U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Population Dynamics and Evolution of Drosophila Transposable Elements

这一为期三年的奖项支持哈佛大学的Daniel L.Hartl和法国吉夫苏尔伊维特的法国国家科学研究中心生物学和进化遗传学实验室的Jean R.David在人口和进化遗传学方面的美法合作研究。本研究主要针对果蝇不同物种间转座因子Mariner的进化遗传学进行研究。研究人员将研究序列进化的速度和模式，以确定这些元素在果蝇不同谱系中的遗传模式。Mariner中的转座元件使其成为通过生殖系转化进行基因工程的非常有力的候选者。该元素很短，并且序列组织简单。水手序列广泛存在于多种基因组中。美国研究人员将水手元素的克隆、测序和分析方面的专业知识带到了这次合作中。这家法国集团拥有国际公认的果蝇物种收藏。他们将对果蝇进行水手元素的筛选和部分克隆和测序。该项目将提供关于可转座水手分子的进化生物学的数据，并可能有助于开发新的工具来对不同的生物进行遗传操作。

This three-year award supports U.S.-France cooperative research in population and evolutionary genetics between Daniel L. Hartl, Harvard University, and Jean R. David, Biology and Evolutionary Genetics Laboratory, the French National Center for Scientific Research in Gif-sur-Yvette, France. The research focuses on the evolutionary genetics of the transposable element mariner among species of Drosophila. The investigators will study the rates and patterns of sequence evolution to determine the mode of inheritance of these elements in different lineages of Drosophila. The transposable element in mariner makes it a very strong candidate for genetic engineering by means of germline transformation. The element is short and has a simple sequence organization. Mariner sequences are found in a wide range of genomes. The U.S. investigator brings to this collaboration expertise in cloning, sequencing and analysis of the mariner elements. The French group has an internationally recognized collection of Drosophila species. They will carry out the Drosophila screening of mariner elements and some of the cloning and sequencing. The project will provide data on the evolutionary biology of the transposable mariner element and may assist in the development of new tools for genetic manipulation of diverse organisms.