DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Between-class gene flow in complex mating systems: The evolution of breeding systems in Silene vulgaris

在大多数动植物中，雄性和雌性在大小、形状或颜色上都不同，这是因为自然选择将两性推向不同的方向。这种二型性的进化受到交配过程中雄性和雌性之间基因混合的限制，这就是所谓的类间基因流。这项工作调查了类间基因流动的影响，在植物Silene普通，其中的个体要么两性或雌性。在拥有如此复杂交配系统的物种中，不同种群之间的类别间基因流动的速度不同，使得它们的影响更容易被检测到。利用遗传标记，这项工作将估计两性和雌性的自然选择强度，以及多个种群中两性和雌性之间的基因流动模式。这些估计将与遗传力估计相结合，以确定类间基因流动是否限制了性别差异的进化。这项工作将测试类间基因流动作为影响自然系统适应的一个因素的重要性。对这一过程的理解将为人工选择具有重要农业意义的物种，如牛(牛)，其中雄性和雌性有不同的期望特征，以及具有复杂交配系统的物种，如玉米(Zea Mays)提供参考。最后，这项工作直接支持博士生作为研究员和导师的培养，并为本科生提供从事数量遗传学和分子生态学研究的机会。

In most plants and animals, males and females differ in size, shape, or color because natural selection drives the sexes in different directions. The evolution of this dimorphism is constrained by the mixing of genes among males and females during mating known as between-class gene flow. This work investigates the effects of between-class gene flow in a plant Silene vulgaris, in which individuals are either hermaphrodite or female. In species with such complex mating systems, the rates of between-class gene flow vary among populations, allowing their effects to be more easily detected. Using genetic markers, this work will estimate the strength of natural selection in hermaphrodites and females, as well as the patterns of gene flow among hermaphrodites and females for multiple populations. These estimates will be combined with estimates of heritability to determine if between-class gene flow limits the evolution of differences between sexes.This work will test the importance of between-class gene flow as a factor affecting adaptation in natural systems. The understanding of this process will inform strategies for artificial selection of agriculturally important species such as cattle (Bos primigenius), in which males and females have different desired traits, and species with complex mating systems, such as maize (Zea mays). Finally, this work directly supports the training of a doctoral student as a researcher and mentor and provides opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in research in quantitative genetics and molecular ecology.