DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Genetic Architecture of Covarying Traits

生物对多种性状的选择压力作出反应的能力部分是由这些性状之间的遗传协方差决定的。该项目将绘制与进化遗传学模式植物Boechera stricta种群中硫代葡萄糖苷性状遗传变异相关的基因组区域。B. stricta产生几种硫代葡萄糖苷，这种化合物可以保护植物免受昆虫食草动物的侵害。通过绘制控制每种植物组织中硫代葡萄糖苷谱的基因组区域，研究者将确定整个植物中是否有相同或不同的位点控制硫代葡萄糖苷。然后，利用这些基因组区域的种群数据，确定每个位点控制的硫代葡萄糖苷性状的共变异量。了解共变性状的遗传结构对于预测这些性状如何应对自然选择至关重要；如果一个基因控制多个性状，进化约束可能比性状相关性由相关选择压力引起的约束更强。遗传协方差对植物育种者也很重要，因为它们可能影响对人工选择的反应。了解硫代葡萄糖苷分配的遗传基础，它与农业相关并影响人类的癌症风险，将有助于深入了解育种计划如何影响农作物。这笔拨款还将支持培训一名重要的基因组技术和分析方面的年轻科学家，以及在传统上表现不佳的学校开展推广工作，鼓励学生，特别是女孩，在STEM领域上大学和从事职业。

The capacity of organisms to respond to selective pressures on multiple traits is determined in part by the genetic covariances between those traits. This project will map regions of the genome associated with genetic variation in glucosinolate traits in a population of Boechera stricta, a model plant for evolutionary genetics. B. stricta makes several types of glucosinolates, compounds that defend the plant against insect herbivores. By mapping the regions of the genome that control glucosinolate profile in each type of plant tissue, the investigator will determine whether the same or different loci control glucosinolates throughout the plant. Then, using population data at these genomic regions, the amount of covariation in glucosinolate traits controlled by each locus will be determined. Knowing the genetic architecture of covarying traits is essential in predicting how those traits are able to respond to selection; if one gene controls multiple traits, evolutionary constraints are likely to be stronger than if trait correlations are caused by correlated selective pressures. Genetic covariances have been important to plant breeders, as well, as they may affect the response to artificial selection. Understanding the genetic basis of glucosinolate allocation, which is agriculturally relevant and affects cancer risk in humans, will lend insight into how breeding programs may affect crop plants. This grant will also support training of a young scientist in important genomic techniques and analyses, as well as outreach efforts in traditionally underperforming schools encouraging students, particularly girls, to pursue college and a career in the STEM fields.