Genetic Architecture of Peromyscus Coloration

这项研究的目的是确定基因负责适应性着色自然种群的海滩小鼠（Peromyscus polionotus）。 海滩鼠是深色内陆鼠的一种极其苍白的近亲。 这种色素的减少是一种伪装的适应，因为这些老鼠栖息在佛罗里达和亚拉巴马海岸外屏障岛的浅色沙丘上。 本研究的目标是能够使用基因表达和遗传图谱的模式，以确定负责适应岛屿和大陆人口之间的颜色差异的遗传区域。 第二个目标是了解这些基因如何相互作用以产生毛色图案。 总之，这些结果将阐明适应的遗传基础和基因相互作用在自然种群复杂形态进化中的作用，因为颜色变化和自然选择之间的关系在这个系统中是直接的，所提出的工作预计将成为适应遗传学的一个有吸引力的例子，并对生物群落产生影响，以及对社会的影响。 此外，该项目的综合性质突出了结合生态、进化和遗传研究以了解生物多样性的效用。 最后私家侦探目前的研究生都是女性，因此这个项目包括了传统上在进化生物学中代表性不足的研究人员。

The proposed research aims to identify the genes responsible for adaptive coloration in natural populations of beach mice (Peromyscus polionotus). Beach mice are an extremely pale relative of the darker inland forms. This reduction in pigmentation is an adaptation for camouflage, as these mice inhabit the light-colored sand dunes of barrier islands off the coast of Florida and Alabama. The goal of this study is to be able to use both patterns of gene expression and genetic mapping to identify genetic regions that are responsible for adaptive color differences between island and mainland populations. A second goal is to understand how these genes interact to produce coat color patterns. Together, these results will shed light on the genetic basis of adaptation and the role of gene interactions in complex morphological evolution of natural populations.Because the relationship between color variation and natural selection is straightforward in this system, the proposed work is expected to be an appealing example of the genetics of adaptation and to have an impact on the biological community as well as be accessible to society in general. In addition, the integrative nature of this project highlights the utility of combining ecological, evolutionary and genetic research to understand biological diversity. Finally, the P.I. and current graduate students are all female, and thus this project incorporates researchers traditionally underrepresented in evolutionary biology.