Collaborative Research: The Genetics of Postmating, Prezygotic Isolation

过去20年的研究表明，在交配后但在精子和卵核融合之前发生的性状差异，通常称为交配后，合子前性状差异，在减少物种内种群之间以及密切相关物种之间的基因交换方面发挥主要作用。这些性状差异的遗传基础知之甚少，因此，构成了马歇尔和霍华德的研究计划的主要目标。 具体来说，拟议的研究重点是确定精液和精子蛋白质的差异，无论是在丰度或结构，密切相关的地面蟋蟀物种之间的交配后，前合子性状差异隔离。 一旦确定，基因沉默技术将用于评估每个蛋白质的功能及其对防止或减少物种间受精的影响。在蟋蟀的Allonemobius socius复合体中，受精障碍已被深入研究，为评估成功受精的基因和蛋白质提供了一个很好的模型。 了解种群和物种之间受精不相容性的遗传基础可以深入了解广泛的主题，包括物种（包括人类）内不育的发展以及性选择和性冲突在驱动受精蛋白分歧中的作用。 该项目为本科生和研究生提供培训，并推广到K-12学校。

Research over the past 20 years has shown that trait differences acting after copulation but before the fusion of sperm and egg nuclei, often termed postmating, prezygotic trait differences, play a primary role in reducing gene exchange between populations within a species and between closely related species. The genetic basis of these trait differences is poorly understood and thus, constitutes the primary goal of Marshall and Howard's research plan. Specifically, the proposed research focuses on identifying the seminal fluid and sperm proteins that differ, whether in abundance or structure, between closely related ground cricket species that are isolated by postmating, prezygotic trait differences. Once identified, gene silencing technology will be used to evaluate the function of each protein and its influence on preventing or reducing fertilization between species.Barriers to fertilization have been intensively studied in the Allonemobius socius complex of crickets, providing an excellent model for evaluating the genes and proteins that underlie successful fertilization. Understanding the genetic basis of fertilization incompatibilities between populations and species can provide insight into a wide-range of topics, including the development of infertility within species (including humans) and the role of sexual selection and sexual conflict in driving the divergence of fertilization proteins. The project provides training for undergraduate and graduate students and outreach to K-12 schools.