An integrative approach to understanding the molecular mechanisms of color pattern formation and evolution in cichlid fishes.

着色是生物体生物学中一个重要而迷人的特征。它在几个基本的生理、生态和进化过程中发挥着关键作用。此外，这些明显的表型向生物学家提出了挑战，要求他们理解颜色模式及其形态发生的机制和遗传基础，以及它们的最终原因。组织的颜色是由具有不同结构和色素属性的色素细胞类型的多层组织产生的。在宏观尺度上，颜色图案产生于色素细胞属性和排列的空间差异，以形成垂直条纹、水平条纹或其他图案。颜色模式被认为具有适应意义，因为它们涉及种内交流、物种识别和伪装。了解潜在的遗传、细胞和发育机制以及功能相关性对于洞察它们的进化多样性至关重要。硬骨鱼显示出惊人的颜色和颜色图案的多样性。慈济鱼是一种特殊的五颜六色的鱼类--在德语中通常被称为“Buntbarsche”，也就是五颜六色的栖息地。着色表型在慈鱼进化中起着许多作用，包括与性选择(例如交配偏好)和适应(例如伪装)相关的功能的整个范围。同样，慈嘴鱼也是重复进化的著名例子。它们的颜色模式(例如条形和条纹)在东非1200多种慈鱼中进化了几次，并且是平行的。尽管如此，决定这些特征的遗传和机制基础，以及什么变化导致它们的多样化和重复进化，以及颜色模式的适应功能，都是未知的。是什么机制控制着色素细胞的排列和性质？细胞的聚集体是如何形成如此不同的丽鱼颜色图案的？潜在的遗传差异是在具有相似模式的物种之间共享的，还是由新的分子机制产生的？它们是基于标准的还是新的遗传变异、调节或编码的变化以及多或少的基因？这些模式的适应功能是什么？慈鱼科鱼类非常适合解决这些基本问题。它们为弥合基因类型、颜色模式表型和适应功能之间的差距提供了极好的手段。因此，通过一种综合的方法，我的目标是分析慈鱼颜色图案的分子基础。解决这些基本问题将提供对彩色图案的基因组和机械底物的深入洞察，以及它们惊人的进化动态背后的秘密。

Coloration is an important and fascinating feature in the biology of an organism. It plays key roles in several fundamental physiological, ecological, and evolutionary processes. Moreover, these conspicuous phenotypes challenge biologists to understand the mechanistic and genetic underpinnings of color patterns and their morphogenesis as well as their ultimate causes. The color of a tissue results from the multi-layered organization of a pigment cell types with different structural and pigmentary properties. On a macroscopic scale, color patterns arise from spatial differences in pigment cell properties and arrangements to form vertical bars, horizontal stripes or other patterns. Color patterns are suggested to have adaptive significance as they are implicated in intraspecific communication, species recognition and camouflage. Understanding the underlying genetic, cellular and developmental mechanisms as well as functional relevance is crucial for gaining insights into their evolutionary diversification. Teleost fishes display an astonishing diversity of colors and color patterns. Cichlids are a particular colorful family of fishes — well captured by their German common name "Buntbarsche", or colorful perches. Coloration phenotypes play many roles in cichlid evolution, covering the entire spectrum of functions including those relevant for sexual selection (e.g. mating preferences) and adaptation (e.g. camouflage). Likewise, cichlid fishes are a famous example for repeated evolution. Their color patterns (e.g. bars and stripes) evolved several times and in parallel across the over 1200 species of East African cichlids. Still, the genetic and mechanistic basis that determines these traits and what changes cause their diversification and repeated evolution and the adaptive function of color patterns are unknown. What mechanisms control the arrangement and properties of pigment cells? How do aggregations of cells form the so diverse color patterns of cichlids? Are the underlying genetic differences shared across species with analogous patterns or are they generated by novel molecular mechanisms? Are they based on standing or novel genetic variations, regulatory or coding changes and many or few genes? And what is the adaptive function of these patterns? Cichlid fishes are well suited for addressing these fundamental topics. They provide excellent means for bridging the gap between genotypes, color pattern phenotypes and adaptive function. Thus, through an integrated approach I aim to analyze the molecular underpinnings of color patterns in cichlids. Tackling these fundamental questions will offer in-depth insights into the genomic and mechanistic substrates of color patterns and the secrets behind their astonishing evolutionary dynamics.