The good genes sexual selection controversy: Does the Handicap Principal apply to modern humans?

优良基因性选择争议：障碍原理适用于现代人类吗？

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-05988
• 负责人: Arnocky, Steven
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: Nipissing University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=713453
• 关键词: good; genes; sexual; selection; controversy

In 2017, an early version of this application received 'strong' across all categories and 'moderate' under merit of the proposal. As a result, I was awarded a two-year NSERC Discovery Development Grant (DDG) to foster development of the proposal toward full funding. I have since collected a large pilot study exploring the role of immune markers in predicting male secondary sexual characteristics. I have published groundwork for this proposal (Evolution and Human Behavior, IF=3.62) linking salivary Immunoglobulin-A to vocal masculinity. I have also refined the application by proposing two new studies and incorporating the exploration of gene-immune marker interactions in predicting secondary sex characteristics. I also utilised my DDG funding to become trained in phlebotomy in order to maximise future funding use efficiency, highlighting my dedication to this important body of work. Ancestors who could identify healthy mates were at a substantial reproductive advantage. Of course, immune function cannot be observed directly. Rather, good-genes sexual selection hypothesis proposes that individuals rely on morphological cues to inform a potential mate's immunocompetence (Sugiyama, 2005). In turn, organisms might compete for mates by advertising their 'good genes' via traits that are immunologically-costly to produce (Zahavi, 1975). This immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) is one of the most cited hypotheses in all of evolutionary biology. Yet disconcertingly, empirical evidence supporting a link between secondary sex characteristics and immune function is weak (Hamilton especially among humans. The proposed program of research addresses this fundamental gap in knowledge by systematically assessing: 1) whether putative costly-to-develop secondary sex characteristics (e.g., male vocal and facial masculinity; height) do indeed indicate underlying immunocompetence at either the genetic (major histocompatability) or functional (innate and adaptive immunity) levels, 2) whether uniquely female secondary sexual traits (vocal and facial femininity, breast size and shape) inform immunocompetence, fertility, or both, 3) whether immune function pre-puberty predicts sex hormone-mediated development of secondary sex traits, whether parental secondary sexual characteristics actually predict offspring immunocompetence, and 4) whether female perceptions of male attractiveness inform their underlying immunocompetence. Together, this ambitious yet high-feasibility program will provide the first comprehensive examination of diverse multi-level markers of immune function in relation to prominent human secondary sexual characteristics. It will be the first large-scale test of the ICHH in humans. Evidence from these studies will transform the field's understanding of sexual selection in humans by either supporting or calling into question one of the most widely-cited, yet poorly evidenced, hypotheses in contemporary evolutionary theory.

2017年，收到了该应用程序的早期版本 在所有类别中“强烈”，在提案优点下“温和”。作为 结果，我被授予为期两年的NSERC发现发展赠款（DDG），以促进 该提案的发展是为了获得充分的资金。从那以后，我收集了一个大型的试点研究，探索免疫系统的作用。 预测男性第二性征的标志物。我已经发表了这个提议的基础（进化与人类行为，IF=3.62） 将唾液免疫球蛋白A与男性声音联系起来 我还改进了应用程序， 提出了两项新的研究，并将基因-免疫标记相互作用的探索纳入预测 第二性征我还利用我的DDG资金， 我希望我的研究能够有助于我的血液切开术，以最大限度地提高未来的资金使用效率，突出我对这一重要工作的奉献精神。 能够识别健康配偶的祖先 很大的繁殖优势当然，免疫功能不可能 直接观察。相反，好基因性选择假说提出， 个体依靠形态学线索来告知潜在配偶的 免疫活性（Sugiyama，2005）。反过来，生物体可能会争夺配偶， 通过宣传他们的“好基因”，通过对免疫成本高的特性， produce（Zahavi，1975）.免疫功能障碍假说（Immunocompatibility Handicap Hypothesis，ICHH） 在进化生物学中被引用最多的假说。然而 令人不安的是，经验证据支持第二性征和免疫之间的联系， 功能很弱（汉密尔顿，尤其是在人类中。 拟议的研究方案涉及 通过系统地评估：1）是否假定的发展第二性征的成本（例如，男性声音和面部男性气质;身高） 确实表明了潜在的免疫能力，无论是在遗传 （主要组织相容性）或功能（先天和适应性免疫）水平，2）是否独特的女性第二性征（声音和面部 女性气质，乳房大小和形状）告知免疫能力，生育能力，或两者，3） 青春期前的免疫功能是否可以预测性成熟介导的第二性征的发育，父母的第二性征是否可以预测后代 免疫能力，以及4）女性对男性吸引力的看法是否告知其潜在的免疫能力。 总之，这个雄心勃勃但可行性高的计划将提供与突出的人类第二性征相关的免疫功能的多种多水平标志物的第一次全面检查。这将是ICHH在人类中的首次大规模测试。来自这些研究的证据将改变该领域对人类性选择的理解，支持或质疑当代进化理论中引用最广泛但证据不足的假设之一。