Dissertation Research: Evolution of Outcrossing and Sex Ratio in Caenorhabditis elegans

论文研究：秀丽隐杆线虫异型杂交和性别比例的进化

• 批准号: 0206750
• 负责人: Leticia Aviles
• 金额: $ 0.92万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-07-01 至 2004-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0206750&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Evolution; Outcrossing; Sex

This research aims to impart an evolutionary and ecological perspective onthe study of a model organism, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In thisnematode, hermaphrodites--individuals with male/female reproductive organs--mayreproduce alone or via fertilization from males. This research seeks to elucidatethe role of males in this species and to explore general features involvedin the evolution of outcrossing. In particular: what proximate and ultimateforces influence the ability of males to persist, and at what frequencies? These issues will be addressed by (1) using molecular methods to determinethe frequency of males in large lab and natural populations, and (2) performinglab selection experiments to test hypotheses for the maintenance of outcrossing.This work will provide one of the first evolutionary ecological perspectivesfor C. elegans. This species has been subject to intensive study from genetics(the first animal genome sequenced) and developmental biology (all cell fatesare mapped between zygote and adult), but disproportionately little informationis available regarding its ecology and the processes underlying the evolutionof its unusual breeding system. This research will integrate multiple complementaryapproaches to characterize a more resonant description of ecology and evolutionin this model organism, and bear on general issues in the study of evolutionrelating to the evolution and maintenance of outcrossing.

本研究旨在为模式生物--秀丽线虫的研究提供进化论和生态学的观点。在这种线虫中，两性个体--具有男性/女性生殖器官的个体--可以单独繁殖，也可以通过雄性受精繁殖。这项研究试图阐明雄性在该物种中的作用，并探索异交进化中的一般特征。尤其是：什么最直接的和最终的力量会影响男性的坚持能力，以及以什么频率？这些问题将通过(1)使用分子方法在大型实验室和自然种群中确定雄性频率，以及(2)进行实验室选择实验来验证维持异交的假说。这项工作将为线虫提供最早的进化生态学观点之一。这个物种受到了遗传学(第一个动物基因组测序)和发育生物学(所有细胞脂肪都在受精卵和成体之间映射)的深入研究，但关于它的生态和其不寻常繁殖系统进化的基础过程的信息不成比例地很少。这项研究将综合多种互补的方法，以更好地描述这种模式生物的生态和进化，并涉及与异交进化和维持有关的进化研究中的一般问题。