Evolutionary approaches to identify genetic architecture regulating aggression

我的研究项目的首要目标是了解自然发生的基因 变异会导致行为上的进化差异。要检查这些关系，它是 必须拥有一个在遗传和行为上都是可变的模式生物 在基因上是可遗传的。自然种群进化出了非同寻常的多样性 行为。开发和应用功能性遗传工具和基因组资源 来自这些自然种群的生物体提供了一个揭示这种机制的机会 自然选择产生了这些行为差异。此外，这些 方法可能提供对社会的分子和遗传基础的一般洞察 其他物种的行为，如人类。盲目的墨西哥穴居鱼进化出了一种 形态、生理和行为特征，包括社会行为的减少 类似于攻击性，相对于同一物种的表层鱼。我的实验室专注于 建立识别和功能验证自然发生基因的作用的方法 穴居鱼行为进化的变种。这里概述的研究计划将利用这一点 识别种群内潜在差异的遗传结构的进化系统 并测试攻击性差异的形成机制。利用 基因作图方法，我们将识别并从功能上测试候选基因 攻击性行为。此外，使用综合方法，我们通过以下方式确定机制 自然产生的基因变异会影响行为。总而言之，这项研究计划将 提供了对遗传和神经机制的重要见解 复杂的行为。

The overarching goal of my research program is to understand how naturally occurring genetic variation results in evolved differences in behaviors. To examine these relationships, it is imperative to have a model organism that is both genetically and behaviorally variable, as well as genetically accessible. Natural populations have evolved an extraordinary diversity of behaviors. Developing and applying functional genetic tools and genomic resources to organisms from these natural populations provides an opportunity to uncover the mechanisms by which natural selection has produced these behavioral differences. Further, these approaches may provide general insights into the molecular and genetic bases of social behaviors in other species, such as humans. The blind Mexican cavefish has evolved a variety of morphological, physiological and behavioral traits, including reductions in social behaviors like aggression, relative to surface fish of the same species. My laboratory has focused on establishing methods to identify and functionally validate the role of naturally occurring genetic variants in cavefish behavioral evolution. The research program outlined here will leverage this evolutionary system to identify the genetic architecture underlying within-population differences in aggression, and to test the mechanisms by which differences in aggression evolve. Utilizing genetic mapping approaches, we will identify and functionally test candidate genes for aggressive behavior. Further, using integrative approaches, we determine the mechanisms by which naturally occurring genetic variants impact behavior. Together, this research program will provide important insights into the genetic and neural mechanisms underlying variability in complex behaviors.