DISSERTATION RESEARCH: QTL Mapping Floral Trait Divergence and Reproductive Isolation between a Jaltomata (Solanaceae) Species Pair

论文研究：Jaltomata（茄科）物种对之间花性状差异和生殖隔离的 QTL 定位

• 批准号: 1601078
• 负责人: Leonie Moyle
• 金额: $ 2.02万
• 依托单位: Indiana University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-07-01 至 2018-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1601078&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; QTL; Mapping; Floral

This study aims to identify genes controlling floral trait differences between two species of Jaltomata, a florally diverse genus that is closely related to the economically important genus Solanum (which includes tomato and potato), and to examine whether these genes may also contribute to reproductive barriers between these species. Differences in floral traits are well known to reduce reproduction between species when they attract different pollinators; this study also addresses how such differences may affect success of other reproductive stages, including the survival of hybrids. The flowering plants (Angiosperms) form the foundation of agriculture as well as many of the Earth's ecosystems. This study will advance our understanding of how differences in floral traits may first arise, and how those differences may reduce or prevent reproduction between distinct species. This project will also provide research experiences for undergraduates, including those from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. This work will employ Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) Mapping to identify genomic regions associated with floral trait differences and multiple reproductive barriers between two species by genotyping an existing hybrid population that has already been phenotyped for these traits. These genomic regions will help determine the genetic basis and evolutionary history shaping floral traits and reproductive barriers in this system. In combination with existing gene expression data from relevant floral and reproductive tissues, the study will also identify candidate genes controlling these processes. These are key steps in understanding the mapping between genotype and phenotype, which is of fundamental importance in both basic and applied biology. Ultimately, this work potentially will provide unique insights into the genetics and evolution of floral diversity, and the mechanistic role of this diversity in promoting speciation.

本研究旨在鉴定控制两个 Jaltomata 物种之间花性状差异的基因，Jaltomata 是一种花卉多样化的属，与经济上重要的茄属（包括番茄和马铃薯）密切相关，并研究这些基因是否也可能导致这些物种之间的生殖障碍。众所周知，当物种吸引不同的传粉者时，花性状的差异会减少物种之间的繁殖。这项研究还探讨了这种差异如何影响其他繁殖阶段的成功，包括杂交种的生存。 开花植物（被子植物）构成了农业以及地球许多生态系统的基础。这项研究将加深我们对花性状差异如何首先出现以及这些差异如何减少或阻止不同物种之间繁殖的理解。该项目还将为本科生提供研究经验，包括来自 STEM 领域代表性不足的群体的本科生。这项工作将采用数量性状位点（QTL）作图，通过对已经针对这些性状进行表型分析的现有杂交群体进行基因分型，来识别与两个物种之间的花性状差异和多重繁殖障碍相关的基因组区域。这些基因组区域将有助于确定塑造该系统中花卉特征和繁殖障碍的遗传基础和进化历史。结合相关花卉和生殖组织的现有基因表达数据，该研究还将确定控制这些过程的候选基因。这些是理解基因型和表型之间映射的关键步骤，这在基础生物学和应用生物学中都至关重要。最终，这项工作可能将为花卉多样性的遗传学和进化以及这种多样性在促进物种形成中的机制作用提供独特的见解。