Genetics of prezygotic reproductive isolation in natural populations of monk

描述（由申请人提供）：我们研究的长期目标是了解有性生殖生物自然种群中生殖隔离的遗传学和进化：即，物种的起源。本研究的重点是猴花的两个姊妹种Mimulus lewisii和Mimulus lewisii野生种群中合子前生殖隔离的遗传学。红雀。以往的研究表明，这些物种的同域种群之间的生殖隔离几乎完全是由它们不同的传粉者行会的忠诚度介导的。M. lewisii由熊蜂授粉，M.红雀是由蜂鸟授粉，传粉者的偏好强烈依赖于它们之间的花色差异。该项目的具体目标是：目标1。产生高分辨率的遗传和物理图谱的4个主要数量性状基因座（QTL）控制的差异，花的颜色之间的熊蜂授粉M。lewisii和蜂鸟授粉的M.红雀。将对含有这些QTL的物理区域进行测序和注释。目标2.构建和表征控制M. lewisii和M.红雀。hrNIL将近似于单基因置换，并且将适合于田间实验。目标3：确定M. lewisii和M. cardinalis归因于4个花色基因座中的每一个，以及它们的组合效应，通过在自然同域区的普通花园田间实验中直接观察hrNIL。4个花色基因座中的每一个（在所有15种可能的组合中）对传粉者偏好的影响将在田间实验中用hrNIL阵列和“祖先”M进行评估。刘易斯。最后一个实验将直接比较大黄蜂和蜂鸟对“祖先”M的偏好。lewisii表型，在M. lewisii背景，以及衍生的M.红雀。所有15 hrNIL组合的传粉者访问表型，结合亲本M。lewisii和M. cardinalis，将使我们能够估计所有4个位点对生殖隔离的个体和聚集效应。我们的期望是，绝大多数（>75%）的生殖隔离共域将归因于这4个花色位点。这些实验将提供我们第一次瞥见多位点遗传学的前合子生殖隔离在任何自然系统。 公共卫生相关性：我们研究的长期目标是了解有性生殖生物自然种群中生殖隔离的遗传学和进化：即，物种的起源。地球上所有的生物多样性，包括人类的起源，都是物种形成过程的结果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of our research is to understand the genetics and evolution of reproductive isolation in natural populations of sexually-reproducing organisms: i.e., the origin of species. This proposal focuses on the genetics of prezygotic reproductive isolation in wild populations of two sister species of monkeyflower, Mimulus lewisii, and M. cardinalis. Previous studies have demonstrated that reproductive isolation between sympatric populations of these species is mediated almost exclusively by the fidelity of their different pollinator guilds. M. lewisii is pollinated by bumblebees, M. cardinalis is pollinated by hummingbirds, and pollinator preference depends strongly on flower color differences between them. The Specific Aims of this project are to: Aim 1. Produce high-resolution genetic and physical maps of the 4 major quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling differences in flower color between bumblebee-pollinated M. lewisii and hummingbird-pollinated M. cardinalis. Physical regions containing these QTLs will be sequenced an annotated. Aim 2. Construct and characterize high-resolution near-isogenic lines (hrNILs) for each of the 4 major loci controlling differences in flower color between M. lewisii and M. cardinalis. hrNILs will approximate single-gene substitutions, and will be suitable for field experiments. Aim 3. Determine the proportion of the total prezygotic reproductive isolation between M. lewisii and M. cardinalis attributable to each of the 4 flower color loci, and to their combinatorial effects, by direct observation of hrNILs in common garden field experiments in areas of natural sympatry. The effect of each of the 4 flower color loci (in all 15 possible combinations) on pollinator preference will be assessed in field experiments with arrays of hrNILs and the "ancestral" M. lewisii. A final experiment will directly compare the preference of bumblebees and hummingbirds for the "ancestral" M. lewisii phenotype, a 4-locus hrNIL in a M. lewisii background, and the derived M. cardinalis. The pollinator visitation phenotypes of all 15 hrNIL combinations, combined with data from parental M. lewisii and M. cardinalis, will allow us to estimate the individual and aggregate effect of all 4 loci on reproductive isolation. Our expectation is that the vast majority (>75%) of reproductive isolation in sympatry will be attributable to just these 4 flower color loci. These experiments will provide our first glimpse into the multi-locus genetics of prezygotic reproductive isolation in any natural system. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The long-term goal of our research is to understand the genetics and evolution of reproductive isolation in natural populations of sexually reproducing organisms: i.e., the origin of species. All of the biodiversity on Earth, including the origin of humans, is a result of the process of speciation.