The Role of Epigenetics in the Generation of Evolutionarily Important Variation

表观遗传学在进化上重要变异的产生中的作用

• 批准号: 418249-2012
• 负责人: Jamniczky, Heather
• 金额: $ 2.19万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=505905
• 关键词: Role; Epigenetics; Generation; Evolutionarily; Important

How does development help to determine the diversity of animal form we observe in nature? This research program will examine the role of physical interactions among developing parts of organisms in determining organisms' adult form. Shape-driven interactions between developing tissues and gene expression domains are thought to play a major role in making variation available for natural selection to act upon. This research program will use cutting-edge three dimensional imaging equipment to produce a detailed database of phenotypic and gene-expression information for the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. This fish has repeatedly undergone rapid evolutionary transitions from marine to freshwater environments, and these transitions involve major changes in body shape. This fish is an emerging model system in evolutionary developmental biology, and it offers a unique opportunity to ask targeted questions about the reciprocal relationship between development and evolution. This research will provide new knowledge about how the variation required for animals to adapt quickly to changing environments is generated by development. The database generated by this work will be of use to many other research groups as they seek to better understand evolutionary change. The knowledge generated here will help to inform future studies about the means by which organisms are adapting to rapidly changing environmental conditions, work which is key for conservation of global biodiversity.

发展如何有助于确定我们在自然界观察到的动物形式的多样性？该研究计划将研究生物发展部分之间物理相互作用在确定生物体成人形式中的作用。人们认为，发展组织和基因表达结构域之间形状驱动的相互作用在使自然选择的变异中起着主要作用。该研究计划将使用尖端的三维成像设备来生成三刺粘性粘液杆gasterosteus aculeatus的表型和基因表达信息的详细数据库。这种鱼反复经历了从海洋到淡水环境的快速进化过渡，这些过渡涉及体形的重大变化。这种鱼是进化发展生物学的新兴模型系统，它提供了一个独特的机会，可以询问有关发展与进化之间相互关系的有针对性问题。这项研究将提供有关动物迅速适应不断变化环境所需的变化的新知识。这项工作生成的数据库将对许多其他研究小组有用，因为他们试图更好地了解进化变化。这里产生的知识将有助于为未来的研究提供有关生物迅速改变环境条件的手段的研究，这是保护全球生物多样性的关键的工作。