Evolution of Female Mate-Choice: Field Experiments Using Genetic Markers in The Gray Treefrog

ID#：9728495标题：雌性配偶选择的进化：在灰色树蛙PI：J.D.Krenz Copis：R.D.Semlitsch，H.C.Gerhardt和P.A.Mahone中使用遗传标记的现场实验在大多数生物物种中，每个个体的遗传结构都是来自其父母双方的基因的独特混合物。这种独特的基因组合对个体的外表、行为和生理都有广泛的影响。因此，配偶的选择可能会对动物后代的特征产生深远的影响。事实上，有证据表明，女性的偏好已经演变成引人注目的、本能的。我们的研究直接考察了雌性配偶选择对后代表现的影响，并测试了雌性确实更喜欢携带能增加其后代活力的基因的雄性的想法。这将通过将一系列雌性中的每一只与两个雄性(首选雄性和非首选雄性)交配来实现，以饲养这两种类型的后代，并测量它们之间在存活率、生长和成熟率方面的差异。这项工作将使用这类研究的理想物种--灰树蛙，这是一种北美物种，具有独特的交配偏好和行为。这项研究的一个重要方面是使用中性遗传标记(使用现代分子方法直接检测DNA差异)来识别每个幼崽的父亲。这使得我们可以在户外的自然条件下，以混合的群体饲养后代。优先选择父亲的后代和非优先选择父亲的后代在表现上的差异将提供证据，证明存在有助于女性配偶偏好演变的遗传机制。这一结果将提供证据，支持配偶选择如何已经并继续演变的理论中的一个关键环节。

ID#: 9728495 Title: Evolution of female mate-choice: Field experiments using genetic markers in the gray treefrog PI: J. D. Krenz CoPIs: R. D. Semlitsch, H. C.Gerhardt, and P. A. Mahoney Non-Technical Summary In most biological species, each individual's genetic constitution is a unique mixture of genes from both of its parents. This unique combination of genes has a pervasive influence on an individual's appearance, behavior and physiology. The choice of a mate, then, can have a profound impact on the characteristics of an animal's offspring. Indeed, evidence suggests that female preferences have evolved to become both striking and instinctual. Our research directly examines the effect of female mate-choice on offspring performance and tests the idea that a female does prefer males that carry genes which increase the vigor of her offspring. This will be carried out by mating each of a series of females to two males (a preferred male and a non-preferred male) rearing the two types of offspring and measuring the differences between them in survival, growth and maturation rates. This work will be carried out using an ideal species for such research, the gray treefrog, a North American species with distinct and well understood mating preferences and behaviors. An important aspect of this research is the use of neutral genetic markers (using modern molecular methods to directly detect differences in differences in DNA) to identify the father of each of the juveniles. This allows us to rear the offspring in mixed groups under natural conditions outdoors. A demonstration of a difference in performance between offspring of preferred versus non-preferred fathers will provide evidence that there is a genetic mechanism that can contribute to the evolution of female mate preferences. This result will provide evidence supporting a critical link in the theory of how mate choice has and continues to evolve.