Chromosomal inversions and gene expression in Mimulus

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Chromosomal inversions are a type of mutation in which a section of a chromosome is flipped in orientation. This research project will provide a broad, quantitative evaluation of this important class of mutations to gene expression variation in several species of monkeyflower. It will provide essential genetic and bioinformatic training to a graduate student and a post-doctoral research scientist. The project will also extend ongoing efforts to engage Kansas high-school students in genetics research.Inversions alter the DNA sequence in a way that is fundamentally different from nucleotide substitutions (the most commonly studied kind of mutation) and have been implicated in a remarkable range of natural phenomena including adaptation to novel environments and speciation. In humans, they cause of a number of diseases and also contribute to variation in non-disease traits. However, despite countless examples, there still is no quantitative understanding for how much inversions contribute to natural genetic variation and genome evolution. This research project will provide a quantitative evaluation within a species complex of monkeyflowers (Mimulus guttatus) where many of the disparate phenomena associated with inversions have been demonstrated. The importance of inversions, relative to other mutation types causing differences in gene expression, will be estimated at three different levels of biological organization: between individuals within a population, between populations of a species, and between species. The results are expected to provide new insights into how chromosomal inversions influence gene expression, adaptation, population divergence, and speciation.This project is co-funded by the Genetic Mechanisms Program in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and by the Evolutionary Processes Program in the Division of Environmental Biology.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.