Collaborative Research: Extra-Pair Mating in Birds -- Trading Up Genetically to Enhance Offspring Health

合作研究：鸟类的额外配对交配-通过基因交易来增强后代的健康查尔斯·F·汤普森、劳拉·A·沃格尔和斯科特·K·萨卡卢克伊利诺伊州立大学斯科特·约翰逊和布赖恩·S·马斯特斯·汤森大学许多动物，包括大多数鸟类，都会与异性中的一员形成长期的伴侣关系。在社会性一夫一妻制的鸟类物种中，一对中的雄性和雌性通常合作抚养后代。然而，基于DNA的分子技术的使用表明，在社会性一夫一妻制物种中，雌性后代通常不仅由其社会配偶(配对内交配)繁殖，而且还由其他雄性(配对外交配)繁殖，从而产生混合父子关系的后代。为什么雌性与不止一只雄性交配仍不清楚，因为雌性很少通过这样做获得直接的物质利益。对额外配对交配的一种可能的解释是，雌性通过提高其后代的遗传质量获得间接的遗传利益。这种增强可以通过改善后代的免疫系统功能来实现。该项目测试了一种假说，即在社会性一夫一妻制物种中，雌性通过额外的配对来确保后代的父系基因，从而提高后代的健康和存活率。该项目将比较混合父子关系幼崽的免疫系统功能。如果这一假设是正确的，那么通过配对外交配产生的幼虫的免疫力将高于由配对内交配产生的幼虫的免疫力。此外，这些差异应该转化为总体健康和生存方面的差异。该项目还将提供极好的机会，促进大量本科生和研究生的专业成长和发展，并将有助于纠正目前妇女和少数群体在科学界代表性不足的问题。研究小组的所有成员定期让本科生参与他们的项目，并经常与他们共同撰写出版物。这两所大学的研究生也与本科生密切合作，他们定期在专业会议上发表演讲，并向公众发表演讲。研究人员一直积极参与旨在加强小学教师科学培训和指导高中生的项目，这些活动将在研究项目过程中继续并扩大。

Collaborative research: Extra-pair mating in birds---trading up genetically to enhance offspring healthCharles F. Thompson, Laura A. Vogel, & Scott K. SakalukIllinois State UniversityL. Scott Johnson & Brian S. MastersTowson University Many animals, including the majority of bird species, form long-term pair bonds with one member of the opposite sex. In socially monogamous species of birds, the male and female of a pair typically cooperate in rearing the offspring. However, use of DNA-based molecular techniques has revealed that the progeny of females in socially monogamous species often are sired not only by their social mate (within-pair mating) but also by other males (extra-pair mating), resulting in broods of mixed paternity. Why females mate with more than one male remains obscure, because females seldom derive direct material benefits by doing so. One possible explanation for extra-pair mating is that females derive indirect genetic benefits through enhancement of the genetic quality of their offspring. This enhancement could be brought about by improvement of the function of the offspring's immune system. The project tests the hypothesis that females in socially monogamous species engage in extra-pair matings to secure paternal genes for their offspring that enhance offspring health and survival. The project will compare the function of the immune system of young in broods of mixed paternity. If the hypothesis is correct, immunity of young resulting from extra-pair mating will be superior to that of young resulting from within-pair mating. Furthermore, these differences should translate into differences in the overall health and survival. The project will also provide excellent opportunities to enhance the professional growth and development of a large number of undergraduate and graduate students, and will help redress the current under-representation of women and minorities in science. All members of the research team regularly involve undergraduates in their projects and frequently coauthor publications with them. Graduates students at both institutions also work closely with undergraduates, and they regularly present talks at professional meetings and to the lay public. The researchers have been active in programs designed to enhance elementary school teachers' training in science and to mentor high school students, activities that will continue and expand during the course of the research project.