Histocompatibility Genes and Mate Choice: Chemosensory Mechanisms and Parasite Resistance

题目：组织相容性基因和配偶选择：化学感觉机制和寄生虫抗性。主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）的基因编码在免疫反应中起核心作用的蛋白质。因此，这些基因影响对传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）更喜欢与携带与自己不同的MHC基因的个体交配。家鼠和其他脊椎动物的mhc不同的交配偏好可能会减少近亲繁殖或产生免疫多样化的后代，这些后代对传染病的抵抗力更强。波茨博士和佩恩博士将进行研究，以测试这两个问题：(1)MHC区域内的哪些特定基因负责观察到的交配偏好。(2) MHC基因是否会影响未经训练的家鼠能够识别的气味？(3)家鼠是通过与自己的MHC类型比较，还是通过与同伴的MHC类型比较来识别MHC的差异性？(4) mhc差异的交配偏好是否减缓了寄生虫适应宿主免疫系统的速度？这项关于MHC介导行为的研究有几个重要的意义。这将有助于澄清动物行为中一些最有趣的问题，比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，我们的工作将对理解化学感觉（气味）交流的遗传学和发展以及维持遗传多样性的选择力具有重要意义。

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.