COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Molecular Mechanisms Underpinning The Kin Selection Theory Of Intragenomic Conflict

本项目旨在了解调节动物自私和合作行为的遗传机制，以蜜蜂为模型系统。先前的研究表明，在蜜蜂中，遗传自父亲的基因促进了自私行为，而遗传自母亲的基因促进了合作行为。目前的项目将使用先进的基因组工具来解开调解父亲和母亲基因之间冲突的分子机制，并为理解这些基因之间的相互作用如何产生行为提供一个框架。在这些研究中获得的见解和开发的方法可以很容易地应用于在其他社会动物中探索这些问题。这个项目将被用作魅力平台，以增加对K-12学生和教师、公众、本科生和研究生对动物社会行为、基因如何产生行为以及基因为何可能相互冲突的理解。本项目以蜜蜂为模型系统，评估基因组内冲突在调节社会行为中的功能和调控。基因组内冲突的亲缘选择理论预测，在蜜蜂中，父系（遗传自父亲）倾向于自私行为，而母系（遗传自母亲）倾向于利他行为。以往的研究为这一预测提供了第一个实证支持。目前的研究将在这些研究的基础上进行扩展：(1)通过开发等位基因特异性转录丰度操纵的新方法，证实父系表达介导自私行为；(2)确定亲本特异性基因表达（PSGE）模式是否不稳定，并根据组织和环境而变化，同时仍然符合亲缘选择理论的预测；(3)评估整个基因组中亲本特异性DNA甲基化（PSDM）的程度及其在调节PSDM中的作用。这些研究将整合遗传杂交、行为、生理学、RNAi方法、全转录组测序、亚硫酸酯测序、生物信息学和统计基因组学，并打开大门，研究基因组内冲突作为一种普遍存在的力量，可以塑造无数与社会群体适应性相关的特征。本项目由分子和细胞生物科学部的遗传机制项目和综合生物系统部的动物行为项目共同资助。

This project seeks to understand the genetic mechanisms regulating selfish and cooperative behaviors in animals, using honey bees as a model system. Previous studies showed that, in honey bees, genes inherited from the father promote selfish behavior, while the genes inherited from the mother promote cooperative behavior. The current project will use advanced genomic tools to unravel the molecular mechanisms that mediate this conflict between the father's and mother's genes, and provide a framework for understanding how the interactions between these genes generate behavior. The insights gained and methodology developed for these studies can be easily applied to explore these questions in other social animals. This project will be used as charismatic platform to increase understanding of social behavior in animals, how genes produce behavior, and why genes may be in conflict with each other, in K-12 students and teachers, the public, undergraduate and graduate students. This project evaluates the function and regulation of intragenomic conflict in mediating social behavior, using honey bees as a model system. The kin selection theory of intragenomic conflict predicts that, in honey bees, patrigenes (inherited from the father) favor selfish behavior while matrigenes (inherited from the mother) favor altruistic behavior. Previous studies provided the first empirical support for this prediction. The current research will expand on these studies by: (1) confirming that patrigene expression mediates selfish behavior by developing new methodology for allele-specific manipulation of transcript abundance; (2) determining if parent-specific gene expression (PSGE) patterns are labile and vary according to tissue and context, while still corresponding to the predictions of kin selection theory; and (3) evaluating the extent of parent-specific DNA methylation (PSDM) across the genome and its role in regulating PSGE. These studies will integrate genetic crosses, behavior, physiology, RNAi approaches, whole transcriptome sequencing, bisulfite sequencing, bioinformatics, and statistical genomics, and open the door to examining intragenomic conflict as a pervasive force that can shape a myriad of traits related to fitness in social groups.This project is co-funded by the Genetic Mechanisms Program in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and by the Animal Behavior Program in the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems.