CAREER: The Molecular Basis of Visual Mate Choice in Butterflies

IOS-1452648：职业：蝴蝶视觉择偶的分子基础多年来对果蝇眼睛和脊椎动物视网膜的研究已经非常详细地揭示了视觉的分子和发育基础。然而，视觉吸引力的分子基础，即整合视觉线索并指导对刺激的行为反应的基因，分子通路和神经回路，尚未被完全表征。对Heliconius蝴蝶的研究表明，它们主要是视觉的，通过简单的视觉线索进行择偶。这个项目将利用这些独特的功能Heliconius蝴蝶的视觉择偶的基本生物过程的特点。这项研究可能会对科学和社会产生广泛的影响。由于颜色模式和配偶选择的差异导致了Heliconius蝴蝶的物种形成，因此本研究将对物种起源的功能机制进行综合分析。最后，该项目的一个主要教育外联部分将为中学、大学和研究生开展新的教学活动。该研究项目的基本目标是表征视觉择偶的分子基础，从生物体生物学和行为一直到特定的神经回路和功能突变。这将通过整合基因组学，功能遗传学，发育生物学和比较神经生理学的三个互补的研究项目来实现。项目1将生成一个参考基因组序列，并使用来自偏好测试蝴蝶的基因组重测序数据来绘制导致不同配偶偏好的核苷酸变化。项目2将通过比较不同翅膀颜色和交配偏好的蝴蝶之间的基因表达模式来表征视觉偏好的发育基础，重点关注翅膀，眼睛和神经系统组织，使用qRT-PCR，原位杂交和RNA-Seq的组合。项目3将研究交配偏好的解剖学和神经生理学基础，以及功能测试与交配偏好相关的基因，使用眼睛解剖学，电生理学和RNAi的比较分析。所有DNA和RNA序列数据将保存在NCBI SRA数据库中。其他数据类型将存储在本地，并根据要求提供。

IOS-1452648: CAREER: The Molecular Basis of Visual Mate Choice in ButterfliesYears of research focused on the Drosophila eye and vertebrate retina have revealed, in fantastic detail, the molecular and developmental basis of vision. However, the molecular basis of visual attraction, i.e. the genes, molecular pathways, and neural circuits that integrate visual cues and direct a behavioral response towards a stimulus, has not been characterized as fully. Work on Heliconius butterflies has shown them to be primarily visual, with mate selection specifically mediated by simple visual cues. This project will utilize these unique features of Heliconius butterflies to characterize the fundamental biological process of visual mate choice. The research is likely to have a variety of broader impacts on science and society. Because divergence in color pattern and mate choice causes speciation in Heliconius butterflies, this research will provide an integrative analysis of the functional mechanisms responsible for the origin of species. Finally, a major educational outreach component of the project will implement new teaching and learning activities for students at secondary, undergraduate and graduate levels. The fundamental goal of this research project is to characterize the molecular basis of visual mate choice spanning the continuum from organismal biology and behavior all the way to specific neural circuits and functional mutations. This will be achieved using three complementary research projects that integrate genomics, functional genetics, developmental biology, and comparative neurophysiology. Project 1 will generate a reference genome sequence and use genome resequencing data from preference-tested butterflies to map nucleotide changes responsible for divergent mate preference. Project 2 will characterize the developmental basis of visual preference by comparing patterns of gene expression between butterflies with divergent wing color and mate preference, focusing on wing, eye, and nervous system tissues, using a combination of qRT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and RNA-Seq. Project 3 will examine the anatomical and neurophysiological basis for mate preference, as well as functionally test genes associated with mate preference, using comparative analyses of eye anatomy, electrophysiology, and RNAi. All DNA and RNA sequence data will be deposited on the NCBI SRA database. Other data types will be stored locally and made available upon request.