DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Genetic Architecture and Evolution of Phenotypic Plasticity for Chemical Defenses in a Wild Plant

很多复杂的特征？由多个基因控制的？通常会受到环境的影响，这种现象被称为表型可塑性。在许多情况下，基因和环境的相对重要性（即，?自然？然后呢？养育？）还不清楚此外，物种、种群和个体对各种环境线索的敏感性往往不同。理论研究表明，这种可塑性的遗传变异对复杂环境中复杂性状的进化具有深远的意义。然而，可塑性的适应价值和可塑性反应的基因都知之甚少，这主要是由于缺乏对该主题的实证研究。该项目将测量天然选择对硫代葡萄糖苷可塑性的影响，硫代葡萄糖苷是一种重要的化学防御物质，可以抵御食草动物，在一种野生草本植物中。硫代葡萄糖苷和生殖适合度将在四种自然栖息地和温室中的各种受控条件下种植的多个谱系中测量。然后，PI将绘制基因组区域，该区域包含影响芥子油苷含量对各种环境刺激的反应的基因。先天还是后天辩论不仅是进化遗传学领域的基础，而且与农业、医学和生物多样性保护等应用领域的当前研究直接相关。部分可塑性复杂性状的例子包括作物害虫抗性，人类对癌症等疾病的易感性，以及野生动物的健康和行为。了解遗传结构和可塑性的进化意义将是特别重要的自然世界适应迅速变化的气候。学生的培训将会发生。

Many complex traits?those controlled by multiple genes?are often influenced by the environment, a phenomenon called phenotypic plasticity. In many cases, the relative importance of genes and environment (i.e., ?nature? and ?nurture?) is unclear. Furthermore, species, populations, and individuals often differ in their sensitivity to various environmental cues. Theoretical work has shown that such genetic variation for plasticity should have profound implications for the evolution of complex traits in complex environments. However, both the adaptive value of plasticity and the genes underlying plastic responses are poorly understood, largely due to a lack of empirical research on the subject. This project will measure natural selection on plasticity of glucosinolates, an important chemical defense against insect herbivores, in a wild herb. Glucosinolates and reproductive fitness will be measured in multiple lineages planted in four natural habitats and a variety of controlled conditions in the greenhouse. The PIs will then map genomic regions containing genes that affect the response of glucosinolate content to various environmental stimuli.The ?nature vs. nurture? debate is not only fundamental to the field of evolutionary genetics, but also directly relevant to current research in applied fields such as agriculture, medicine, and biodiversity conservation. Examples of partially plastic complex traits include crop pest resistance, human susceptibility to diseases such as cancer, and wildlife health and behavior. Understanding the genetic architecture and the evolutionary significance of plasticity will be especially important as the natural world adapts to a rapidly changing climate. Training of students will occur.