A Genomic Experiment to Determine the Nature of Epistasis in Mimulus Guttatus

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The most interesting characteristics of organisms, including those most important for both agriculture and human health, are usually ones that vary continuously like height or weight. Variation in such traits is influenced by both genes and environments. The genetic contribution is complex, involving the interaction of many different genetic loci. The ways that loci interact to influence traits, epistasis, is largely unknown. The proposed experiments will provide a detailed description of epistasis in the model plant monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus). This wildflower exhibits substantial genetic variation in floral morphology, development time, and male fitness components. Epistasis influences each of these traits, but it is unclear whether interactions involve changes in the direction of effects. Does an allele that increases trait values in one genetic background reduce trait values when combined with a different constellation of alleles at other loci? The answer to this question has clear implications for both basic and applied studies in a range of fields. These include evolutionary biology, conservation, medicine, and agriculture. The question will be addressed by applying genomic tools recently developed from an NSF Frontiers in Integrative Biological Research (FIBR) grant. The proposed studies also have an educational component, with a specific focus on preparing Native American students for advanced studies in biology.