DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The origin and evolution of a sexually selected trait

一些生物体表现出似乎可能阻碍它们生存的特征，例如鲜艳的颜色或精心制作的尾巴或鳍。与直觉相反的是，这些特征实际上可以帮助有机体取得成功？S说，因为它们可以提高它们寻找配偶的能力。在剑尾鱼中，雄性进化出了细长的鳍，或剑？这有助于它们吸引配偶。许多剑尾物种的雌性更喜欢带剑装饰的雄性，但有一种物种的雌性进化出了对剑的蔑视。这个项目将调查哪些基因对剑饰的产生负责。一旦确定了负责产生性状的基因，就可以使用群体遗传学方法来确定这些基因在不同物种中的选择强度。这个项目还将测试关于剑何时以及如何起源的假说。在包括进化生物学和生物医学研究在内的许多生物学领域，了解性状的遗传基础和对这些性状进行选择的强度是很重要的。此外，该项目将与普林斯顿监狱教学倡议合作，将正在进行的研究带入课堂，并为学生提供数据分析和解释的实践体验。这笔赠款还将支持为K-12教师开发教育资源，帮助学生了解遗传和进化过程。

Some organisms exhibit traits that seem likely to hinder their survival, such as bright colors or elaborate tails or fins. Counterintuitively, these traits can actually facilitate an organism?s success because they can increase their ability to find mates. In swordtail fish, males have evolved an elongated fin, or ?sword? that helps them attract mates. Females of many swordtail species prefer males with the sword ornament, but females of one species have evolved a disdain of the sword. This project will investigate which genes are responsible for producing the sword ornament. Once the genes responsible for producing a trait are identified, population genetic methods can be used to determine the strength of selection on these genes in different species. This project will also test hypotheses about when and how the sword originated. Understanding the genetic basis of traits and the strength of selection on these traits is important in a number of biological fields including evolutionary biology and biomedical research. In addition, this project will collaborate with the Princeton Prison Teaching Initiative to bring ongoing research into the classroom and give students hands-on experience with data analysis and interpretation. This grant will also support the development of educational resources for K-12 instructors to help students learn about genetic and evolutionary processes.