Can tight linkage mimic pleiotropy during speciation? The effects and evolution of recombination between mating and local-adaptation loci.

这项研究将开发数学模型，研究一个物种分裂成两个物种的进化过程：物种形成。人们一直认为，在促进物种形成方面具有独特重要性的基因是那些具有双重功能的基因，它们既允许个体在其环境中生存，又允许个体吸引同一物种的配偶。然而，这样的基因似乎非常罕见。一些证据表明，染色体上与这两种功能（生存和配偶吸引）相关的基因的紧密物理接近也可能非常有效地允许最近分化的物种种群保持接触，以保持其身份。该研究将进一步探索这些基因的紧密接近模仿一个基因具有两种功能的特性的条件，无论是在物种的维持还是在新物种的产生中。研究人员还将开发和分发课程材料，用于教授生物学专业如何使用数学建模来解决问题。该项目将通过使用群体遗传和基于个人的方法相结合的数学建模来解决这些问题。这些模型将首先解决是否紧密连锁的基因在生态上不同的选择和基因的目标是间接交配可以模仿一个单一的多效性基因与这些功能，集中在进化过程中的选择间接交配。 接下来，研究人员将讨论在不同选择下的性状和那些用于配偶选择的性状是否会在基因流的物种形成过程中进化到共同定位。当生态和交配性状受到基因组中许多基因座的控制时，将通过评估重组率修饰因子的进化以及检查基因持续变异的命运来探索这一点。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并且通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This research will develop mathematical models that examine the evolutionary processes by which one species splits into two: speciation. It has been thought that the genes that are uniquely important in promoting speciation are those that have dual functions that both allow the survival of individuals in their environment and allow individuals to attract mates of the same species. However, such genes appear to be quite rare. Some evidence exists that close physical proximity on a chromosome of genes involved in these two functions (survival and mate attraction) may also be very effective in allowing populations of recently diverged species that then come in contact to maintain their identity. The research will further explore the conditions under which close proximity of these genes mimics the properties of one gene with two functions, both in the maintenance of species and in the generation of new species. The researchers will also develop and distribute curriculum materials for teaching biology majors how to approach questions using mathematical modeling. The project will address these questions through mathematical modeling using a combination of population-genetic and individual-based approaches. These models will first address whether tight linkage of genes under ecologically divergent selection and genes that are the targets of assortative mating can mimic a single pleiotropic gene with these functions, concentrating on the evolution of choosiness during assortative mating. Next, the researchers will address whether traits under divergent selection and those used in mate choice will evolve to co-localize during the process of speciation with gene flow. This will be explored both by assessing the evolution of modifiers of recombination rate and by examining the fate of standing variation of genes when ecological and mating traits are controlled by many loci across the genome.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.