Collaborative Research: Extreme Discordance Between Allozyme and Non-Allozyme Introgression in Baltic Mussels. Selection on Allozymes?

进化生物学家面临的一个主要挑战是确定自然选择在多大程度上塑造了自然种群的遗传变异。在北方和波罗的海发现的两种蓝色贻贝之间进行杂交是很常见的。这两个贻贝物种之间基因的差异交换，特别是编码参与中央代谢途径的酶的基因，表明这些基因可能处于选择之中，并参与了对波罗的海低盐度条件的适应。选择测试将通过将这些代谢基因的遗传交换水平与非代谢和推测为中性(即未被选择)的基因进行比较，并通过在DNA序列水平上寻找选择信号来进行。这个项目将进一步理解自然选择如何在多个基因上运作，特别是在杂交物种之间的边界上。它还将增加妇女和少数群体在人口生物学和进化生态学方面的教育机会，并为编制这些领域的K-12教育宣传材料作出贡献。

A major challenge for evolutionary biologists is to determine the degree to which natural selection shapes genetic variation in natural populations. Hybridization is common between two species of blue mussel found in the North and Baltic Seas. The differential exchange of genes between the two mussel species, particularly genes encoding enzymes involved in central metabolic pathways, suggests those genes may be under selection and involved in adaptation to low salinity conditions in the Baltic Sea. Tests for selection will be conducted by comparing levels of genetic exchange for these metabolic genes against nonmetabolic and presumably neutral (i.e., not under selection) genes and by looking for signals of selection at the DNA sequence level. This project will further the understanding of how natural selection operates at multiple genes, especially at the boundaries between hybridizing species. It will also enhance educational opportunities in population biology and evolutionary ecology for women and minorities and contribute to the development of K-12 educational outreach materials in these fields.