DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evolution of visual pigments in fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)

在进化生物学中，新的交配信号如何以及为什么出现并在种群中传播仍然是一个悬而未决的问题。然而，从遗传角度研究信号特征一直是困难的，因为信号和使其能够被检测的受体通常是受许多基因影响的复杂的身体和/或行为特征。萤火虫具有明显的交配信号和高度可变的交配信号，为研究信号演化提供了一个理想的系统。其中包括从简单发光到复杂闪烁的发光信号，以及从蓝/绿到橙色的不同颜色。重要的是，光信号和信号受体的潜在遗传基础都很简单：光的产生由单一的酶(荧光素酶)控制，视觉受体的敏感性由单一的受体家族(视蛋白)控制。这项工作将使用下一代测序技术来研究视蛋白的进化与信号、颜色和环境光条件的关系。这项工作将提供一个前所未有的视角来研究夜间视觉信号系统中视觉受体的进化。与正在进行的研究光信号进化的工作相结合，它将允许测试信号和受体基础基因的分子进化假说。这将使萤火虫的遗传资源发生革命性的变化，并有可能将萤火虫置于信号进化研究的前沿。将为本科生提供研究机会，并为K-9教育开发资源。

How and why new mating signals arise and spread through a population remain open questions in evolutionary biology. However, it has been difficult to study signaling traits from a genetic perspective since signals, and the receptors that enable their detection, are often complex physical and/or behavioral traits affected by many genes. Fireflies offer an ideal system to study signal evolution because of their conspicuous and highly variable mating signals. These include lighted signals that range from simple glows to complex flashes, and differ in color, from blue/green to orange. Importantly, the underlying genetic basis of the lighted signal and signal receptor are both simple: light production is controlled by a single enzyme (luciferase) and visual receptor sensitivity by a single family of receptors (opsins). This work will use Next Generation sequencing techniques to examine the evolution of opsins in relationship to signal color and environmental light conditions.This work will offer an unprecedented look at the evolution of visual receptors in a nocturnal visual signaling system. Combined with ongoing work examining the evolution of the light signal, it will allow testing of hypotheses for the molecular evolution of genes underlying both signals and receptors. It will revolutionize the genetic resources for fireflies and has the potential to place fireflies at the forefront of signal evolution research. Research opportunities will be offered for undergraduate students and resources developed for K-9 education.