CAA: Molecular Methods in the Study of Evolution of SterileSoldier Morphs in Aphids

社会性蚜虫为研究不育利他种姓的进化提供了一个新的舞台。有两个基本问题尚未在任何社会性蚜虫中得到解决，一是不连续不育种姓的起源机制，二是防御者与其受益者的关系。分子方法将被用来检验一些天疱疮物种中不育种姓起源的特定假设。在这一假设下，一些个体被迫不育，因为他们出生时缺乏内共生体。这些测试依赖于对先前在蚜虫内共生体中被确定为唯一的序列进行分子检测的方法；该假说预测，除了不育的防御者外，所有个体都存在这些序列。此外，还将开发和使用遗传指纹方法来检查社会性和非社会性天疱疮物种的群体的基因组成。在该项目的两个部分中，以前存在的天疱疮克隆的实验室培养将提供控制和测试材料。这些方法将有助于进一步研究部分克隆麦长管蚜种群的遗传结构。这项研究涉及以美洲原住民树木为食的一类重要昆虫。

Social aphids provide a new arena for the study of the evolution of sterile altruistic castes. Two basic issues that have not been addressed in any social aphid are the mechanism of origin of a discrete sterile caste and the relatedness of the defending individuals to their beneficiaries. Molecular methods will be used to test a specific hypothesis for the origin of a sterile caste in some Pemphigus species. Under this hypothesis, some individuals are forced into sterility because they lack endosymbionts at birth. The tests depend on methods for the molecular detection of sequences previously established as unique in aphid endosymbionts; the hypothesis predicts that these are present in all individuals except sterile defenders. In addition, genetic fingerprinting methods will be developed and used to examine the genotypic composition of colonies of a social and non-social Pemphigus species. In both segments of this project, previously existing laboratory cultures of Pemphigus clones will provide controls and test material. These methods will be useful in future investigations concerning the genetic structure of partially clonal aphid populations. The research involves an important group of insects which feed on native American trees.