Spontaneous mutation affecting quantitative traits in Arabidopsis thaliana

9981891Shaw这项研究将描述影响芥科一年生植物拟南芥属植物性状的自发突变。主要目标是确定突变率，描述突变效应的分布，并评估自发突变的遗传作用模式。这些研究将使用117个突变-累积系，这些突变-累积系都来自一个高度近亲繁殖的祖先，作为遗传基线。这些品系已经前进了25代。将使用代表每一品系在几代品系进步的植物进行大规模检测。将获得每个个体的植物大小、发育时间和繁殖的测量结果。一些检测方法的设计因环境条件不同而不同，因此可以评估突变影响的环境敏感性。还将进行品系间的正式遗传杂交，以确定突变的遗传显性程度。新开发的推断突变特性的统计方法将应用于这些数据。自发突变被广泛认为是一种在进化中至关重要的遗传过程，但关于自发突变的定量信息极其有限。例如，这项研究的结果将为预测生态专门化的进化、交配系统的进化和灭绝的速度提供信息。

9981891ShawThis research will characterize spontaneous mutations affecting traits of Arabidopsis thaliana, an annual plant of the mustard family. The primary goals are to determine the mutation rate, to describe the distribution of mutational effects, and to assess genetic modes of action for spontaneous mutations. These studies will employ 117 mutation-accumulation lines that all derive from a single highly inbred progenitor, which serves as the genetic baseline. The lines have been advanced for 25 generations. Large-scale assays will be conducted using plants representing each line at several generations of line advancement. Measures of plant size, developmental timing, and reproduction will be obtained for each individual. The design of some assays varies environmental conditions so that environmental sensitivity of effects of mutation can be evaluated. Formal genetic crosses between lines will also be conducted to determine the degree of genetic dominance of mutations. Newly developed statistical approaches to inferring mutational properties will be applied to these data. Spontaneous mutation is widely recognized as a genetic process fundamentally important in evolution, yet quantitative information about spontaneous mutation is extremely limited. Results of this research will inform predictions about, for example, evolution of ecological specialization, evolution of mating systems, and rates of extinction.