The Molecular Costs of Being Sexually Attractive: a Quantitative Assessment of Carotenoid Limitations for Coloration and Self-Maintenance

性吸引力的分子成本：类胡萝卜素对着色和自我维护限制的定量评估

• 批准号: 0746364
• 负责人: Kevin McGraw
• 金额: $ 34.45万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-04-01 至 2012-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0746364&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Molecular; Costs; Being; Sexually; Attractive

For centuries, biologists have been captivated by exaggerated features in animals (i.e. elongated horns in deer, elaborate bird songs). Evolutionary theory predicts that these 'ornaments' are costly to produce and thus serve as reliable indicators of an individual's worth to potential mates or rivals. Despite several decades of research on animal communication, the true intrinsic, molecular costs that go into producing such signals are poorly established. The investigators will use comparative nutritional, biochemical, immunological, and morphological approaches to investigate the costs of producing a common exaggerated trait in birds: ornate carotenoid-based plumage coloration. In many bird species, the most brightly colored individuals are preferred as mates. Yellow-to-red carotenoid coloration of feathers requires pigments obtained from food (like in tomatoes and corn), but these same pigments are also valuable for self-maintenance (i.e. antioxidant defense, immunomodulation). This potential trade-off in use of carotenoid pigments is optimal for testing how nutrient limitations dually govern the sexual trait expression and health quality of individuals. The investigators will study carotenoid intake, allocation, and coloration in wild birds growing their colorful feathers as well as in captive birds fed diets varying systematically in carotenoid content. They will use five pairs of closely related bird species (i.e. blackbirds, sparrows, ducks), one of which shows carotenoid coloration and the other of which does not, in order to test predictions about how carotenoids are apportioned under varying acquisitional and utilizational demands. This research will contribute to valuable bodies of work on antioxidants and health in humans and domestic animals. Results will be published in scientific and layperson (e.g. magazines) forums to foster scientific learning among broader audiences. Undergraduate, minority, and youth scholars within our institutions and communities will be trained in diverse fields. Fieldwork on colorful backyard birds will stimulate collaborations and information sharing with the public.

几个世纪以来，生物学家一直对动物夸张的特征着迷（例如鹿的细长角、精致的鸟鸣声）。 进化论预测，这些“装饰品”的生产成本很高，因此可以作为个人对潜在伴侣或竞争对手的价值的可靠指标。 尽管对动物交流进行了数十年的研究，但产生此类信号的真正内在分子成本尚不清楚。研究人员将使用比较营养、生化、免疫学和形态学方法来调查鸟类常见的夸张特征的成本：基于类胡萝卜素的华丽羽毛着色。 在许多鸟类中，颜色最鲜艳的个体更受青睐作为配偶。 羽毛从黄色到红色的类胡萝卜素着色需要从食物中获取色素（如西红柿和玉米），但这些色素对于自我维护（即抗氧化防御、免疫调节）也很有价值。使用类胡萝卜素色素的这种潜在权衡对于测试营养限制如何双重控制个体的性特征表达和健康质量来说是最佳的。研究人员将研究生长着彩色羽毛的野生鸟类以及饲喂类胡萝卜素含量系统变化的饮食的圈养鸟类的类胡萝卜素摄入、分配和颜色。 他们将使用五对密切相关的鸟类（即黑鸟、麻雀、鸭子），其中一对显示类胡萝卜素颜色，另一对则不显示，以测试有关类胡萝卜素在不同获取和利用需求下如何分配的预测。这项研究将为人类和家畜的抗氧化剂和健康方面的有价值的工作做出贡献。 结果将在科学和非专业人士（例如杂志）论坛上发布，以促进更广泛受众的科学学习。 我们的机构和社区内的本科生、少数族裔和青年学者将接受不同领域的培训。 对色彩缤纷的后院鸟类的实地考察将促进与公众的合作和信息共享。