Regressive evolution of eyes in subterranean water beetles of arid-zone Australia: A comparative phylogenetic approach.

澳大利亚干旱区地下水甲虫眼睛的回归进化：比较系统发育方法。

• 批准号: DP0346583
• 负责人: Dr Remko Leijs
• 金额: $ 16.75万
• 依托单位: The University of Adelaide
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2003-01-01 至 2006-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP0346583
• 关键词: Regressive; evolution; eyes; subterranean; water

Reduction or total loss of non-functional characters are common evolutionary phenomena, but little is known of the genetic basis of this regressive evolution. This project will use a phylogenetic framework to investigate the forces responsible for evolution of eyelessness in subterranean water beetles, by studying molecular genetic variation in three key eye developmental genes. The water beetles are explicitly suitable to address the questions due to their numerous independently evolved eyeless species and relatively old age of divergence from surface relatives. The research will provide a major new perspective on regressive evolution and the relationship between gene structure and function.

非功能性状的减少或完全丧失是常见的进化现象，但对这种退化进化的遗传基础知之甚少。该项目将使用系统发育框架，通过研究三个关键眼睛发育基因的分子遗传变异，来调查地下水甲虫中导致无眼进化的力量。水甲虫是明确适合解决的问题，由于其众多的独立进化的无眼物种和相对古老的分歧，从表面亲属。这项研究将为回归进化和基因结构与功能之间的关系提供一个重要的新视角。