CAREER: Genomic Analysis for Rates and Patterns of New Gene Originations in Drosophila

在这个项目中，龙博士通过在研究和教学中使用实验和计算基因组分析来调查模式生物果蝇（果蝇）新基因起源的速率和模式。先前的研究已经揭示了许多具有特殊进化特征的年轻基因，包括新的表达模式的快速出现，进化速度的加快，以及果蝇基因组中新的基因供体序列的不对称分布。该项目启动了一项大规模的努力，通过最近（在1000万年内）的果蝇基因组逆转录事件来探索基因起源。(1)研究者将利用基因组分析和分子进化相结合的方法对D. melanogaster亚群物种中最近进化的基因进行基因组筛选，通过逆转录来测量新基因的产生率。他将通过基因组杂交实验和黑腹龙基因组序列的计算分析来鉴定黑腹龙基因组中最近的逆转录基因。(2)他最近在他的实验室中观察到新基因起源的第一种模式——不对称逆转录。从x连锁亲本基因反转录的新常染色体基因比从常染色体亲本基因反转录的新x连锁基因更常见。(3)他将通过使用DNA微阵列和其他RNA分析技术检查其组织特异性表达模式来研究新基因在功能上的差异。(4)培养不同层次的青年研究人员，包括本科生、研究生和博士后，以满足本领域的迫切需要。他将通过在中西部一些小型大学讲授进化基因组学，并每年在他的实验室为这些学校的两名学生提供暑期研究项目，来加强对这些大学本科生的教育。这些研究将显著增加对生物学最基本现象之一的理解：新的基因和基因组的编码部分是如何进化的？这项工作不仅有望增强我们的知识库，而且大量新基因的鉴定也将为进一步研究进化基因组学提供宝贵的资源。此外，这个项目将培养年轻的科学家，包括本科生，在进化基因组学的广泛问题

In this project, Dr. Long investigates the rates and patterns of new gene origination in the model organism Drosophila (the fruit fly) by using experimental and computational genomic analysis in research and teaching. Previous investigations have revealed a number of young genes with peculiar evolutionary features, which include the rapid emergence of novel expression patterns, accelerated rates of evolution, and an asymmetrical distribution of new gene donor sequences within the Drosophila genome. This project initiates a large-scale effort to explore gene originations via recent (within 10 million years) retroposition events in Drosophila genomes. (1) The investigator will measure the rate of new gene origination via retroposition by undertaking a genomic screen of recently evolved genes in the D. melanogaster subgroup species using an approach integrating genomic analysis and molecular evolution. He will identify recently retroposed genes in the D. melanogaster genome by means of genomic hybridization experiments and computational analysis of D. melanogaster genome sequences. (2) He recently observed in his laboratory the first pattern of new gene origination, asymmetric retroposition. New autosomal genes that retroposed from X-linked parental genes are more common than are new X-linked genes that retroposed from autosomal parental genes. (3) He will investigate divergence in function of new genes by examining their tissue-specific expression patterns using DNA microarrays and other RNA analysis techniques. (4) He will train young researchers at different levels, including undergraduates, graduates, and postdoctoral fellows, to meet the urgent needs in the field. He will enhance the education of undergraduates at selected small midwestern colleges by giving lectures on evolutionary genomics at the colleges and providing summer research projects in his laboratory to two students from these schools each year. These studies will add significantly to the understanding of one of the most basic phenomena of biology: how do new genes and coding portions of genomes evolve? Not only does this work promise to enhance our knowledge base, the large number of new genes identified will also provide a valuable resource for the further study of evolutionary genomics. Furthermore, this project will train young scientists, including undergraduates, in the broad issues of evolutionary genomics