NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology: Genomic and Behavioral Insights into the Role of Mate Choice in the Origins and Maintenance of Biodiversity

该行动资助了2021财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，即调查基因组，环境和表型之间相互作用的生命规则的综合研究。该研究金支持研究员的研究和培训，以创新的方式为生活规则领域做出贡献。在学习新的研究技能的同时，该研究员将使用海洋蠕虫探索生物多样性的主要来源。不同的动物种群有时候会开始进化出后代发育方式的差异。这些种群差异可以为新的生物多样性的进化奠定基础。它们甚至可以导致新物种的起源。这种情况是否发生取决于分化种群的成员是否仍然可以交配并产生后代。这种交配的一个共同障碍是雌性对具有相同发育特征的雄性的择偶偏好。这种偏好可以减少不同种群之间的交配机会，并使它们进一步分化。因此，它们可以成为生物多样性的主要来源。然而，这些偏好是如何产生的在很大程度上是未知的。利用基因组学、分子技术和行为分析，这项研究旨在揭示这种择偶偏好的基因组构成。此外，该研究员将开发K-12课程，进行公共宣传，并使用研究数据指导学生。该研究员将使用模式海洋蠕虫系统Streblospio benedicti调查雌性配偶选择在发育类型不同的种群分化中的作用。在某些种群中，S.贝内迪克虫雌性产生许多专性取食的小幼虫。在其他种群中，它们产生的后代少得多，大得多，可以通过母体供应发育到成年。自然界中几乎从未发现过中间发育类型。然而，它们很容易在实验室中通过繁殖相反类型的成年人来生产。这表明自然界中的选择作用不利于这些中间体。初步证据显示女性S.贝内迪克虫优先选择与它们具有相同幼虫形态的成年雄性交配。因此，这是可能的，行为，前合子交配障碍是有助于人口分化的发展类型。该研究员将使用不同交配偏好的雌性动物的杂交和全基因组测序来追求这种可能性。这项研究将确定该系统中择偶偏好的遗传基础及其与发育类型和种群分化的关系。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并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 action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. While learning new research skills, the fellow will use a marine worm to explore a major source of biodiversity. Different populations of animals sometimes begin to evolve differences in how their offspring develop. These population differences can set the stage for the evolution of new biodiversity. They can even lead to the origins of new species. Whether this happens depends on whether members of the diverging populations can still mate and produce offspring. A common barrier to such matings consists of female mate preferences for males with the same developmental traits. Such preferences can reduce chance matings between divergent populations and allow them to diverge further. Thus, they can be major sources of biodiversity. Yet, how these preferences arise is largely unknown. Using genomics, molecular techniques, and behavioral assays, this research aims to uncover the genomic makeup of such mate preferences. In addition, the fellow will develop K-12 lessons, perform public outreach, and mentor students using research data.The fellow will use the model marine worm system Streblospio benedicti to investigate the role of female mate choice in the divergence of populations that differ in developmental type. In some populations, S. benedicti females produce many small, obligately feeding larvae. In other populations, they produce many fewer, much larger offspring that can develop to adulthood via maternal provisioning. Intermediate developmental types are nearly never found in nature. Yet, they are readily produced in the lab by breeding adults of opposite types. This suggests selection acts against such intermediates in nature. Preliminary evidence suggests female S. benedicti preferentially mate with adult males who had the same larval form as them. Thus, it is possible that a behavioral, prezygotic mating barrier is contributing to population divergence in developmental type. The fellow will use crosses and whole-genome sequencing of females with different mating preferences to pursue this possibility. This research will identify the genetic basis for mate preferences in this system and its association with developmental type and population divergence.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.