DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The genetic architecture of divergence between two ecologically distinct Swallowtail butterfly species

进化生物学的核心是了解两个近亲物种之间的生殖隔离是如何发展的。本研究以白凤蝶（Papilio glaucus）和加拿大凤蝶（Papilio canadensis）两种燕尾蝶作为一个系统，研究新种间生殖隔离的遗传基础。这两个物种在许多与性染色体相关的生态特征上存在差异，但在它们的范围相交的地方，它们仍然能够形成可育的杂交后代。研究人员预测，一些基因能够通过杂交区，而与物种特有的重要生态性状相关的基因则不能。采用标准的和新颖的群体遗传方法，将对30个性别连锁基因在青花假单胞菌和加拿大假单胞菌亲本和杂交群体中进行检测，以验证这一预测。利用亲代种群，这项研究还将阐明在这两个物种最初的分化中，哪些性别相关的特征是重要的。凤蝶杂交带是北美许多动植物物种更替和杂交的著名地理热点。拟议的研究所获得的见解将提高我们对复杂生态系统的理解。该研究将为非模式生物遗传资源的开发做出重要贡献。此外，将开发可用于许多生物物种的公开软件。

Central to evolutionary biology is understanding how reproductive isolation between two closely related species develops. This study uses two swallowtail butterfly species, Papilio glaucus and Papilio canadensis, as a system to study the genetic basis of reproductive isolation between newly emerging species. The two species differ in many ecological traits that are linked to their sex chromosomes, yet where their ranges meet they are still capable of forming fertile hybrids. The investigators predict that some genes are able to move through the hybrid zone, while genes linked to species-specific ecologically important traits do not. Implementing both standard and novel population genetic approaches, thirty sex-linked genes will be examined in parental and hybrid populations of P. glaucus and P. canadensis to test the prediction. Using parental populations, the study will also elucidate which sex-linked traits were important in the initial divergence of the two species.The Papilio hybrid zone is a well-known geographic hotspot for species turnover and hybridization in many plants and animals in North America. Insights gained by the proposed research will improve our understanding of complex ecological systems. This study will significantly contribute to genetic resources for non-model organisms. In addition, publicly available software will be developed that can be applied to many biological species.