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密切相关的物种之间的生殖隔离是如何发展的。本研究以两种燕尾蝴蝶--灰凤蝶和加拿大凤蝶为系统，研究新生物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，但在它们的范围相遇的地方，它们仍然有能力形成可生育的杂交后代。研究人员预测，一些基因能够通过杂交区，而与物种特定的生态重要特征相关的基因则不能。实施标准和新的群体遗传学方法，30个与性别相关的基因将在双亲和杂交群体中进行检查，以验证预测。利用亲本种群，这项研究还将阐明哪些性别连锁性状在这两个物种最初的分化中发挥了重要作用。Papilio杂交区是北美许多动植物物种周转和杂交的著名地理热点。通过拟议的研究获得的见解将提高我们对复杂生态系统的理解。这项研究将对非模式生物的遗传资源做出重大贡献。此外，还将开发可应用于许多生物物种的公开可用的软件。

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.