Genomic analysis of wing dimorphism in pea aphids

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议研究的目的是使用基因组方法来更深入地了解新兴基因组模型系统豌豆蚜虫（Acyrthosiphon pisum）中翅膀形态诱导和发育的生物学。在这个物种中，通常没有翅膀的无性繁殖的雌性在过度拥挤或寄主植物质量差等环境刺激下产生有翅膀的后代。相比之下，雄性是有翼还是无翼取决于它们携带的X染色体上的基因等位基因。具体目的是使用豌豆蚜虫cDNA微阵列来i)检查由于蚜虫母亲暴露于诱导翅膀的线索而导致的基因表达变化，ii)检查伴随雌性和雄性有翼和无翼形态发育的基因表达变化。这些实验将产生关于哪些遗传途径参与了i)诱导和ii)有翼和无翼形态的发育和维持的假设。然后，这些假设将通过使用传统方法检查候选基因来验证。总的来说，本研究中的实验将提供对极端表型可塑性的发育遗传基础的深入了解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The aim of the proposed research is to use a genomic approach to generate a deeper understanding of the biology of winged morph induction and development in an emerging genomic model system, the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum). In this species, normally wingless asexually reproducing females produce winged offspring in response to environmental stimuli such as overcrowding or poor host plant quality. In contrast, males are winged or unwinged depending on the allele they carry of a gene on the X chromosome. The specific aims are to use pea aphid cDNA microarrays to i) examine the changes in gene expression that result from exposure of aphid mothers to wing-inducing cues and ii) examine changes in gene expression that accompany the development of the winged and unwinged morphs of both females and males. These experiments will generate hypotheses about which genetic pathways are involved in the i) induction and ii) development and maintentance of winged and unwinged morphs. These hypotheses will then be tested by examination of candidate genes using traditional approaches. Overall, experiments in the proposed research will provide insight into the developmental genetic basis of extreme phenotypic plasticity.