Genetic Control of Male Moth Behavior and Olfaction.

在许多蛾类中，成年雄蛾和雌蛾之间的交流是通过空气传播的化学信号（信息素）进行的。雄性动物不仅对同类雌性动物散发的复杂气味非常敏感，而且还必须区分其他物种散发的类似信号。由于精确的通信依赖于发射信号与接收器的灵敏度/特异性之间的密切对应，因此尚不清楚新的化学信号如何演变。新的雌性信息素混合物可能通过生物合成途径的突变而产生，但对雄性嗅觉系统如何响应这种变化而进化知之甚少。该项目试图通过研究男性行为偏好和嗅觉神经生物学的遗传基础来理解这种现象。通过杂交两种密切相关的太阳蛾物种产生的雄性将在风洞中飞行，以确定它们对特定气味混合物的偏好。通过记录触角上和这些雄性大脑中的单个神经元，行为偏好将与潜在的嗅觉神经生物学有关。最后，与北卡罗来纳州州立大学的另一个小组合作，将对单个雄性进行DNA分析，以确定这些特征的遗传基础，最终确定相关基因。这些研究的结果将提供对化学通讯进化的见解，因为广泛不同的动物被认为以类似的方式处理嗅觉信息，大脑编码和区分不同气味的神经机制。此外，在拟议的研究中使用的蛾类之一是一种臭名昭著的农业害虫，一些发现可能会导致新的害虫控制策略。拟议研究的综合性质将提高有关人员的知识视野，并将为本科生，研究生和博士后学员提供参与基础广泛的合作研究项目的绝佳机会

In many moth species communication between adult males and females is conducted in a language of airborne chemical signals (pheromones). Males are not only exquisitely sensitive to the complex odor mixture released by females of their own species but must also discriminate amongst similar signals released by other species. Because precise communication relies upon a close correspondence between the emitted signal and the sensitivity/specificity of the receiver, it is unclear how novel chemical signals might evolve. New female pheromone blends might arise through mutations in the biosynthetic pathway but little is known about how the male olfactory system evolves in response to such changes. This project seeks to understand this phenomenon by examining the genetic underpinnings of male behavioral preferences and olfactory neurobiology. Males created by interbreeding two closely related species of heliothine moth will be flown in a wind tunnel to determine their preference for specific odor blends. By recording from individual neurons on the antenna and in the brains of these males, behavioral preferences will be related to underlying olfactory neurobiology. Finally, in collaboration with another group at North Carolina State University, DNA analysis of individual males will be performed to determine the genetic basis for these characters, ultimately leading to identification of the genes involved. The results from these studies will provide insights into both the evolution of chemical communication and, because widely divergent animals are thought to process olfactory information in similar ways, the neural mechanisms employed by the brain to code and discriminate different smells. In addition, one of the moth species to be used in the proposed research is a notorious agricultural pest and some findings might lead to novel strategies for pest control. The integrative nature of the proposed research will enhance the intellectual horizons of the personnel involved and will provide excellent opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral trainees to be involved in a broad-based, collaborative research project