Population Genetics of Transposable Element Copy Number in Drosophila

转座因子（TE）是一种微小的生物体，其基因组大小从数百到数千个核苷酸不等，它们生活在细胞核内，并通过将其后代传播到宿主染色体上而生存。TE对宿主的表现有多种负面影响：它们引起突变并诱导缺失和复制。由于不适合，具有太多TE的患者被淘汰。什么调节TE活动？为了回答这个问题，我们将鉴定控制模型TE - copia转座的基因，以及允许copia转座的它们的突变变体。我们假设突变宿主基因存在于自然果蝇种群中。为了验证这一假设并确定突变等位基因的频率，我们将研究150个果蝇品系的转座。在TE控制被破坏的果蝇中，TE数量爆炸。TE爆炸的可能性、速度和戏剧性有多大？控制转座率的宿主基因是否有足够的变异来快速抑制爆炸性TE？我们的数据将有助于回答这些问题，以及其他对保护生物学计划和旨在改善养殖种群的育种计划产生广泛影响的重要问题。此外，我们的研究将为本科生，研究生和博士后分子群体遗传学和进化提供新的培训经验。

Transposable elements (TEs) are tiny organisms, with genome sizes varying from hundreds to thousands of nucleotides, that live within a cell nucleus and survive by spreading their progeny on host chromosomes. TEs have multiple negative effects on host's performance: they cause mutations and induce deletions and duplications. Hosts with too many TEs are eliminated since they are unfit. What regulates TE activity? To answer this question, we will identify genes controlling transpositions of a model TE - copia, and their mutant variants that permit copia transpositions. We hypothesize that mutant host genes are present in natural Drosophila melanogaster populations. To test this hypothesis and determine the frequency of mutant alleles, we will study transpositions in 150 lines of flies. In flies with broken TE control, TE numbers explode. How likely, fast, and dramatic could TE explosions be? Is there enough variation in host genes controlling transposition rate to rapidly suppress exploding TEs? Our data will help answer these, and other important questions having a broad impact on conservation biology programs, and on breeding programs aimed at improving cultured stocks. Further, our research will provide new training experiences for undergraduate, graduate students and a postdoc in molecular population genetics and evolution.