En-Gen: Ecological Genomics of Local Adaptation and Trait Variation in an Arabidopsis Relative

En-Gen：拟南芥近缘种局部适应和性状变异的生态基因组学

• 批准号: 0723447
• 负责人: Thomas Mitchell-Olds
• 金额: $ 84.89万
• 依托单位: Duke University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-10-01 至 2011-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0723447&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: En; Gen; Ecological; Genomics; Local

Although recent advances in genomics have revealed a tremendous amount of segregating variation, little is known about why genes segregate for nucleotide polymorphisms that influence ecologically important quantitative traits. For quantitative trait loci controlling complex trait variation, it is still unclear what evolutionary forces explain molecular polymorphism within species. Plausible explanations include deleterious variation, local adaptation, balancing selection, and neutral genetic drift. These hypotheses have fundamentally different implications for evolutionary ecology ? but each is compatible with current understanding of complex trait variation. This project entails ecological and genomics experiments to distinguish among these hypotheses in natural populations of Boechera stricta, an Arabidopsis relative. These analyses will identify quantitative trait loci responsible for local adaptation in flowering time across an elevation gradient. In addition, within population variation at these loci will be compared to predictions of deleterious and balanced polymorphism models in order to infer the evolutionary processes influencing quantitative variation at ecologically important genes.The goal of this project is an understanding of the evolutionary factors responsible for genetic variation within and among plant populations. By examining natural variation for flowering time, the investigator will be able to determine the relative importance of harmful mutations versus advantageous genetic differences, one of the fundamental unresolved questions in studies of complex traits. Other societal benefits will include providing research opportunities for high school students, mentoring undergraduates, and involving underrepresented minorities in the project. This work also will contribute to resources for the scientific community for environmental genomics of plant species.

尽管基因组学的最新进展揭示了大量的分离变异，但人们对于影响生态重要数量性状的核苷酸多态性基因分离的原因知之甚少。对于控制复杂性状变异的数量性状位点，目前尚不清楚是什么进化力量解释了物种内的分子多态性。合理的解释包括有害变异、局部适应、平衡选择和中性遗传漂变。这些假设对进化生态学有根本不同的影响？但每一个都符合当前对复杂性状变异的理解。该项目需要进行生态和基因组学实验，以区分拟南芥近缘植物 Boechera stricta 自然种群中的这些假设。这些分析将确定负责跨海拔梯度开花时间局部适应的数量性状基因座。此外，这些基因座的种群内变异将与有害和平衡多态性模型的预测进行比较，以推断影响生态重要基因数量变异的进化过程。该项目的目标是了解导致植物种群内部和种群间遗传变异的进化因素。 通过检查开花时间的自然变异，研究人员将能够确定有害突变与有利遗传差异的相对重要性，这是复杂性状研究中尚未解决的基本问题之一。 其他社会效益将包括为高中生提供研究机会、指导本科生以及让代表性不足的少数族裔参与该项目。 这项工作还将为科学界植物物种环境基因组学的资源做出贡献。