DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Tracing the Origins and History of Animal Phototransduction using Phylogenetic Approachs

DEB-0710406 论文研究：用系统发生学方法追溯动物光传导的起源和历史进化是如何从共同的起点出发，并继续产生我们今天看到的生物多样性的缤纷展示的？ 本研究的主要目的是阐明这个问题，使用动物光敏性的演变作为模型，或案例研究。 在自然界中，光敏性以多种形式存在，从简单的从黑暗中感知光到动物（如人类）中常见的复杂视觉敏锐度。 这项研究旨在通过比较参与接收和传输光信息的单个蛋白质的进化历史来了解这些不同类型光敏性的起源。具体而言，不同蛋白质的分支概况可以暗示潜在的、一般的过程，这些过程有助于动物光敏性的进化多样化。 这个项目与其他研究不同，这些研究集中在两个方面的多样性的进化起源。 首先，比较系统发育的方法是新颖的，因为它适用于常用的方法来了解物种的共同进化，蛋白质-蛋白质共同进化的问题。 其次，研究人员首次探索了基础动物谱系中光敏性的早期进化，如Hydra，水母的近亲。 通过这种方式，本研究将提供一个深入了解动物光敏性的起源。

DEB-0710406 DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Tracing the Origins and History of Animal Phototransduction using Phylogenetic Approaches How does evolution proceed from common starting points and go on to generate the riotous display of biodiversity that we see today? The primary goal of this study is to shed light on this problem using the evolution of animal photosensitivity as a model, or case study. In nature, photosensitivity exists in numerous forms, ranging from the simple perception of light from dark, to the complex visual acuities common in animals such as humans. This study seeks to understand the origins of these diverse types of photosensitivity by comparing the evolutionary histories of individual proteins that are involved in receiving and transmitting light information. Specifically, the branching profile of the different proteins can suggest underlying, general, processes that have contributed to the evolutionary diversification of photosensitivity in animals. This project differs from other studies that have focused on the evolutionary origin of diversity in two ways. First, the comparative phylogenetic approach employed is novel in that it applies methods commonly used to understand the co-evolution of species, to the problem of protein-protein co-evolution. Second, for the first time, the researchers explore the early evolution of photosensitivity in basal animal lineages such as Hydra, a close relative to jellyfish. In this way, this study will provide an insight into the origin of animal photosensitivity.