REU: Mammalian Systematics and Mitochondrial Gene Sequences

哺乳动物线粒体基因在核苷酸序列水平上的进化模式和过程将被调查。本研究的主要重点将是线粒体中编码的细胞色素c氧化酶亚基II （COII）基因的序列变化率。这个特殊的基因直接与细胞核细胞色素c基因相互作用。COII基因在特定哺乳动物群体中发生的氨基酸替换量不同，这一观察结果在啮齿动物和灵长类动物的比较中很明显。本研究的主要策略是利用聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增含有COII基因的DNA片段，并对扩增的单链DNA进行测序。该程序将用于评估啮齿动物、灵长类动物和相关哺乳动物目COII基因变化的模式和速度。这些数据将提供有关该基因差异变化率程度的直接信息，核和线粒体基因组编码的基因的共同进化，以及特定哺乳动物群体之间和内部的进化关系。

The patterns and processes of mammalian mitochondrial gene evolution at the nucleotide sequence level will be investigated. The primary focus of this research will be on the rate of sequence change in the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII) gene encoded in the mitochondrion. This particular gene interacts directly with the nuclear cytochrome c gene. The COII gene varies in the amount of amino acid substitutions that have occurred in particular mammalian groups, and this observation is pronounced in comparisons of rodents versus primates. The primary strategy of this research is to amplify DNA fragments containing the COII gene using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the sequencing of amplified single stranded DNA. This procedure will be used to evaluate the mode and tempo of COII gene change in rodents, primates, and related mammalian orders. These data will provide direct information on the extent of differential rates of change in this gene, the coevolution of genes encoded by the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, and the evolutionary relationships among and within particular mammalian groups.