色。大黄蜂传粉者已经被证明将这种颜色多态性与花蜜奖励联系起来。通过操纵花蜜奖励，从而传粉者的行为，重复实验植物种群将受到不同的选择强度的现实选择代理在许多代。有了这个模型系统，有关花性状进化的基本问题将直接得到解决。在这项研究中，一个可靠的方法来确定植物基因型将开发使用紧密连锁的多态性DNA标记。此外，生育力选择模型用于产生微进化的预测将被探索，以指导在实验种群的传粉者行为数据的收集。这项研究将带来重要的工具，从分子遗传学和计算机建模承担一个独特的调查在进化生物学的植物传粉系统。

9870405 Jones Selection by pollinators has long beeb thought to drive the evolution of showy floral characters, but the action of pollinator-mediated selection has proven difficult to demonstrate in the field. Pollinators have been shown to influence components of plant reproductive success and mating pattern. However, how pollinator selection translates into changes in gene frequencies in polymorphic plant populations remains a major challenge. The primary objective of this POWRE-funded research is to test whether selection by pollinators can be sufficient to drive the evolution of a floral character in experimental plant populations. The feasibility of this study is enhanced by the use of a particularly appropriate plant-pollinator system. A single gene, sulfurea, determines flower color in snapdragons. Bumblebee pollinators have been shown to relate this color polymorphism to nectar rewards. By manipulating nectar rewards and thus pollinator behavior, replicate experimental plant populations will be subjected to selection of varying strength by realistic selection agents over many generations. With this model system, fundamental questions about the evolution of floral traits will be addressed directly. In this research, a reliable method of determining plant genotypes will be developed using closely linked polymorphic DNA markers. Also, the fertility selection model used to generate predictions for microevolution will be explored to guide the collection of pollinator behavior data in the experimental populations. This research will bring important tools from molecular genetics and computer modeling to bear on a unique investigation in the evolutionary biology of plant-pollinator systems.