CAREER: The Genetics of Species Differences: Drosophila Courtship Signals and their Preferences

职业：物种差异的遗传学：果蝇求偶信号及其偏好。GleasonSpecification是地球上生命多样性的保证。 物种形成的过程需要生殖隔离的进化。 生殖隔离的一种类型是源于交配行为差异的性隔离。 拟研究的果蝇种类为拟果蝇（Drosophila simulans）和拟果蝇（D. sechellia，在求爱的两个要素不同。 第一个元素，求偶歌，是由雄性产生的，以刺激雌性。 雌性更喜欢自己物种的歌声，只有在不同物种的歌声面前才不情愿地交配。 第二个元素是接触信息素。 D. sechellia雌虫的主要信息素与D. simulans女性 D. simulans雄虫对D.由于这种信息素的差异。该项目使用这些特征的两个遗传分析。 首先，定量遗传学将用于估计所涉及的基因数量、它们在基因组中的位置以及它们的个体效应。 这些将被研究的求爱元素（歌曲和信息素）和异性对这些特征的偏好。 第二，基因组中与求偶性状有关的区域将从一个物种引入另一个物种，而所有其他基因区域都是孤立的。 这些遗传分析将被用来确定在物种之间发生调节变化的基因。教学活动将集中在改进现有的进化和遗传学课程以及开发新的物种形成和行为遗传学课程。 这个项目的智力价值是阐明物种差异的遗传学，这可能有助于物种形成，这是一个不太清楚的话题。 该项目的更广泛影响包括为将接受行为和遗传方法跨学科培训的学生提供教育机会。 此外，了解果蝇的行为，一个模型系统，提供了更复杂的物种和害虫物种的行为分析的见解。

CAREER: The genetics of species differences: Drosophila courtship signals and their preferencesPI: Jennifer M. GleasonSpeciation is responsible for the diversity of life on earth. The process of speciation requires the evolution of reproductive isolation. One type of reproductive isolation is sexual isolation derived from differences in mating behaviors. The fruit fly species to be studied, Drosophila simulans and D. sechellia, differ in two elements of courtship. The first element, courtship song, is produced by the male to stimulate the female. Females prefer the song of their own species and only reluctantly mate in the presence of a different species' song. The second element is a contact pheromone. D. sechellia females have a different major pheromone than D. simulans females. D. simulans males discriminate against D. sechellia females because of this pheromone difference.The project uses two genetic analyses of these traits. First, quantitative genetics will be used to estimate the number of genes involved, their location in the genome and their individual effects. These will be studied for both courtship elements (song and pheromones) and for the preferences exhibited by the opposite sex for these traits. Second, regions of the genome genetically implicated in the courtship traits will be introduced from one species to the other, in isolation of all other gene regions. These genetic analyses will be performed to identify the genes that have had a regulatory change between the species.Teaching activities will focus on improving existing courses on evolution and genetics and developing new courses on speciation and behavioral genetics. The intellectual merit of this project is to elucidate the genetics of species differences that can contribute to speciation, a topic that is not well understood. The broader impacts of this project include educational opportunities for students who will receive interdisciplinary training in behavioral and genetic methods. In addition, understanding behavior in Drosophila, a model system, provides insights into the behavioral analysis of both more complex species and pest species.