Dissertation Research: The evolution of self-incompatibility loci in the invasive ascidian genus, Ciona

对动物受精蛋白的研究主要集中在不同性别的物种，在这些物种中，不能发生自交或自交。在两性动物中，尚不清楚动物如何避免用自己的精子使自己的卵子受精，换句话说，它是如何实现自交不亲和的。这项建议的目的是描述控制入侵海鞘动物自交不亲和基因遗传变异的进化力量。了解自交不亲和性对于理解配偶识别有着深远的意义。肠衣原体的自交不亲和(SI)基因座是第一个在动物身上被鉴定的确定的SI基因座。这项研究将是第一批阐明动物如何应对避免近亲交配和平衡雄配子和雌配子健康的挑战的研究之一。这项研究还将建立在大量关于配偶可用性作为海洋系统进化力量的作用的工作的基础上。入侵物种每年给美国造成约1200亿美元的损失，并对生态系统多样性造成毁灭性影响。乔纳通过污染水产养殖项目、污染船只和超越竞争对手的本土物种，导致了这些成本。来自入侵植物的证据表明，自交流行率的变化可能有助于入侵成功。鉴定自交基因可以揭示种群具有更大的入侵和范围扩大的潜力。

Studies of animal fertilization proteins have focused on species with separate sexes, in which self-fertilization, or selfing, cannot occur. In hermaphrodites it is unclear how an animal avoids fertilizing its own eggs with its own sperm, in other words, how it achieves self-incompatibility. The goal of this proposal is to characterize the evolutionary forces that govern genetic variation in self-incompatibility genes in the invasive ascidian, Ciona intestinalis. Understanding self-incompatibility has profound implications for understanding mate recognition in general. The self-incompatibility (SI) loci in C. intestinalis are the first definitive SI loci to be characterized in animals. This research will be among the first to elucidate how animals have responded to the challenges of avoiding inbreeding, and balancing fitness from male and female gametes. This research will also build upon an extensive body of work on the role of mate availability as an evolutionary force in marine systems. Invasive species cost the U.S. about $120 billion/year and have devastating effects on ecosystem diversity. Ciona contributes to these costs by contaminating aquaculture projects, fouling boats, and outcompeting native species. Evidence from invasive plants suggests that changes in the prevalence of selfing may facilitate invasion success. Identification of selfing genotypes could reveal populations with greater potential for invasion and range expansion.