Collaborative Research: SG: Exploring the genetic basis of phenotypic novelty in experimental hybrids of monkeyflowers (Mimulus)

地球上的生命呈现出一系列令人眼花缭乱的模式。它们的范围从内部模式，如脊髓中椎骨的重复，到外部模式，如斑马身上的黑色条纹。色素沉着已经成为探索这些类型模式背后的起源和遗传机制的强大模型。例如，通过研究蝴蝶身上的彩色眼点，人们获得了有关昆虫发育的新信息。在植物中，色素产生的机制已经得到了很好的研究，但令人惊讶的是，对复杂的色素沉着模式的机制知之甚少。填补这一知识缺口是本研究的目标。本项目将研究两种猴花；每棵树都有不同颜色的花朵。更重要的是，当两个物种交配时，新的复杂的颜色图案会出现。由于这些新的色素沉着模式只有在不同物种交配时才会出现，这表明它们的基因组之间的相互作用产生了新的模式。探索不同基因组之间的相互作用如何产生意想不到的新特征是本研究的主要重点。将招募1名硕士生、6名本科生和6名高中生开展这项工作。这些学生将接触到高影响力的学习机会，因为他们沉浸在实际的科学研究中。至少有两名高中学生将从一所专门为弱势青少年服务的高中中选出。铜菖蒲与黄菖蒲杂交种的色素沉着模式过于复杂，无法用标准方法进行量化。相反，一种新的数字图像分析管道正在开发中。该方法对分析猴花和其他类群的空间格局具有重要意义。研究人员将使用这种新方法在表型多样化的F2杂交群体中识别和量化花颜色模式的元素。下一代测序将用于绘制负责观察到的花朵图案变化的基因组区域。由于铜菖蒲和变种菖蒲在黄色类胡萝卜素色素沉着上也存在差异，因此将使用相同的表型和遗传数据集来确定不同类胡萝卜素产生的遗传基础，这是植物生理学的一个重要但尚未得到充分研究的组成部分。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Life on earth exhibits a dazzling array of patterns. These range from internal patterns, like the repetition of vertebrae in the spinal cord, to external patterns like the stripes of black pigment on a zebra. Pigmentation has become a powerful model for exploring the origins and genetic mechanisms behind these types of patterns. For example, new information about insect development has been learned by studying the colorful eyespots in butterflies. In plants, the mechanisms of pigment production have been well-studied, but surprisingly little is known about the mechanisms of complex patterns of pigmentation. Filling this knowledge gap is the goal of this research. This project will study two species of monkeyflower; each has flowers with strikingly different color patterns. What's more, when the two species are mated together, new intricate and complex color patterns emerge. Since these new pigmentation patterns are seen only when different species are mated together, it suggests that interactions between their genomes give rise to the new patterns. Exploring how such interactions between different genomes can produce unexpected new traits is a primary focus of this research. One master's student, six undergraduates, and six high school students will be recruited to carry out this work. These students will be exposed to high-impact learning opportunities as they are immersed in hands-on scientific research. At least two of the high school students will be selected from a high school that specifically serves disadvantaged youth.The pigmentation patterns in the hybrids of Mimulus cupreus x M. luteus var. variegatus are too intricate to quantify using standard approaches. Instead, a new digital image analysis pipeline is being developed. This approach will be useful for analyzing spatial patterning in monkeyflowers and in other taxa. The researchers will use this new method to identify and quantify elements of floral color pattern in a phenotypically diverse F2 hybrid population. Next-generation sequencing will be used to map the genomic regions responsible for the observed variation in flower patterns. Because M. cupreus and M. l. variegatus also differ in yellow carotenoid pigmentation, the same phenotypic and genetic datasets will be used to identify the genetic basis of divergent carotenoid production, which is an important but under-studied component of plant physiology.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.