Parallel evolution of motor patterns underlying sexual isolation and speciation

物种之间行为不相容的遗传基础是理解新物种起源过程的关键。这个项目涉及到夏威夷的拉帕拉蟋蟀属，在这个群体中，新物种的出现速度非常快。雄性交配鸣声的差异是神经生物学研究中一个经典的运动模式和模型，它对物种间的繁殖障碍起着重要的作用，在这个群体中，鸣声差异多次独立进化。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复制研究成为可能。杂交后代将由三个独立的物种对产生。分子标记将用于生成基因位置的基因组图，以及它们对三种物种之间潜在鸣叫差异的影响程度。这些研究的结果将揭示选择是否促进了这些独立物种对的进化，以及变化是发生在小步骤还是大步骤中。这一结果将使最终克隆物种之间鸣叫差异的基因成为可能。本研究由本科生、研究生和博士后组成，集研究和教育于一体。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到歌曲遗传基因的研究中来。基因组资源也将被开发，以连接模式物种的非模式基因组。

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.