Molecular Genetic Studies of Bdelloid Rotifers

该项目将调查蛭形纲轮虫的基因组结构及其进化，蛭形纲是一种非凡的无脊椎动物，似乎在没有有性繁殖的情况下进化了数千万年。具体而言，该项目将：(i)启动蛭体基因组的基本特征；（ii）检查在蛭形基因组内发生基因重组的特定基因；（iii）确定长期异母进化的基因组后果；（iv）可能发现蛭形轮虫基因组的新特征，这些特征可能会让我们深入了解蛭形轮虫在没有基因交换的情况下成功进化的原因，以及相应的，导致大多数其他无性动物和植物种群过早灭绝的原因——这是生物学中一个长期存在的基本问题。

This project will investigate genome structure and its evolution in rotifers of the Class Bdelloidea, an extraordinary group of invertebrate animals that appears to have evolved for tens of millions of years without sexual reproduction. In particular, the project will: (i) initiate the basic characterization of bdelloid genomes; (ii) examine specific genes for the occurrence of genetic recombination within a bdelloid genome; (iii) determine the genomic consequences of long-term ameiotic evolution; and (iv) possibly discover novel features of bdelloid genomes that might provide insight into what has allowed bdelloid rotifers to evolve successfully without genetic exchange, and, correspondingly, what causes most other populations of animals and plants that become asexual to suffer early extinction - a long-standing fundamental problem in biology.