DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Origin and Evolution of Polyploid Frogs

多倍体化是通过现有DNA的复制或两个物种基因组的融合而增加基因组含量。多倍体事件为自然选择提供了新的依据。例如，具有新功能的基因可能会进化，或者复制基因组的大部分可能会被删除。拟议的研究将集中在研究灰色树蛙的这种现象。有些灰树蛙是二倍体，有两套染色体，而其他的是四倍体，有四套完整的染色体。四倍体蛙起源于二倍体种群。来自不同基因的分子数据将被收集，以确定(1)哪些二倍体群体对四倍体的形成有贡献；(2)基因组含量的加倍是否改变了进化速度。本研究将促进对基础生物学研究的理解，并对本科生和研究生的教育产生广泛的影响。女性在本科和研究生阶段都有代表。这个跨学科的基因组学项目结合了系统发育、分子进化和计算机科学，采用了最先进的技术和设备。研究结果将发表在科学期刊上，并在社会会议和公共论坛上提出。DNA序列数据将通过提交给GenBank数据库公开提供。最后，这项工作解决了与农业作物相关的问题，其中许多作物具有多倍体起源。

Polyploidization is an increase in genome content by duplication of existing DNA or fusion of two species' genomes. Polyploidization events provide new material for natural selection to act upon. For example, genes with new functions may evolve or large portions of the duplicated genome may be deleted. The proposed research will focus on studying this phenomenon in gray treefrogs. Some gray treefrogs are diploid and have two sets of chromosomes, while the others are tetraploid and have four complete sets. Tetraploid frogs originated from diploid populations. Molecular data from different genes will be collected to determine (1) which diploid populations contributed to the formation of the tetraploids and (2) whether doubling of the genome content has changed the rate of evolution.This study will have broad impacts by advancing the understanding of basic biological research and educating undergraduate and graduate students. Women are represented at both undergraduate and graduate levels. This cross-disciplinary genomics project incorporates phylogenetics, molecular evolution, and computer science with state-of-the-art techniques and equipment. Results will be published in scientific journals and presented at society meetings and in public forums. DNA sequence data will be made publicly available through submission to the GenBank database. Finally, this work addresses questions of relevance to agricultural crops, many of which have polyploid origins.