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: 0641378
• 负责人: Michael Henshaw
• 金额: $ 1.65万
• 依托单位: McKendree University
• 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 2008-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0641378&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.

在过去的二十年里，生物学中最重要的发现之一是，有一组共同的基因，它们是所有动物，无论大小，昆虫还是哺乳动物发育的基础。社会行为也是如此吗？该提案通过比较基因组分析解决了这一问题，重点关注两种彼此关系较远的社会昆虫，蜜蜂（Apis mellifera）和纸黄蜂（Polistes metricus）。有待验证的假设是，觅食涉及不同物种的相同基因，即使是以不同方式调节觅食的物种。为了验证这一假设，将比较大脑基因表达模式。一个庞大而多样化的研究团队将被召集起来执行这个项目，他们拥有社会行为、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。蜜蜂的基因组已经被测序，所以这个物种的基因组信息很容易获得。 对于黄蜂，一种获得必要序列的新方法已经开发和测试，并将被使用。 这个项目的结果将阐明我们对社会行为进化的理解。 黄蜂的基因组信息将成为科学界免费获得的新的公共资源。该项目将为博士后助理，研究生和本科生提供跨学科的培训机会，包括那些在一个小型的文科本科院校。该项目还将增强两名新教师调查员的研究经验。