Competition and the origins of diversity: Experimental evolution of resource polymorphism, character displacement, and reproductive isolation in viruses

新型传染病的出现是一个严重的社会问题。该项目将通过测试物种起源的生态和进化理论的预测，提高对新病毒病原体出现的理解。 一个核心前提是，新的传染病的出现可以归因于生态变化，特别是物种内部和物种之间的生态相互作用的变化。该项目的目的是（1）确定宿主竞争是否促进了新宿主使用策略的起源，（2）确定这种竞争是否也导致了病毒种群之间宿主使用策略的差异，以及（3）调查这种差异对病毒种群之间基因运动的影响。 该研究的独特之处在于，通过实验研究新物种产生的整个过程，从新出现的病毒的最初分歧到最终形成新出现的病毒种群与源病毒种群之间的生殖隔离。本项目将开发一个实验模型系统，即感染细菌的RNA病毒，以研究生态相互作用在新传染病出现中的作用。研究生和本科生将通过参与研究接受跨学科培训。该项目包括为K-12学生、教师和公众提供宣传和教育。该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。

The emergence of novel infectious diseases is a serious societal problem. This project will improve understanding of the emergence of novel virus pathogens by testing predictions of the ecological and evolutionary theory for the origin of species. A central premise is that the emergence of novel infectious diseases can be attributed to ecological change, particularly changes in the ecological interactions within and between species. The project's aims are to (1) determine whether competition for hosts promotes the origin of novel host-use strategies, (2) determine whether such competition also causes divergence in host-use strategies between viral populations, and (3) investigate the effect of such divergence on the movement of genes between viral populations. The research is unique in studying experimentally the entire process by which new species arise, from the initial divergence of newly emergent viruses to the eventual formation of reproductive isolation between emergent and source virus populations.This project will develop an experimental model system, an RNA virus that infects bacteria, for studying the role of ecological interactions in the emergence of new infectious diseases. Graduate and undergraduate students will receive interdisciplinary training through participation in the research. The project includes outreach and education for K-12 students, their teachers, and the public. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).