The Integrative Biology of Vocal Communication

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The proposed research will develop a novel mammalian species, Alston's singing mouse, as a model for understanding the mechanisms and evolution of vocal communication. At ecological and evolutionary levels, the research will examine whether zones of co-occurrence between the Alston's singing mouse and a closely related congener, the Chiriqui singing mouse, have resulted in more distinctive, species-specific calls. Such a pattern is known as character displacement and is considered a component of nascent (recent) speciation. At a mechanistic level, the studies will shed light on the importance of Foxp2, the first gene implicated in human language and vocalization, to the production of calls by singing mice. The expression of Foxp2 will be localized in the brains of singing mice. Next the expression of Foxp2 in specific brain regions will be manipulated using gene-therapy methods. By doing so, the work will lay a foundation for investigating the ecological and evolutionary pressures shaping mammalian communication, as well as the molecular substrates that have been shaped by such forces. The research also involves substantial outreach in several venues. First, the data will be integrated into a module on "Language, Genes, and Evolution" to be taught in a large introductory college lecture (ca 600 students). Secondly, the mice will be used in a middle school outreach program. Lastly, the work will support international collaborations in Central America.