CAREER: Genetic and Developmental Dissection of Rapidly Evolving Morphology

职业：快速进化形态的遗传和发育解剖

• 批准号: 1453642
• 负责人: John Masly
• 金额: $ 91.3万
• 依托单位: University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-04-15 至 2024-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1453642&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Genetic; Developmental; Dissection; Rapidly

How does variation among interacting groups of genes generate the remarkable diversity we observe among organisms? This research addresses several fundamental questions about the molecular mechanisms that produce unique characteristics among closely related species, and how these mechanisms have changed over time to produce variation in these traits. Dr. Masly and colleagues have developed several powerful resources in different fruit fly species that will allow them to identify the genes that underlie variation in the sizes and shapes of reproductive traits, and to understand how these genes function differently during the development of these traits to ultimately give rise to the distinctive characteristics of different species. The results of this work promise to inform our understanding of how genes control tissue growth and will provide insights into broader biological processes including the generation of biodiversity. These research activities also make several substantial contributions to education and community outreach. In particular, they provide transformative educational opportunities in science and technology for Native American students enrolled at two-year Tribal Colleges, and also for students enrolled at Dr. Masly's institution. The goal of these educational activities is to provide students with multidisciplinary training in genetics, development, evolution, and the use of cutting-edge imaging technologies. This will bolster undergraduate training in the molecular biosciences within the state of Oklahoma and provide its burgeoning biotechnology industry with a well-trained workforce. Understanding the mechanisms that generate biodiversity, and how these mechanisms evolve at the molecular level, are major goals of biology. A particularly striking example of biodiversity is the remarkable variation in the morphology of reproductive structures observed among closely related species of animals. It is thought that phenotypic change generally occurs by co-option or loss of entire gene regulatory networks (GRNs) or by variation of gene expression levels within GRNs. However, genetic mapping studies suggest that changes in GRN architecture itself may contribute to the extraordinarily rapid evolution of complex structures. The research objective is to dissect the genetic and developmental bases of species-specific reproductive morphology to understand how structural evolution occurs at the earliest stages of species divergence. This will be accomplished by taking advantage of a unique set of recombinant genetic lines and several novel transgenic reagents in 'non-model' Drosophila species. Dr. Masly's group will use these tools to identify and functionally characterize the genes that specify species variation in reproductive structure morphology and understand how variation among these loci directs developmental differences in real time. The educational objective is to use this research as a vehicle to engage undergraduate students in integrative biological research, with the ultimate goal of transforming the research experience and culture at Dr. Masly's institution and at Native American Tribal Colleges within Oklahoma. This will be accomplished by incorporating the research activities as the focus of a new inquiry-driven undergraduate course, and an intensive summer research program that provides Native students with access to STEM resources and training.

相互作用的基因组之间的变异如何产生我们在生物体中观察到的显着多样性？ 这项研究解决了几个基本问题，即在密切相关的物种中产生独特特征的分子机制，以及这些机制如何随着时间的推移而变化，从而产生这些特征的变异。 Masly博士和同事们在不同的果蝇物种中开发了几种强大的资源，这将使他们能够识别生殖性状大小和形状变化的基因，并了解这些基因在这些性状的发展过程中如何发挥不同的功能，最终产生不同物种的独特特征。 这项工作的结果有望为我们了解基因如何控制组织生长提供信息，并将为更广泛的生物学过程提供见解，包括生物多样性的产生。 这些研究活动还对教育和社区外联作出了若干实质性贡献。 特别是，它们为在两年制部落学院注册的美洲土著学生以及在Masly博士的机构注册的学生提供了变革性的科学和技术教育机会。 这些教育活动的目标是为学生提供遗传学，发育，进化和使用尖端成像技术的多学科培训。 这将加强俄克拉荷马州分子生物科学的本科生培训，并为其新兴的生物技术产业提供训练有素的劳动力。了解产生生物多样性的机制，以及这些机制如何在分子水平上进化，是生物学的主要目标。 生物多样性的一个特别突出的例子是在密切相关的动物物种中观察到的生殖结构形态的显着变化。 一般认为，表型变化通常通过整个基因调控网络（GRNs）的共同选择或丢失或通过GRNs内基因表达水平的变化而发生。 然而，遗传作图研究表明，GRN结构本身的变化可能有助于复杂结构的异常快速进化。 研究目的是剖析物种生殖形态的遗传和发育基础，以了解在物种分化的最早阶段结构进化是如何发生的。 这将通过利用一套独特的重组遗传系和几种新型转基因试剂在'非模式'果蝇物种的优势。 Masly博士的研究小组将利用这些工具来识别和功能性地表征在生殖结构形态中指定物种变异的基因，并了解这些基因座之间的变异如何在真实的时间内指导发育差异。 教育目标是利用这项研究作为一种工具，使本科生参与综合生物学研究，最终目标是改变马斯利博士的机构和俄克拉荷马州内的美洲土著部落学院的研究经验和文化。 这将通过将研究活动作为新的探究驱动的本科课程的重点来实现，以及一个密集的夏季研究计划，为原住民学生提供STEM资源和培训。