Evolution of bric-a-brac regulation in Drosphilinae

果蝇亚科小摆设调节的进化

• 批准号: 7054896
• 负责人: Thomas M Williams
• 金额: $ 4.6万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-01-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7054896
• 关键词: DNA binding protein; DNA footprinting; Drosophilidae; arthropod genetics; binding sites; biochemical evolution; developmental genetics; evolution; gender difference; genetic enhancer element; genetic regulatory element; genetic translation; green fluorescent proteins; homeobox genes; pigmentation; postdoctoral investigator; protein localization; protein sequence; sex determination; transcription factor

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The field of evolutionary biology has long been interested in the molecular basis of morphological evolution; however a clear understanding remains elusive. Abdominal pigmentation in the subgroup Drosophilinae is a well studied trait suitable for studies to identify the genetic changes culminating in the emergence of similar and diverse pigmentation patterns. In addition to diverse pigmentation patterns it is apparent, based on phylogeny, that similar patterns of pigmentation have appeared independently. In the melanogaster species group sexually dimorphic, segment specific pigmentation has recently evolved. The terminal abdominal segments of males are dark, whereas all segments are lightly pigmented in females. Closely related groups of species are monomorphic, i.e. all segments are lightly pigmented in both sexes. In all species, pigmentation is prevented where the gene products of bric-a-brac (bab), a repressor of pigmentation, are expressed. In dimorphic species, a newly evolved circuitry involving homeotic and sex-determination inputs represses bab expression in the terminal segments of the male, but not the female. This proposal will analyze how Drosophila melanogaster bab gene regulatory elements has evolved to integrate responsiveness to homeotic and sex-determination inputs and the extent that both similar and diverse abdominal pigmentation patterns have evolved through the modification of orthologous bab sequences. Insight from the mechanisms of enhancer evolution and function in Drosophilinae will very likely apply to the understanding of cis-regulatory elements in vertebrates as similar sequence alterations have significant medical implications in humans.

描述（由申请人提供）：进化生物学领域长期以来一直对形态进化的分子基础感兴趣；但是，清晰的理解仍然难以捉摸。亚组果蝇中的腹部色素沉着是一种经过良好研究的特征，适合于研究，以确定相似和多样化的色素沉着模式的出现，最终导致遗传变化。除了多样化的色素沉着模式外，基于系统发育，还明显地出现了类似的色素沉着模式。在Melanogaster物种群中，二态性，段特定的色素沉着最近进化了。雄性的腹部末端段是黑暗的，而所有段都在女性中轻轻着色。物种紧密相关的群体是单态的，即，在两个性别中，所有片段都略微着色。在所有物种中，在表达了色素沉着抑制剂的基因产物（BAB）的基因产物中，都可以防止色素沉着。在二态性的物种中，涉及同源和性别决定的新进化的电路抑制了男性的末端片段中的BAB表达，但不是女性。该建议将分析果蝇果蝇BAB基因调节元件如何发展为对同源和性别决定输入的响应能力以及相似和多样化的腹部色素沉着模式通过正交BAB序列的修改而演变的程度。从果蝇中增强子进化和功能的机制中的见解很可能适用于对脊椎动物中顺式调节元件的理解，因为类似的序列改变对人类具有显着的医学意义。