RUI: Molecular Evolution of the Glucose Phosphate Isomerase Locus in Argopecten irradians

9615567 KRAUSE代谢酶的遗传变异在多大程度上可能转化为个体之间的生化、生理和适应性差异，这在很大程度上是未知的。 先前的研究表明，海湾扇贝能量代谢酶的蛋白质变异直接影响生物化学和生产相关性状。 扇贝的大小，繁殖输出，和某些生化性状与葡萄糖磷酸异构酶（Gpi）的遗传变异。 拟议的研究将建立在以前的工作基础上，并检查Gpi基因的DNA序列变异。 将在分离并通过聚合酶链反应扩增后对来自具有不同Gpi蛋白变体的个体的DNA进行测序。 将对核苷酸序列数据进行各种统计检验，以检验关于在Gpi保持遗传变异的随机和选择力的相对强度的假设。 此外，核苷酸变异之间的关系和先前表征的蛋白质和扇贝之间的大小差异将进行探索。 这项研究的结果将有助于描述随机和选择力在进化中的相对作用的一般知识体系。 更重要的是，这些数据将开始解决核苷酸变异的功能相关性，以及这种糖酵解酶的遗传差异转化为群体中个体之间的适应性差异的假设。

9615567 KRAUSE The degree to which genetic variation for metabolic enzymes can potentially translate into biochemical, physiological and fitness differences among individuals is largely unknown. Previous studies suggest that protein variation for an enzyme involved in energy metabolism from the bay scallop, Argopecten irradians, directly affects biochemical and production-related traits. Scallop size, reproductive output, and certain biochemical traits are associated with genetic variation for the enzyme glucose phosphate isomerase (Gpi). The proposed research will build on previous work and examine DNA sequence variation for the Gpi gene. DNA from individuals with different Gpi protein variants will be sequenced following isolation and amplification by the polymerase chain reaction. A variety of statistical tests will be applied to the nucleotide sequence data in order to test hypotheses regarding the relative strength of random and selective forces maintaining genetic variation at Gpi. Also, the relationships among nucleotide variation and previously characterized protein and size differences among scallops will be explored. The results from this study will contribute to the general body of knowledge describing the relative roles of random and selective forces in evolution. More importantly, these data will begin to address the functional relevance of nucleotide variation and the hypothesis that genetic differences for this glycolytic enzyme translate into fitness differences among individuals in a population.