Collaborative Research: The Genetics of Postmating, Prezygotic Isolation

过去20年的研究表明，在交配后但在精子和卵核融合之前表现的性状差异，通常被称为交配后、合子前的性状差异，在减少物种内种群之间和密切相关物种之间的基因交换方面发挥了主要作用。这些性状差异的遗传基础尚不清楚，因此构成了马歇尔和霍华德研究计划的主要目标。具体地说，这项拟议的研究侧重于识别精液和精子蛋白质，无论是在丰度上还是结构上，密切相关的地面蟋蟀物种之间存在差异，这些物种是由于交配后、合子前的特征差异而分离出来的。一旦确定，基因沉默技术将被用来评估每种蛋白质的功能及其在防止或减少物种间受精方面的影响。受精障碍在阿洛尼莫比乌斯社会蟋蟀复合体中得到了深入的研究，为评估成功受精的基因和蛋白质提供了一个极好的模型。了解种群和物种之间受精不亲和性的遗传基础可以提供对广泛主题的洞察，包括物种(包括人类)内不孕不育的发展，以及性选择和性冲突在推动受精蛋白分化中的作用。该项目为本科生和研究生提供培训，并与K-12学校进行接触。

Research over the past 20 years has shown that trait differences acting after copulation but before the fusion of sperm and egg nuclei, often termed postmating, prezygotic trait differences, play a primary role in reducing gene exchange between populations within a species and between closely related species. The genetic basis of these trait differences is poorly understood and thus, constitutes the primary goal of Marshall and Howard's research plan. Specifically, the proposed research focuses on identifying the seminal fluid and sperm proteins that differ, whether in abundance or structure, between closely related ground cricket species that are isolated by postmating, prezygotic trait differences. Once identified, gene silencing technology will be used to evaluate the function of each protein and its influence on preventing or reducing fertilization between species.Barriers to fertilization have been intensively studied in the Allonemobius socius complex of crickets, providing an excellent model for evaluating the genes and proteins that underlie successful fertilization. Understanding the genetic basis of fertilization incompatibilities between populations and species can provide insight into a wide-range of topics, including the development of infertility within species (including humans) and the role of sexual selection and sexual conflict in driving the divergence of fertilization proteins. The project provides training for undergraduate and graduate students and outreach to K-12 schools.