Collaborative Research - The Mechanistic Basis of Parallel Evolution: Functional Analysis of Hemoglobin Polymorphism in Andean Ducks

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PROJECT TITLE: Collaborative Research: The Mechanistic Basis of Parallel Evolution: Functional Analysis of Hemoglobin Polymorphism in Andean DucksPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Kevin G. McCracken and Jay F. StorzPROJECT NUMBER: IOS-0949439 and IOS-0949931 Conclusive inferences about adaptive evolution ultimately require an understanding of mechanism. Patterns of DNA sequence variation can provide suggestive evidence for a history of natural selection on a particular gene or set of genes, but these indirect inferences should serve as a stepping-off point for experiments to identify specific mechanisms of adaptation. Accordingly, the purpose of the proposed research project is to follow up a comprehensive survey of DNA sequence variation in the hemoglobin genes of Andean waterfowl to gain insight into the functional (and possibly, adaptive) significance of the observed amino acid polymorphisms. The goal of this project is to determine whether parallel amino acid substitutions in highland populations of eight species of Andean ducks have produced similar functional changes in hemoglobin-O2 affinity. This project will integrate DNA sequence data with functional experiments to identify possible mechanisms of adaptation, and will determine whether the same or different mechanisms underlie adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia in eight replicate lineages that independently colonized the high Andes. The research will provide information about the number and types of amino acid substitutions that are involved in potentially adaptive traits, and will also provide a point of contrast for studies of humans inhabiting high-altitude regions. The work will assemble a diverse team of collaborators from North America and South America, and will develop collaborations with high-altitude physiologists. A postdoc, graduate students, and undergrads, will be mentored by faculty conducting research in structural biology, biochemical physiology, and population genomics. Understanding the mechanistic basis of traits that underlie adaptation to high-altitude environments will be motivational for the conservation of Andean species, as well as their habitats. This collaborative award is co-funded by the NSF Division of Integrative Organismal Systems and by the NSF Office of International Science and Engineering, Americas Program.