Dissertation Research: Genetic Architecture of Correlated Evolution in Gametophytes and Sporophytes of Ceratodon Purpureus

生物学的一个核心目标是了解生物如何适应环境。 该项目旨在阐明植物在其生命周期中形态上不同的单倍体和二倍体世代交替对适应的限制。 如果两代人的性状是由同一套基因控制的，那么随着种群的适应，这些性状应该以相关的方式发生变化。 该项目将利用一个bratelete模型系统（Ceratodon purpureus），其中两代都足够大，形态复杂，以促进基因型和表型分析。 来自物种分布各地的多个种群将在共同的环境中生长，以评估两代之间的相关程度。 基因组作图技术将被用来测试相同的基因是否与两代的变化有关。这项研究将回答有关适应的遗传基础的基本问题，除了提供对所有植物共同的生命周期的更深入的理解。 这将是使用现代遗传工具对整个植物生命周期进行的最全面的检查。 角齿鲨实验系统正被许多研究生物学应用和基础问题的科学家所利用，这项研究所产生的遗传见解将进一步增加其在其他研究中的效用。

A central goal of biology is to understand how organisms adapt to their environment. This project seeks to clarify the constraints imposed on adaptation in plants by the alternation of morphologically distinct haploid and diploid generations in their life cycles. If traits in the two generations are controlled by the same suite of genes, as populations adapt, these traits should change in a correlated fashion. This project will utilize a bryophyte model system (Ceratodon purpureus) in which both generations are sufficiently large and morphologically complex to facilitate genotypic and phenotypic analysis. Multiple populations from throughout the distribution of the species will be grown in a common environment to assess the degree of correlation between the two generations. Genome mapping techniques will then be used to test whether the same genes are associated with changes in the two generations.This study will answer fundamental questions concerning the genetic basis of adaptation, in addition to providing a deeper understanding of life cycles that are common to all plants. It will be the most comprehensive examination of the whole plant life cycle using modern genetic tools. The Ceratodon experimental system is being utilized by many scientists working on applied as well as basic problems in biology, and the genetic insights generated by this study will further increase its utility for other research.