DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Does fine-scale habitat variation shape genomic diversity within populations?

论文研究：精细尺度的栖息地变化是否会影响种群内的基因组多样性？

• 批准号: 1405966
• 负责人: Noah Whiteman
• 金额: $ 1.97万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 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: 2014-05-01 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1405966&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Does; fine; scale

To a casual observer, it is obvious that individual organisms of the same species often differ from each other in many traits. When methods to quantify genetic variation emerged half a century ago, researchers discovered a remarkable degree of genetic differences among individuals as well. While many theories have been proposed to explain why there is so much genetic variation, the relative importance of different processes that could generate this pattern still remain controversial. This project tests the hypothesis that a large amount of genetic variation within populations is maintained when individuals are spread across environments that vary at a fine spatial scale, with different alleles (alternate forms of a gene) favored in different environmental conditions. Specifically, whole genome sequencing will be used to examine how levels of genetic variation differ in plant-feeding insects allowed to live and feed on a single species of plant (non-variable environment) versus multiple plant species (variable environment) in laboratory experiments. Additionally, genome sequencing of insects from natural populations will be conducted to infer if feeding on multiple plant species maintains genetic diversity within insect populations in nature. The goal of the project is to determine not only the extent to which environmental variation can maintain genetic variation within insect populations, but also which genes allow insects to adapt to diets consisting of different plants.Genetic variation in natural insect populations enables rapid adaptation to novel diets or environments. These rapid adaptations, which can allow insects to acquire resistance to insecticides and feed on pest-resistant crop breeds, can have dramatic consequences for agriculture and public health, since insects are major crop pests and vectors of human disease. The goal of this project, understanding how genetic variation in insects is generated and maintained, is important for predicting when and how rapid adaptation occurs in insects. In addition, knowledge gained from this project will have broad relevance for understanding the outcomes of species interactions in natural ecosystems, as insects comprise half of all terrestrial animal species on Earth. Lastly, researchers will mentor undergraduate and high school students from underrepresented groups in science in the collection, interpretation, and public communication of data from this project.

对于一个随意的观察者来说，很明显，同一物种的个别生物在许多特征中往往彼此不同。当半个世纪前出现量化遗传变异的方法时，研究人员也发现了个体之间存在显着的遗传差异。尽管已经提出了许多理论来解释为什么存在太多遗传变异，但可能产生这种模式的不同过程的相对重要性仍然存在争议。该项目检验了以下假设：当个体分布在各个空间尺度上变化的环境中，在不同的等位基因（基因的替代形式）在不同的环境条件下有利于不同的等位基因时，人群内的大量遗传变异就会保持。具体而言，整个基因组测序将用于研究植物喂养昆虫的遗传变异水平如何在实验实验中与多种植物物种（可变环境）相比，可以生存和进食的植物喂养昆虫。此外，如果以多种植物物种为食，将进行自然种群中昆虫的基因组测序，以推断出自然界中昆虫种群中的遗传多样性。该项目的目的不仅是确定环境变异可以在昆虫种群中维持遗传变异的程度，而且还允许昆虫适应由不同植物组成的饮食。自然昆虫种群的基因变异可以快速适应新型饮食或环境。这些快速适应可以使昆虫获得对杀虫剂的耐药性，并以耐害虫的作物品种为食，可能会对农业和公共卫生产生巨大的后果，因为昆虫是人类疾病的主要农作物害虫和载体。该项目的目的是了解昆虫的遗传变异是如何产生和维持的，对于预测昆虫何时以及如何快速适应的目标很重要。此外，从该项目中获得的知识将具有广泛的相关性，以理解自然生态系统中物种相互作用的结果，因为昆虫占地球上所有陆地动物物种的一半。最后，研究人员将指导来自该项目数据收集，解释和公众沟通科学领域的本科生和高中生。