Collaborative Proposal: Genetic architecture of reproductive isolation and introgression in experimental and natural hybrid zones in Louisiana Irises

遗传交换和生殖隔离的相互作用对适应和生物多样性的起源和维持至关重要。最终，生物多样化涉及物种形成，这是由于杂交育种障碍（如选择性交配或杂交不育）的发展导致生殖隔离时发生的。繁殖障碍导致相对较少的杂交和杂交种形成，但杂交种的产生仍然具有重要的进化意义，特别是当杂交种与它们的亲本分类群交配时。杂交植物与其亲本类群之间的交配可以通过遗传渗入在亲本物种之间转移重要的遗传适应性（例如，对洪水条件的耐受性等性状）。该项目将采用一种新技术，允许对基因组进行非常精细的分析，以研究路易斯安那鸢尾两种鸢尾之间伴随基因渗入的物种形成，以确定潜在繁殖障碍的基因如何影响渗入。该项目将有助于理解生物多样性增加和适应的机制，并将推动新的分子遗传技术的应用。该项目将为两所大学的本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员提供培训，并向公众提供科学信息。这种对基因渗入过程的研究直接适用于人类赖以生存的微生物、植物和动物的选择性育种。

The interplay of genetic exchange and reproductive isolation is central to the origin and maintenance of adaptation and biodiversity. Ultimately, biological diversification involves speciation, which occurs when reproductive isolation results from development of barriers to interbreeding, such as selective mating or hybrid sterility. Reproductive barriers lead to relatively infrequent interbreeding and hybrid formation, but the production of hybrids still can have important evolutionary implications, particularly when hybrids mate with their parent taxa. Mating between hybrids and their parent taxa can lead to the transfer of important genetically-based adaptations (e.g., traits such as tolerance to flooded conditions) between the parent species through genetic introgression. This project will apply a new technique that allows very fine-scale analysis of the genome to study speciation that is accompanied by introgression between two species of Louisiana Irises in order to determine how the genes underlying reproductive barriers affect introgression.This project will contribute to understanding of mechanisms of biodiversity increase and adaptation and will advance applications of new molecular genetic techniques. This project will provide training for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers at two universities and will provide scientific information to the public. This research into the process of introgression is directly applicable to the selective breeding of microorganisms, plants, and animals upon which humans depend for food, clothing, and shelter.