Collaborative Research: Using Comparative Genomics to Study the Evolution of Social Behavior

合作研究：利用比较基因组学研究社会行为的演变

• 批准号: 0641120
• 负责人: James Hunt
• 金额: $ 2.95万
• 依托单位: University of Missouri-Saint Louis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-06-01 至 2008-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0641120&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Using; Comparative; Genomics

One of the most significant findings in biology in the past twenty years is that there is a shared set of genes that serve as the foundation for development in all animals, big and small, insect and mammal. Is the same true for social behavior? This proposal addresses this question with comparative genomic analysis, focusing on two species of social insects that are distantly related to each other, honey bees (Apis mellifera) and paper wasps (Polistes metricus). The hypothesis to be tested is that foraging involves the same genes in different species, even species that regulate foraging socially in different ways. To test this hypothesis, brain gene expression patterns will be compared. A large and diverse team of researchers will be assembled to perform this project with expertise in social behavior, honey bee biology, wasp biology, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, genomics, and bioinformatics. The genome of the honey bee already has been sequenced, so genomic information is readily available for this species. For the wasp, a new approach to obtain the requisite sequences has been developed and tested, and will be used. Results from this project will illuminate our understanding of the evolution of social behavior. Genomic information for the wasp will form a new public resource available freely to the scientific community. The project will provide interdisciplinary training opportunities for postdoctoral associates, graduate students, and undergraduates, including those at a small, liberal arts undergraduate institution. This project also will enhance the research experiences of two new faculty investigators.

在过去的二十年中，生物学中最重要的发现之一是，有一组共同的基因是所有大小动物（大小，昆虫和哺乳动物）发展的基础。社会行为是相同的吗？该建议通过比较基因组分析来解决这个问题，重点是两种彼此远距离相关的社交昆虫，蜜蜂（Apis Mellifera）和纸黄蜂（Polistes Metricus）。要检验的假设是，觅食涉及不同物种中相同的基因，甚至以不同方式调节社会觅食的物种。为了检验该假设，将比较脑基因表达模式。一个庞大而多样的研究人员将组装成该项目，以社会行为，蜜蜂生物学，黄蜂生物学，进化生物学，分子生物学，基因组学和生物信息学方面的专业知识。蜜蜂的基因组已经进行了测序，因此很容易为该物种提供基因组信息。 对于黄蜂，已经开发和测试了一种新的方法来获得必要的序列，并将使用。 该项目的结果将阐明我们对社会行为发展的理解。 WASP的基因组信息将构成一种新的公共资源，可自由提供给科学界。该项目将为博士后同事，研究生和本科生提供跨学科的培训机会，包括一家小型文科本科机构的培训机会。该项目还将增强两名新教师研究人员的研究经验。