DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Causes and Consequence of Rapid Evolution of Seminal Fluid Protein Genes in Populations of the Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum

论文研究：赤拟谷盗种群精液蛋白基因快速进化的原因和后果

• 批准号: 1311167
• 负责人: Michael Wade
• 金额: $ 2.03万
• 依托单位: Indiana University
• 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: 2013-05-15 至 2015-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1311167&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Causes; Consequence; Rapid

Males produce a myriad of proteins that are transferred to the female during mating and directly influence reproductive success. As a group, the genes that encode these male reproductive proteins exhibit elevated levels genetic diversity and rapid evolution. The proposed research aims to further understand the evolutionary causes and consequences of the rapid evolution of male reproductive proteins, a ubiquitous but enigmatic pattern. Using the red flour beetle as a model system, this research will combine both genetic and phenotypic approaches to differentiate between two alternate hypotheses proposed to explain the rapid evolution observed among this class of genes. Specifically, the research aims to determine whether the accumulation of genetic variation is due to adaptive or neutral evolutionary forces. This research will also benefit a number of undergraduate students who will be trained by the graduate student co-PI. The co-PI also contributes to a popular science blog accessible to a general audience. Furthermore, understanding the evolution of male reproductive proteins will inform areas of applied research. For example, efforts aimed at developing biological control methods for insect disease vectors and agricultural pests, such as the red flour beetle, have recently begun to investigate whether this group of genes may provide new avenues for population control.

雄性产生无数的蛋白质，在交配过程中转移到雌性身上，直接影响生殖成功。作为一个群体，编码这些雄性生殖蛋白的基因表现出较高的遗传多样性和快速进化。 这项拟议的研究旨在进一步了解雄性生殖蛋白快速进化的进化原因和后果，这是一种普遍存在但神秘的模式。 本研究以红粉甲虫为模型系统，将联合收割机结合遗传学和表型方法，以区分为解释此类基因中观察到的快速进化而提出的两种替代假设。 具体来说，这项研究旨在确定遗传变异的积累是由于适应性还是中性进化力量。这项研究也将有利于一些本科生谁将由研究生合作PI培训。共同主要研究者还为一个大众可访问的科普博客做出贡献。此外，了解雄性生殖蛋白的进化将为应用研究领域提供信息。 例如，旨在开发针对昆虫病媒和农业害虫（如红粉甲虫）的生物控制方法的努力，最近已经开始调查这组基因是否可以为种群控制提供新的途径。