Development and Evolution of Beetle Horns

甲虫角的发育和进化

• 批准号: 0445661
• 负责人: Armin Moczek
• 金额: $ 39.5万
• 依托单位: Indiana University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-01-01 至 2007-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0445661&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Development; Evolution; Beetle; Horns

PROJECT SUMMARY:Two proposed research examines the developmental origins and subsequent evolutionary diversification of one of the most diverse classes of phenotypic traits: horns and horn-like structure in beetles. In particular the proposed research has three major aims: (1) First, it will complete a first characterization of the gene network that patterns horn development in beetles. (2) Secondly, using a comparative approach it will explore how modifications of the regulation of horn development have contributed to the dramatic diversification of horned beetles on three different levels: (i) alternative horned and hornless male morphs within species, (ii) sexual dimorphism, and (iii) interspecific diversity in location, size, and number of horns. (3) Lastly, the proposed research will develop RNA interference approaches for future studies of functional relationships between putative horn patterning mechanisms and horn phenotypes.INTELLECTUAL MERIT & BROADER IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH:The proposed research directly addresses one of the most significant unresolved questions in evolutionary biology: how do novel complex phenotypes originate and diversify. At the same time the hypotheses framework and experimental design build firmly on 10 years of research by the PI on the behavioral ecology and evolutionary physiology of horn development in beetles. The proposed research will thus make a novel contribution to the field of evolutionary developmental biology, and at the same time facilitate an integration of the evolution of developmental processes with the behavioral, physiological and ecological mechanisms that guide such evolution in nature. Lastly, the proposed research aims to develop working RNAinterference protocols for future studies on the evolution and development of beetle horns. As such the proposed research will contribute a tool previously unavailable to scientists, yet paramount for future functional analyses of developmental evolution in these organisms. The proposed research will be carried out in large part by graduate and undergraduate students and provide additional training and research opportunities to high school students. The PI is strongly committed to use the proposed research as an opportunity to continue and expand his initiative to integrate underrepresented groups into research and training in his new lab at Indiana University. Apart from timely publication in peer-reviewed journals results from this proposal will be used as exemplars in a graduate course on the Evolution and Development of Phenotypic Plasticity as well as an undergraduate course in Insect Biology.

项目摘要：两项拟议的研究考察了最多样化的表型性状之一：甲虫的角和角状结构的发育起源和随后的进化多样化。特别是，拟议的研究具有三个主要目标：（1）首先，它将完成对甲虫角发育模式的基因网络的初步表征。 (2) 其次，它将使用比较方法探讨角发育调控的改变如何在三个不同层面上促进角甲虫的显着多样化：(i) 物种内的替代性有角和无角雄性变体，(ii) 性二态性，以及 (iii) 角的位置、大小和数量的种间多样性。 (3)最后，拟议的研究将为未来研究假定的角模式机制和角表型之间的功能关系开发RNA干扰方法。拟议研究的学术价值和更广泛的影响：拟议的研究直接解决了进化生物学中最重要的未解决问题之一：新颖的复杂表型如何起源和多样化。同时，假设框架和实验设计牢固地建立在 PI 10 年对甲虫角发育的行为生态学和进化生理学研究的基础上。因此，拟议的研究将为进化发育生物学领域做出新的贡献，同时促进发育过程的进化与指导自然界这种进化的行为、生理和生态机制的整合。最后，拟议的研究旨在开发可行的 RNA 干扰协议，用于未来甲虫角进化和发育的研究。因此，拟议的研究将为科学家提供一种以前无法使用的工具，但对于这些生物体发育进化的未来功能分析至关重要。 拟议的研究将主要由研究生和本科生进行，并为高中生提供额外的培训和研究机会。 PI 坚定地致力于利用拟议的研究作为继续和扩大其倡议的机会，将代表性不足的群体纳入印第安纳大学新实验室的研究和培训中。除了及时在同行评审期刊上发表外，该提案的结果还将用作表型可塑性的进化和发展研究生课程以及昆虫生物学本科课程的范例。