Collaborative Research: The structure, function, and evolution of a regulatory network controlling sexually dimorphic fruit fly development

基因网络是动物发育的基础，尽管这些网络的复杂性已经在模式生物中被描绘出来，但网络进化与生物多样性之间的关键联系仍不清楚。该项目通过研究如何通过修改色素沉着基因网络关键成员之间的连接来实现新的果蝇色素沉着模式，为这些复杂的生物网络提供了独特的视角。利用候选基因和基因组尺度的方法，将确定一个关键的调节蛋白是如何连接的，从而控制一组目标基因的利用，这些基因是形成色素沉着模式所必需的。此外，通过比较具有不同色素沉着模式的亲缘物种和种群之间的网络连接，将揭示这些连接是如何进化的，以及这种关键调节蛋白产生的自然变异所产生的网络效应。加深对这种模式基因网络的理解将有助于进化和发育生物学社区构建和测试关于其他基因网络如何运作和改变以控制不同谱系中的不同性状的假设。此外，这些结果与人类状况有关，因为将调节蛋白与其靶基因连接起来的DNA序列的遗传差异是个体之间差异的主要原因，但人们对其知之甚少。该项目将产生许多更广泛的影响，包括：为本科生和研究生提供培训机会，为高中生物课程开发实验练习和为高中学生提供研究经验，以及在大学专题讨论会和访问地区高中时与非科学学生和教师进行互动，以交流进化发育生物学对现代科学思想的贡献以及科学研究对社会的价值。

Gene networks are fundamental to animal development, and though the complexity of these networks has been mapped in model organisms, the critical connection between network evolution and organismal diversity remains unclear. This project provides a unique perspective to these complex biological networks by investigating how new fruit fly pigmentation patterns were achieved through the modification of connections between pivotal members of a pigmentation gene network. Using candidate gene and genome-scale approaches it will be determined how a key regulatory protein is connected to and thereby controls the utilization of a battery of target genes necessary to make a pigmentation pattern. Furthermore, by comparing network connections between both related species and populations within a species that exhibit different pigmentation patterns it will be revealed how these connections evolved and the network effects resulting from natural variation in the production of this key regulatory protein. An enhanced understanding of this model gene network will aid both the evolutionary and developmental biology communities in the construction and testing of hypotheses as to how other gene networks operate and have changed to control diverse traits in diverse lineages. Moreover, these outcomes bear upon the human condition as genetic differences in the DNA sequences connecting regulatory proteins to their target genes is a major yet poorly understood cause of variation between individuals. This project will achieve numerous broader impacts, including: training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, the development of both lab exercises for high school biology curricula and research experiences for high school students, and interactions at University symposia and on visitations to area High Schools with non-scientific students and teachers to communicate the contributions of evolutionary developmental biology to modern scientific thought and the value of scientific research to society.