Molecular evolution of sexual systems genes and their role in speciation

性系统基因的分子进化及其在物种形成中的作用

• 批准号: 407053-2012
• 负责人: Singh, Rama
• 金额: $ 1.53万
• 依托单位: McMaster University
• 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=506845
• 关键词: Molecular; evolution; sexual; systems; genes

The origin of sex and the origin of species are outstanding grand challenges in evolutionary biology. Our lab's research program has evolved from studying genetic and molecular variation in sex and reproduction-related (SRR) genes, to understanding the role of SRR genes in speciation, and finally to the study of why, evolutionarily, organisms maintain sex. Our lab has been recognized for past and current work demonstrating the rapid evolution of sex and reproduction-related genes and their potential role in speciation. We have further shown that among sex-related genes, male-biased genes evolve faster than female-biased and un-biased genes and that male-driven sexual selection (male sex drive, for short) appears to be a driving force of rapid evolutionary change. In the present research proposal, we focus on related problems that lie at the intersection of sexual selection (both male- and female-driven), sexual dimorphism in gene expression and molecular mechanisms of speciation. We propose to apply modern tools of genetics, molecular, bioinformatics and developmental biology to the analysis of sexual system genes/traits and test a set of hypotheses bearing on the relative role of male- vs. female-driven sexual selection in the evolution of sex-biased gene expression, the rapid evolution of sexually dimorphic traits, the evolution of genomic incompatibilities, and speciation. The novelty of this research proposal lies in its attempt to connect the two remaining grand challenges in evolutionary biology: the maintenance of sex and origin of species. Our work on SRR genes will provide the empirical foundation for a unified, genetic theory of speciation.

性的起源和物种的起源是进化生物学中突出的重大挑战。 我们实验室的研究项目已经从研究性别和生殖相关（SRR）基因的遗传和分子变异，到了解SRR基因在物种形成中的作用，最后到研究为什么在进化上，生物体保持性别。我们的实验室因过去和现在的工作而受到认可，这些工作证明了性和生殖相关基因的快速进化及其在物种形成中的潜在作用。 我们进一步表明，在与性别相关的基因中，偏向男性的基因比偏向女性和不偏向女性的基因进化得更快，男性驱动的性选择（简称男性性欲）似乎是快速进化变化的驱动力。 在目前的研究建议，我们专注于相关的问题，在于交叉的性别选择（男性和女性驱动），性别二型基因表达和分子机制的物种形成。我们建议应用遗传学，分子生物信息学和发育生物学的现代工具来分析性系统基因/性状，并测试一组假设的相对作用，男性与女性驱动的性选择的性别偏见的基因表达的进化，性二型性状的快速进化，基因组不相容性的进化，和物种形成。这项研究计划的新奇在于它试图将进化生物学中剩下的两个重大挑战联系起来：性别的维持和物种的起源。我们对SRR基因的研究将为建立统一的物种形成遗传理论提供经验基础。