DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Characterization of MHC-dependent Mate Choice in Satin Bowerbirds

主要组织相容性复合体(MHC)是一个基因家族，其蛋白产物识别启动免疫反应的病原体。MHC的遗传变异也可能受到配偶选择等因素的影响，这已经在几种脊椎动物身上进行了测试，结果喜忧参半。这项研究使用一个独特的、现有的行为数据集来测试绸缎园丁鸟(Ptilonorhynchus Vioraceus)对MHC依赖的配偶选择。这个数据集包括大量的观察样本，包括雌性参加Bowers并选择雄性进行交配，以及每只鸟的血液样本。将应用一种分子技术来评估多个基因的MHC多样性。MHC多样性将在接受和拒绝的雌性和雄性之间进行比较。这项工作的结果将为广泛的学科提供信息，包括疾病和行为生态学，以及进化和保护生物学。对影响疾病抵抗力的因素的研究与人类公共健康和自然资源保护者有关，因为疾病已经影响了许多野生鸟类种群。此外，这项提案还将检验性选择如何影响性状进化。园丁鸟很有魅力，DNA、进化和配偶选择的相互作用将使这一点引起公众的强烈兴趣，并将被纳入国家动物园的公共项目。

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a gene family whose protein products identify pathogens for initiation of the immune response. Genetic variation of the MHC may also be influenced by factors such as mate choice, which has been tested in several vertebrate species with mixed results. This research tests for MHC-dependent mate choice in satin bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) using a unique, existing behavioral dataset. This dataset includes a very large sample of observations of females attending bowers and selecting males for mating, and blood samples from each bird. A molecular technique will be applied that assesses MHC diversity at multiple genes. MHC diversity will be compared among females and males that are accepted and rejected.Results from this work will inform a wide range of disciplines, including disease and behavioral ecology, and evolutionary and conservation biology. The study of factors that influence disease resistance is relevant to human public health and to conservationists, as diseases have affected many wild avian populations. In addition, this proposal will examine how sexual selection affects trait evolution. The bowerbirds are charismatic, and the interplay of DNA, evolution and mate choice will make this of strong interest to the public, and will be incorporated into public programs at the National Zoo.