Theoretical Aspects of Population and Quantitative Genetics

拟议的研究是对自然种群中遗传变异的原因的理论调查，以及作为自然选择的结果在这种变异中发生的变化。遗传变异是在许多不同的水平上测量的，从最低水平的DNA到最高水平的生物体的整体形态。在每一个水平上都有大量的遗传变异，尽管导致这种变异的力量仍然是一个谜。本研究的目的是探讨自然选择、突变和遗传漂变在维持自然种群遗传变异中可能发挥的相对作用。这项研究的独特之处在于，希望能够出现一种全面的理论，允许在单一理论的背景下解释所有层次的变化，而不是目前每个层次的变化都使用不同的理论。进化不仅维持了变异，而且还改变了种群的遗传状态。最常见的表现就是在化石记录中看到的形态变化。这项研究的第二个目标是提供一种理论来解释这些形态上的变化，这种变化与我们对遗传学和维持变异的力量的理解是相容的。这项拟议的研究不仅将提供对自然种群进化的遗传基础的见解，而且还可能有助于理解人类种群面临的一些问题。人类和其他生物有一个共同的特性，那就是个体之间存在着大量的基因变异。毫无疑问，这种变异是个体之间在疾病易感性等重要属性上观察到的一些差异的根源。然而，我们对人类种群变异的情况就像对自然种群的变异一样无知。从这项研究中获得的见解将有希望更好地理解遗传变异在人类状况中的作用。

The proposed research is a theoretical investigation into the causes of genetic variation in natural populations and the changes that occur in this variation as a result of natural selection. Genetic variation is measured at many different levels, ranging from DNA at the lowest level to the overall morphology of the organisms at the highest. At each of these levels there is a substantial amount of genetic variation, although the forces that are responsible for this variation remain a mystery. It is the intent of the proposed research to investigate the relative roles that natural selection, mutation, and genetic drift might play in the maintenance of genetic variation in natural populations. Unique to this research is the hope that a comprehensive theory will emerge that allows the variation at all levels to be explained within the context of a single theory, rather than the current state where a different theory is used for each level of variation. Evolution not only maintains variation, but it also changes the genetic state of a population. The most familiar expression of this is the changes in morphology seen in the fossil record. A second goal of this research is to provide a theory to explain these changes in morphology that is compatible with our understanding of genetics and the forces that maintain variation. The proposed research will not only provide insights into the genetic bases of evolution in natural populations, but may also help to understand some of the problems facing human populations. Humans share with other organisms the property of having an extraordinary amount of genetic variation between individuals. This variation is undoubtedly at the root of some of the differences that are observed between individuals in such important attributes as disease susceptibility. Yet we are as ignorant of the cases of variation in human populations as we are of the variation in natural populations. The insights gained from this research will hopefully provide a better understanding of the role of genetic variation in the human condition.