Collaborative Research: Tracking genes in real time as they traverse a hybrid invasion landscape.

合作研究：实时追踪穿越混合入侵景观的基因。

• 批准号: 1257648
• 负责人: H. Bradley Shaffer
• 金额: $ 57.06万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-03-01 至 2018-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1257648&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Tracking; genes; real

Sixty years ago, barred tiger salamanders from Texas were introduced into California, where they hybridized with native, endangered California tiger salamanders. The result is a completely novel landscape in which some salamander populations are composed entirely of hybrid individuals and some are largely, or completely comprised of individuals with native genes. For the last 25 years, the Shaffer laboratory has collected and stored tissue samples from across the range of the California tiger salamander, providing a unique data set to study the distribution and spread of non-native genes. The current research project uses cutting-edge genomic tools to characterize historical and contemporary salamander populations, and to track the spread of thousands of non-native genes as they invaded the native range of the California tiger salamander over the last quarter century. Many species hybridize in nature, and the movement of genes between species is an important component of understanding how species adapt to changing environments. This project provides an unparalleled opportunity study the spread of genes between species in real time as it occurs in nature.This research also addresses a fundamental, and difficult issue in the conservation of endangered species: what is the conservation value of hybrids? Hybridization is generally viewed as a serious threat to endangered species, since hybrids are not genetically the same as individuals in the ancestral species, and hybrids are usually not protected. This research will directly confront the role of hybrids in endangered species management by providing conservation agencies the opportunity to better understand how hybridization proceeds in nature. Additionally, the PIs will provide training and support for graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher, and will contribute resources for K-12 education.

六十年前，来自德克萨斯州的斑纹虎蝾螈被引入加利福尼亚州，在那里它们与本地濒临灭绝的加利福尼亚虎蝾螈杂交。结果是一个全新的景观，其中一些蝾螈种群完全由杂交个体组成，而另一些则主要或完全由具有本地基因的个体组成。在过去的 25 年里，Shaffer 实验室收集并储存了来自加州虎蝾螈分布范围的组织样本，为研究非本地基因的分布和传播提供了独特的数据集。当前的研究项目使用尖端的基因组工具来描述历史和当代蝾螈种群的特征，并追踪数千个非本地基因在过去四分之一个世纪入侵加州虎蝾螈本土范围时的传播。许多物种在自然界中杂交，物种之间的基因移动是了解物种如何适应不断变化的环境的重要组成部分。该项目提供了一个无与伦比的机会，可以实时研究自然界中物种之间的基因传播。该研究还解决了濒危物种保护中的一个基本且困难的问题：杂交种的保护价值是什么？杂交通常被视为对濒危物种的严重威胁，因为杂交种在基因上与祖先物种的个体不同，并且杂交种通常不受保护。这项研究将直接面对杂交在濒危物种管理中的作用，为保护机构提供更好地了解杂交在自然界中如何进行的机会。此外，PI 还将为研究生和博士后研究员提供培训和支持，并将为 K-12 教育贡献资源。