DISSERTATION RESEARCH:: Genetic sources of novel jaw morphology among Bahamian pupfish (genus Cyprinodon)

论文研究：巴哈马鳉鱼（鲤鱼属）新颌形态的遗传来源

• 批准号: 1404367
• 负责人: Richard Harrison
• 金额: $ 2.02万
• 依托单位: Cornell University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-07-01 至 2016-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1404367&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Genetic; sources; novel

Understanding the origins of evolutionary novelty is fundamental to the study of biological diversity. Many studies have focused on the role of selection in driving change. However, a complete picture of the evolutionary process must also account for the mechanisms that create variation. This project investigates genetic changes that produce variation in the jaws of a recently diverged group of fish, and will provide insight into the nature of genetic changes associated with evolution in wild populations. The work will train a graduate in genomic research, and provide research opportunities for undergraduate students interested in careers in science. The researchers will create materials designed for use in K-12 classrooms about fish evolution that highlight how evolutionary novelties arise. The researchers will investigate the genetic and developmental basis of cranial modifications in recently diverged incipient species of Bahamian pupfish (Cyprinodon). The work addresses the role of gene regulation and sequence divergence in producing novel phenotypic change associated with speciation in three closely-related species that specialize on eating either the scales of other fish or hard-shelled prey or detritus. The project will identify whether the genes and regulatory changes producing pupfish jaw diversity are homologous to those identified in other classic radiations, thus informing our understanding of the extent to which similar genetic mechanisms underlie phenotypic change in disparate lineages. Importantly, the project also aims to identify previously unknown genes associated with evolutionary changes to jaw morphology. The researchers will use high throughput sequencing (RNA-seq) to characterize the extent of regulatory divergence and sequence divergence among the Bahamian forms and the widespread marine outgroup. They will investigate how patterns of transcriptional regulation have diverged among Bahamian forms and identify gene regulatory changes associated with the diversification of jaw morphology. These data will, furthermore, be used to identify sequence variation (SNPs) associated with phenotypic divergence and reproductive isolation in the system. This project will thus provide insight into the genetic changes associated with speciation and the evolution of morphological novelties during the early stages of diversification.

理解进化新奇性的起源是生物多样性研究的基础。许多研究都集中在选择在推动变革中的作用。然而，进化过程的全貌也必须解释产生变异的机制。该项目调查了在最近分化的鱼类种群的颌骨中产生变异的遗传变化，并将提供与野生种群进化相关的遗传变化性质的见解。这项工作将培养基因组研究的毕业生，并为对科学事业感兴趣的本科生提供研究机会。研究人员将创建设计用于K-12教室的关于鱼类进化的材料，突出进化的新奇性是如何产生的。研究人员将调查最近分化的早期巴哈马鳉鱼（Cyprinodon）物种的颅骨修改的遗传和发育基础。这项工作解决了基因调控和序列差异在产生与三种密切相关的物种物种形成相关的新表型变化中的作用，这些物种专门吃其他鱼类的鳞片或硬壳猎物或碎屑。该项目将确定是否基因和调节变化产生的pupfish下巴的多样性是同源的，在其他经典的辐射，从而告知我们的理解在何种程度上类似的遗传机制的基础表型变化在不同的血统。重要的是，该项目还旨在确定与颌骨形态进化变化相关的先前未知的基因。研究人员将使用高通量测序（RNA-seq）来表征巴哈马形式和广泛的海洋外群之间的监管分歧和序列分歧的程度。他们将研究转录调控的模式如何在巴哈马形式中分化，并确定与颌骨形态多样化相关的基因调控变化。此外，这些数据将被用来确定序列变异（SNPs）与表型分化和生殖隔离系统。因此，该项目将深入了解与物种形成相关的遗传变化以及多样化早期阶段形态新颖性的进化。