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

本研究旨在确定导致物种内遗传分化的关键因素以及这种分化背后的遗传机制。以一种北美本土芥菜植物为模型，初步研究发现两个亚种之间存在显著的遗传差异和表型差异。为了研究导致这种分化的遗传机制，研究人员将在两个亚种之间产生杂交，并确定可能导致表型分化的基因。此外，基因和表型对适应的直接贡献将通过在植物的本土环境中生长来衡量。研究人员将进一步研究这两个亚种之间的全基因组分化模式。结合这些结果，将对局部适应对种内遗传变异模式的影响进行实证研究。这项拟议的研究将促进对物种内遗传多样性模式的理解。了解遗传变异的程度和驱动因素将在各种应用中提供有价值的信息，例如识别各种物种重要性状的遗传因素，包括农业植物。这项拟议的项目将是首批确定可能导致重要表型的基因的研究之一，调查这些基因和表型的适应效应，并将这些结果与群体基因组差异模式的研究统一起来。在这项研究中利用一种植物物种，可以对被研究的个体进行直接的实验操作。最后，在这个项目中，几名本科生将接受生态学、种群遗传学和基因组学的跨学科知识培训。

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.