RUI: Quantitative Trait Loci in Drosophila

在生物学中，一个长期存在的争议是关于促进生存和繁殖的多种生活史特征。这些特征的例子包括抗病性和营养物质的有效代谢。包括人类在内的所有生物都面临着尽可能做到最好的压力。问题是这种特质如何影响其他特质。一种理论假定权衡；提高个体适应度的生活史特征会导致其他降低适应度的生活史特征。另一种相反的理论认为，一种生活史特征可以增强其他生活史特征。这个一般性的问题将生物体生理的遗传基础与这些生物体如何运作的结果联系在一起。它将早期的生长和繁殖与后来的生存和衰老联系起来。要了解这些特征，就需要对它们的遗传基础有更详细的了解。该项目使用了一种名为定量性状位点（QTL）的新技术来鉴定果蝇的生活史性状和寿命基因。它易于研究，可以详细检查像这个这样的一般性问题，而在大型生物体中研究这些问题要困难得多。我们将发现这些基因是影响单个还是多个生活史性状，以及影响不同生活史性状的基因是否在同一染色体上靠得很近。研究结果将显示生命史特征是相互增强还是相互制约，并将导致对遗传相关性的生理和生化性质的理解。

9527994 PRICE A long-standing controversy in biology concerns multiple life-history traits that promote survival and reproduction. Examples of such traits include disease resistance and efficient metabolism of nutrients. All organisms, including humans, face pressures to do as well as possible. The question is how such a trait affects other traits. One theory posits tradeoffs; a life-history trait that increases the fitness of individuals will result in other life-history traits that decrease fitness. A contrasting theory posits that a life-history trait can augment other life-history traits. This general question ties together the genetic basis for the physiology of organisms with the consequences of how those organisms function. It relates early growth and reproduction to later survival and aging. To understand these traits more detailed knowledge of their genetic basis is required. This project uses a new technique called Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping to identify genes for life-history traits and longevity in the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster. Its ease of study allows detailed examination of general questions such as this one, that would be much harder to study in larger organisms. We will find out whether these genes affect single or multiple life-history traits, and whether genes affecting different life-history traits are close together on the same chromosome. The results will show whether life-history traits augment or constrain each other, and will lead to an understanding of the physiological and biochemical nature of genetic correlations.