Dissertation Research: Polyploidy and the Evolution of Duplicated Photosynthesis Genes

多倍体(全基因组加倍)是植物进化的主要力量，但人们对多倍体在塑造生理或发育过程中的作用知之甚少。这个项目的目的是研究多倍体对光合作用相关基因网络的影响，光合作用是植物生态成功和经济用途的关键决定因素。包括栽培大豆(G.max)在内的所有豆科植物都经历了两轮古老的多倍体，一些野生大豆经历了另一次非常近的事件。这项研究将利用大豆丰富的基因组资源，研究这两个古老事件是如何塑造参与光合作用的基因家族的结构和表达的。还将对最近的多倍体进行基因组和蛋白质组实验，以研究多倍体对光合作用基因网络的早期影响。这个项目将有助于理解多倍体的出现特性，多倍体已经塑造了主要作物物种的基因组。这种跨学科的方法试图通过了解多倍体对一个重要的生理过程中潜在的基因的影响来弥合基因组和生理研究之间的差距。

Polyploidy (whole genome doubling) is a major force in plant evolution, but relatively little is known about the role of polyploidy in shaping physiological or developmental processes. The objective of this project is to study the effects of polyploidy on the network of functionally interrelated genes underlying photosynthesis, a key determinant of the ecological success and economic utility of plants. All species of the legume genus Glycine, including the cultivated soybean (G. max), experienced two ancient rounds of polyploidy, and some wild Glycine species underwent an additional very recent event. This research will examine how the two ancient events have shaped the structure and expression of gene families involved in photosynthesis, using the extensive genomic resources of soybean. Genomic and proteomic experiments will also be conducted on recent polyploids to study the early effects of polyploidy on photosynthesis gene networks. This project will contribute to understanding of the emergent properties of polyploidy, which has shaped the genomes of major crop species. This interdisciplinary approach seeks to bridge the gap between genomic and physiological studies by achieving an understanding of the effects of polyploidy on genes underlying an important physiological process.