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

Jaltomata是一种花卉多样性属，与经济上重要的茄属（包括番茄和土豆）密切相关，本研究旨在鉴定控制两种植物花性状差异的基因，并研究这些基因是否也可能有助于这些物种之间的生殖障碍。众所周知，当它们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些差异如何影响其他生殖阶段的成功，包括杂交后代的存活。开花植物（被子植物）构成了农业和许多地球生态系统的基础。这项研究将促进我们对花性状差异如何产生的理解，以及这些差异如何减少或阻止不同物种之间的繁殖。该项目还将为本科生提供研究经验，包括那些在STEM领域代表性不足的群体。这项工作将利用数量性状位点（QTL）定位，通过对已有的杂交群体进行基因分型，确定与两种物种之间花性状差异和多重生殖障碍相关的基因组区域。这些基因组区域将有助于确定该系统中形成花性状和生殖障碍的遗传基础和进化历史。结合相关花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的映射的关键步骤，这在基础生物学和应用生物学中都是至关重要的。最终，这项工作可能会为植物多样性的遗传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。

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.