Uncovering gene regulatory networks responsible for the morphological differences between Drosophila simulans and Drosophila mauritiana male genitalia

揭示导致模拟果蝇和毛里求斯果蝇雄性生殖器形态差异的基因调控网络

• 批准号: 2656600
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Oxford Brookes University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2656600
• 关键词: Uncovering; gene; regulatory; networks; responsible

External male genitalia structures have frequently been described as one of the most rapidly evolving insect body parts. Within the Drosophila melanogaster subgroup, D. simulans and D. mauritiana only diverged 240,000 years ago, yet exhibit striking differences in the morphology of male genitalia. Periphallic structures such as the epandrial posterior lobes, surstyli and cercus, are not directly associated with sperm transfer, but vary strikingly in shape and size across the D. melanogaster subgroup. Previous studies have focused on identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated to periphallic genitalia variation by backcrossing multiple times between interspecific and intraspecific D. melanogaster subgroup species and strains. This has led to the identification of many regions across all chromosomes, bar chromosome four, linked to the diversification of epandrial posterior lobes, cercus and surstyli shape, size, and bristle features, in respect to the latter two. As the resolution of QTLs has increased, studies have now focused on functionally testing candidate genes to observe their role, if any, in male genitalia development and evolution. Following this, significant effect genes have then been studied to identify how their regulation differs between species leading to the diversification of periphallic structures. Data like this is essential for modelling gene regulatory networks (GRNs) underpinning male genitalia developmental divergence. Prior to this, my rotation project identified 49 differentially expressed transcription factors between the male developing terminalia of D. mauritiana and D. simulans, in which five were studied further for regulatory differences between the two species. The aim of this project is to build on this, to better understand GRNs that coordinate male genitalia development and evolution.

雄性外生殖器结构经常被描述为昆虫身体进化最快的部分之一。在果蝇亚群中，拟果蝇和毛果蝇在24万年前才出现分化，但在雄性生殖器的形态上表现出显著的差异。附属器周围的结构，如外胚骨后叶、指骨和尾部，与精子移植没有直接关系，但在黑腹毛虫亚群中，其形状和大小存在显著差异。以往的研究主要集中在通过种间和种内的多次回交来确定与外生殖器变异相关的数量性状基因座(QTL)。这导致了在所有染色体上的许多区域的识别，除了第四染色体，与后两条染色体相关的外雄蕊后裂片、尾毛和刺毛的形状、大小和刷毛特征的多样性。随着QTL分辨率的提高，现在的研究集中在对候选基因进行功能测试，以观察它们在男性生殖器发育和进化中的作用。随后，对显著效应基因进行了研究，以确定它们的调控在物种之间是如何不同的，从而导致外周结构的多样化。这样的数据对于建立支撑男性生殖器发育分化的基因调控网络(GRN)的模型至关重要。在此之前，我的旋转项目鉴定了49个差异表达的转录因子，其中5个在两个物种之间的调控差异进行了进一步的研究。这个项目的目的是在此基础上，更好地了解协调男性生殖器发育和进化的GRN。