DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Genetic Architecture and Genomic Divergence During Ecological Speciation in Boechera stricta, a Wild Relative of Arabidopsis

论文研究：拟南芥野生近缘种 Boechera stricta 生态物种形成过程中的遗传结构和基因组分歧

• 批准号: 1110445
• 负责人: Thomas Mitchell-Olds
• 金额: $ 1.5万
• 依托单位: Duke University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-08-01 至 2014-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1110445&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Genetic; Architecture; Genomic

This research aims to identify key factors contributing to the genetic differentiation within a species and the genetic mechanism underlying such differentiation. Using a North America native mustard plant species as model, preliminary study has found significant genotypic and phenotypic divergence between two subspecies. In order to study the genetic mechanism responsible for this differentiation, the investigators will generate a cross between the two subspecies and identify possible genes responsible for the phenotypic differentiation. Also, the direct contribution of genes and phenotypes to adaptation will be measured by growing the plants in their native environments. The investigators will further examine the genome-wide differentiation pattern between the two subspecies. Combining these results, the effect of local adaptation on the pattern of within-species genetic variation will be investigated empirically. This proposed research will advance understanding of patterns of within-species genetic diversity. Understanding the extent and driving factors of genetic variation will provide valuable information in various applications, such as identifying genetic factors underlying important traits in various species, including agricultural plants. The proposed project will be one of the first studies identifying possible genes responsible for important phenotypes, investigating the adaptive effect of these genes and phenotypes, and unifying these results with the investigation of population genomic divergence patterns. The utilization of a plant species in this research enables direct experimental manipulation on studied individuals. Finally, several undergraduate students will be trained with the interdisciplinary knowledge of ecology, population genetics, and genomics in this project.

这项研究旨在确定有助于物种内遗传分化的关键因素以及这种分化的遗传机制。使用北美本地芥末植物物种作为模型，初步研究发现了两个亚种之间的显着基因型和表型差异。为了研究负责这种分化的遗传机制，研究人员将在两个亚种之间产生一个交叉，并确定负责表型分化的可能基因。同样，基因和表型对适应的直接贡献将通过在本机环境中种植植物来衡量。研究人员将进一步研究两个亚种之间的全基因组分化模式。结合这些结果，将从经验上研究局部适应对物种内部遗传变异模式的影响。这项拟议的研究将提高人们对物种内部遗传多样性模式的理解。了解遗传变异的程度和驱动因子将在各种应用中提供有价值的信息，例如识别包括农业植物在内的各种物种中重要特征的遗传因素。拟议的项目将是识别负责重要表型的可能基因，研究这些基因和表型的适应作用的最早研究之一，并通过研究种群基因组差异模式来统一这些结果。在这项研究中，植物物种的利用可以直接对研究个体进行实验操作。最后，将在该项目的生态学，人群遗传学和基因组学上接受一些本科生的培训。