CAREER: Female meiotic drive in Mimulus: a model for understanding the causes and consequences of selfish chromosomal evolution

自然选择有望有效地从动植物种群中去除有害性状；然而，不育等特征在自然种群中仍然存在。不育等有害性状的持续存在可能是由于染色体在减数分裂过程中的“自私”行为造成的，即携带有害性状的染色体也携带了自身优先遗传的基因。本研究探讨了模式野花杜鹃（Mimulus guttatus）中自私染色体的细胞和遗传机制、进化史和适应性结果。这些项目包括细胞遗传学的确定，以确定自私染色体的传递（称为减数分裂驱动）是否由染色体结构和/或功能的差异引起，交叉实验以研究减数分裂驱动强度差异的遗传基础，实地测量携带自私染色体对生殖的终生影响，以及调查自私染色体在人群中的分布。因为对Mimulus的研究将允许测试关于自私染色体自然种群持久性的理论，这些研究将为一个知之甚少，但可能无处不在（且极具影响力）的生物过程提供罕见的见解。此外，该项目将开发一套实验室模块，以Mimulus为模型，广泛传播遗传学和进化的基本概念。博士后学者、毕业生和本科生将参与制作这些教育材料，并通过参与研究为生物学的职业生涯进行培训。

Natural selection is expected to efficiently remove detrimental traits from animal and plant populations; yet, traits such as infertility persist in natural populations. Persistence of detrimental traits such as infertility may be caused by "selfish" behavior of chromosomes during meiosis, that is, chromosomes that carry harmful traits also carry genes for their own preferential inheritance. This research investigates the cellular and genetic mechanisms, evolutionary history, and fitness consequences of a selfish chromosome in the model wildflower Mimulus guttatus. The projects include cytogenetic determination of whether selfish chromosomal transmission (termed meiotic drive) is caused by divergence in chromosomal structure and/or function, crossing experiments to investigate the genetic basis of differences in the strength of meiotic drive, field measurements of the lifetime effects of carrying selfish chromosomes on reproduction, and surveys of the distribution of selfish chromosomes among populations. Because research on Mimulus will allow tests of theories about the persistence of selfish chromosomes natural populations, these studies will provide rare insight into a poorly understood, but potentially ubiquitous (and highly influential), biological process. In addition, the project will develop, for broad dissemination, a set of laboratory modules using Mimulus as a model to teach fundamental concepts in genetics and evolution. Postdoctoral scholars, graduates, and undergraduate students will be engaged in generating these educational materials, as well as trained for careers in biology through participation in the research.