Parallel evolution of motor patterns underlying sexual isolation and speciation

物种之间行为不相容的遗传基础对于理解新物种如何起源的过程至关重要。该项目涉及Laupala属的夏威夷蟋蟀，这是一个新物种迅速出现的群体。 雄性交配鸣叫是神经生物学研究中的经典运动模式和模型，其差异导致了物种间的生殖障碍，在这一群体中，鸣叫差异多次独立进化。 这些物种在实验室中杂交，这使得对可能参与物种形成过程的运动行为的遗传基础的重复研究成为可能。 杂交后代将由三个独立的物种对产生。 分子标记将被用来产生基因位置的基因组图谱，以及它们对三个物种对中潜在的歌曲差异的贡献。 这些研究的结果将揭示选择是否有助于这些独立物种对的进化，以及变化是否以小步或大步发生。这一结果将使最终克隆的基因之间的歌曲差异。 这项研究通过涉及本科生，研究生和博士后学生整合了研究和教育。 来自夏威夷大岛Kamehameha学校的孩子们将通过一个基于网络的科学实验室参与歌曲遗传的遗传学研究。 还将开发基因组资源，以桥接模式物种中的非模式基因组。

The genetic basis of behavioral incompatibilities between species is pivotal to understanding the process of how new species originate. This project involves the Hawaiian cricket in the genus Laupala, a group in which new species have arisen extremely rapidly. Differences of male mating song, a classic motor pattern and model in neurobiological research, contributes to reproductive barriers among species and, in this group, song differences evolved independently many times. These species hybridize in the laboratory, which enables replicated studies of the genetic basis of motor behaviors that are likely involved in the speciation process. Hybrid offspring will be produced from three independent species pairs. Molecular markers will be used to produce a genome map of the location of genes and the amount they contribute to the underlying song differences in the three species pairs. The results of these studies will reveal whether selection has contributed to the evolution of these independent species pairs and whether changes have occurred in small or large steps. This results will enable the eventual cloning of the genes underlying song differences between species. This research integrates research and education by involving undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students. Children from Kamehameha Schools on the Big Island of Hawaii will be involved through a web-based science laboratory on the genetics of song inheritance. Genome resources will also be developed to bridge non-model genomes in model species.