DISSERTATION RESEARCH: MHC and Mating Systems: Is sexual behavior related to selection on MHC genes?

自然选择是进化变化的潜在强大力量，然而，动物的特征如何影响其行为却知之甚少。这是令人惊讶的，因为拥有这些知识将使研究人员能够更好地了解基本种群生物学的许多方面。这项研究是关于性行为和主要组织相容性复合体（脊椎动物免疫功能的基础基因）基因上的自然选择（适应性进化的一种机制）之间的关系，将把截然不同的性行为（一夫一妻制与滥交）与基因的显著差异联系起来。 这项研究验证了一个假设，即在混杂物种中寄生虫和病原体感染率的增加导致了控制免疫功能的基因的适应性进化。假设这种关系背后的一种特定类型的病原体是在交配过程中转移的有害细菌。 这项研究使用野生动物（鹿鼠）和遗传技术，如PCR（DNA的靶向扩增），克隆（一种分离不同DNA序列的技术）和DNA测序来识别差异。 将使用拭子技术收集阴道细菌。将使用分子技术鉴定单个细菌菌种。 本科生培训机会将提供实验室和现场项目的组成部分。 动物行为、病原体转移和免疫系统基因的适应性进化之间的基本关系知之甚少，但对理解种群生物学的许多方面至关重要。 这项研究将允许更好地了解这些关系，并在此过程中，整合几个不同的科学学科，并提供本科培训的机会。

Natural selection is a potentially powerful force of evolutionary change and yet, how an animal's traits influence its action is poorly understood. This is surprising, as being armed with this knowledge will allow researchers to better understand many aspects of basic population biology. This study, on the relationship between sexual behavior and natural selection (a mechanism of adaptive evolution) on genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (the genes underlying vertebrate immune function), will relate vastly different sexual behaviors (monogamy versus promiscuity) to striking differences in genes. This study tests the hypothesis that the increased rate of infection by parasites and pathogens in promiscuous species leads to adaptive evolution at genes that control immune function. One specific class of pathogen hypothesized to be underlying this relationship is harmful bacteria transferred during mating. This study uses wild animals (deer mice) and genetic techniques such as PCR (targeted amplification of DNA), cloning (a technique to separate different DNA sequences), and DNA sequencing to identify differences. Vaginal bacteria will be collected using a swabbing technique. Individual bacterial species will be identified using molecular techniques. Undergraduate training opportunities will be available for both lab and field components of the project. The fundamental relationships between animal behavior, pathogen transfer, and adaptive evolution of genes of the immune system is poorly understood, yet is critical to understanding many aspects of population biology. This study will allow for a better understanding of these relationships, and in the process, integrate several distinct scientific disciplines and provide opportunity for undergraduate training.