DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics of Mating Behavior in the Genus Drosophila

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Increasing evidence suggests that genes involved in male reproduction evolve at an exceptionally rapid rate, but the biological basis for this acceleration is unknown. One possibility is that rapid evolution is driven by differences in mating behavior. For nearly 100 years geneticists have studied the insect Drosophila to try to identify the genes that control mating behavior. A number of key genes have been identified. This affords an opportunity to determine whether genetic differences in these genes accounts for the great variation in mating behavior among different species. The investigators will characterize these genes among a broad sample of species and also study patterns of genetic variation within populations. How individuals find each other and form mating pairs is a fundamental aspect of biology in all organisms that have two sexes. Mating behavior changes through time and accounts for the observation that individuals choose mates within their own species. Understanding the genetic basis of differences in mating behavior has important practical applications ranging from designing the optimal size and geometrical layout of national parks and game preserves to breeding endangered animal species in captivity.