Collaborative Proposal: Genetic architecture of reproductive isolation and introgression in experimental and natural hybrid zones in Louisiana Irises

遗传交换和生殖隔离的相互作用对于适应和生物多样性的起源和维持至关重要。最后，生物多样化涉及物种形成，这发生在生殖隔离的发展障碍杂交，如选择性交配或杂交不育。生殖障碍导致相对较少的杂交和杂种形成，但杂种的产生仍然具有重要的进化意义，特别是当杂种与其亲本类群交配时。杂交种和它们的亲本类群之间的交配可以导致重要的基于遗传的适应性的转移（例如，例如对洪水条件的耐受性）在亲本物种之间通过遗传渐渗而改变。 该项目将采用一种新技术，可以对基因组进行非常精细的分析，研究路易斯安那鸢尾属两个物种之间的物种形成和渐渗，以确定生殖障碍的基因如何影响渐渗，该项目将有助于了解生物多样性增加和适应的机制，并将推动新的分子遗传技术的应用。该项目将为两所大学的本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员提供培训，并向公众提供科学信息。这种对基因渗入过程的研究直接适用于人类赖以获得食物、衣服和住所的微生物、植物和动物的选择性育种。

The interplay of genetic exchange and reproductive isolation is central to the origin and maintenance of adaptation and biodiversity. Ultimately, biological diversification involves speciation, which occurs when reproductive isolation results from development of barriers to interbreeding, such as selective mating or hybrid sterility. Reproductive barriers lead to relatively infrequent interbreeding and hybrid formation, but the production of hybrids still can have important evolutionary implications, particularly when hybrids mate with their parent taxa. Mating between hybrids and their parent taxa can lead to the transfer of important genetically-based adaptations (e.g., traits such as tolerance to flooded conditions) between the parent species through genetic introgression. This project will apply a new technique that allows very fine-scale analysis of the genome to study speciation that is accompanied by introgression between two species of Louisiana Irises in order to determine how the genes underlying reproductive barriers affect introgression.This project will contribute to understanding of mechanisms of biodiversity increase and adaptation and will advance applications of new molecular genetic techniques. This project will provide training for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers at two universities and will provide scientific information to the public. This research into the process of introgression is directly applicable to the selective breeding of microorganisms, plants, and animals upon which humans depend for food, clothing, and shelter.