Histocompatibility Genes and Mate Choice: Chemosensory Mechanisms and Parasite Resistance

组织相容性基因和配偶选择：化学感受机制和寄生虫抗性。PI：Potts，韦恩K.建议编号：9904609主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）的基因编码在免疫应答中起中心作用的蛋白质。 因此，这些基因影响对感染性和自身免疫性疾病的抵抗力。 有趣的是，有证据表明家鼠（可能还有人类）更喜欢与携带MHC基因的个体交配。在家鼠和其他脊椎动物中，MHC不同的交配偏好可能起到减少近亲繁殖或产生对传染病具有更大抵抗力的免疫多样性后代的作用。 Potts博士和Penn博士将进行针对这两个问题的研究：（1）MHC区域内的哪些特定基因负责观察到的交配偏好。 (2)MHC基因会影响未经训练的家鼠辨别气味吗？ (3)家鼠是通过与自己的MHC类型相比较，还是通过与它们的巢友相比较来识别MHC的不相似性？ (4)MHC不同的交配偏好是否会减缓寄生虫适应宿主免疫系统的速度？ 这项关于MHC介导的行为的研究有几个重要的意义。它将有助于阐明动物行为中一些最有趣的问题，例如基因如何影响复杂的社会行为，以及交配偏好如何增强后代抵抗疾病的能力。 此外，我们的工作将有重要的影响，了解遗传学和化学感觉（气味）通信的发展和保持遗传多样性的选择力。

Animal Behavior ProgramNon-technical AbstractTitle: Histocompatability genes and mate choice: chemosensory mechanisms and parasite resistance.PI: Potts, Wayne K.Proposal #: 9904609 The genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) encode proteins that play a central role in the immune response. Therefore these genes influence resistance to infectious and autoimmune diseases. Interestingly, evidence indicates that house mice (and probably humans) prefer to mate with individuals carrying MHC genes that are different from their own. MHC-dissimilar mating preferences in house mice and other vertebrates might function to reduce inbreeding or to produce immunologically diverse offspring with greater resistance to infectious disease. Dr. Potts and Dr. Penn will conduct research directed at testing both these questions: (1) Which specific genes within the MHC region are responsible for the observed mating preferences. (2) Do MHC genes influence odors that can be discriminated by house mice without training? (3) Do house mice recognize MHC-dissimilarity by comparison to their own MHC type, or by comparison to that of their nestmates? (4) Do MHC-dissimilar mating preferences function to slow down the rate at which parasites can adapt to their hosts' immune systems? This research on MHC mediated behaviors has several important implications. It will help to clarify some of the most intriguing problems in animal behavior, such as how genes influence complex social behaviors and how mating preferences enhance the ability of offspring to resist disease. Moreover, our work will have important implications for understanding the genetics and development of chemosensory (odor) communication and the selective forces maintaining genetic diversity.