Research Starter Grant

发现统计学上得到充分支持的生命之树是系统生物学的一个基本目标，特别是随着模式生物基因组数据的迅速获得。本建议的目的是确定系统学家在面对难以解决的物种关系问题时应该使用的最合适的数据采样策略。伊瓜尼亚蜥蜴是检验以下假设的理想群体：较少（5-10）个大基因比使用大量（10）个较小的基因片段更能恢复对快速辐射分类群的强大的系统发育支持。这些爬行动物分布在世界各地，几乎占据了每一个栖息地，有许多适应性辐射的例子。几乎每一个主要的鬣蜥谱系都将进行至少6个核基因的测序，以生成一个树，用于一系列分析实验，确定恢复统计支持树的最合适策略。这项研究促进了本科生和主要研究机构之间的互动，提供了生物学、数学和计算机科学的独特合作。本科生将参与数据收集，分析，手稿开发和出版，以及在地方和国家科学会议上的演讲。数据和结果将在网上公开。本研究利用鸡、鼠和人类基因组计划的序列开发的新DNA标记，将为研究远亲分类群（爬行动物、两栖动物和鱼类）的研究人员提供对未来系统发育研究有用的位点和采样策略，这些位点将广泛适用于所有致力于恢复生命之树的生物学家。

The discovery of a statistically well-supported Tree of Life is a fundamental goal of systematic biology, particularly with genomic data rapidly becoming available from model organisms. The objective of this proposal is to determine the most appropriate data sampling strategy systematists should use in the face of difficult to resolve problems of species relationships. Iguanian lizards are an ideal group to test the hypothesis that fewer (5-10) large genes will recover strong phylogenetic support for rapidly radiating taxa rather than using a large number (10) of smaller gene fragments. These reptiles have a worldwide distribution occupying almost every habitat with numerous examples of adaptive radiations. Almost every major iguanian lineage will be sequenced for at least six nuclear genes to generate a tree to be used in a series of analytical experiments determining the most appropriate strategy for recovering a statistically supported tree.This research facilitates interactions between undergraduate students and major research institutions to provide a unique collaboration of biology, mathematics, and computer science. Undergraduates will be involved in data collection, analysis, manuscript development and publication, as well as presentation at local and national scientific meetings. Data and results will be publicly available on the web. New DNA markers developed in this study, using sequences from the Chicken, Mouse, and Human Genome Projects, will provide researchers working on distantly related taxa (reptiles, amphibians, and fish) with loci useful for future phylogenetic studies and sampling strategies that will have wide applicability for all biologists working on recovering the Tree of Life.