Chromosomal inversions and the persistence of species

如果不同物种的个体相互交配，杂交物种会变得更加相似，最终崩溃为一个物种。然而，染色体重排可以让杂交物种持续存在，因为基因组的大块不会重组。 以前资助的工作研究了两种果蝇的杂交过程。赋予共存物种之间的差异的基因包含在染色体重排中，而赋予地理上分离的物种之间的差异的基因分布在整个基因组中，从而证明了染色体重排在防止杂交中的重要性。这个项目的工作将通过检查这些染色体重排的遗传结构的细节来微调早期的工作。将对这些物种之间是否以及有多少遗传物质在基因组中距离染色体重排断点不同的点上传递进行估计。因此，这项工作将阐明染色体重排在维持被归类为物种的独特实体方面的效力，随着全世界物种因人类活动而不断丧失，这项工作在确定产生和维持地球生物多样性的过程方面将变得越来越重要。拟议的工作将涉及本科生和研究生的培训，特别是那些来自代表性不足的群体，并将促进与其他主要侧重于理论的经验实验室的持续合作。

If individuals of different species mate with each other, the hybridizing species can become more similar and eventually collapse into one species. However, chromosomal rearrangements can allow hybridizing species to persist because large blocks of the genome do not recombine. Previously funded work examined the hybridization process in two Drosophila species. Genes conferring differences between coexisting species were contained within chromosomal rearrangements while genes conferring differences between geographically separated species mapped throughout the genome, thus demonstrating the important of chromosomal rearrangements in prevening hybridization. The work in this project will fine-tune the earlier work by examining the fine details of the genetic architecture of these chromosomal rearrangements. Estimates will be made of whether and how much genetic material passes between these species at points in the genome varying in distance from chromosomal rearrangement breakpoints. This work will thus elucidate of the efficacy of chromosomal rearrangements in maintaining the distinct entities classified as species.With the continued loss of species worldwide from human activities, this work will become increasingly important in identifying the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity on the planet. The work proposed will involve training of undergraduate and graduate students, specifically those from underrepresented groups, and will foster continued collaborations of an empirical lab with others focusing primarily on theory.