Genetic architecture of natural variation in C. elegans pathogen defence

寄生虫无处不在，进化迅速，并不断对其宿主生物施加高选择性压力。反过来，寄主通常在防御特性上表现出很大的种内差异--这既是迅速适应新出现的寄生虫菌株的先决条件，也是寄生虫介导的选择的高度动态的结果。对这种自然变异的分子遗传学的理解为防御进化提供了基本信息。拟议的项目将利用线虫秀丽线虫作为模式系统的优势，并结合两个研究小组的专业知识对这种变异进行全面的分子遗传分析。将考虑两种不同且同样重要的防御类型，即生理抵抗和行为反应。在拟议的第一个资助期内，我们将重点利用来自两个遗传和表型不同的天然分离物杂交的重组自交系(RIL)和近等基因系(NIL)来分析数量性状基因座(QTL)。我们预计，这一分析将对免疫系统和行为防御的进化、它们的调节相互作用以及潜在分子遗传机制的复杂性产生新的见解。

Parasites are ubiquitous, evolve rapidly, and continuously impose a high selective pressure on their host organisms. In turn, hosts usually show substantial intra-specific variation in defence traits – both as a prerequisite to adapt rapidly to newly arising parasite strains and also as a consequence of the high dynamics of parasite-mediated selection. An understanding of the molecular genetics of such natural variation provides fundamental information on defence evolution. The proposed project will exploit the advantages of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system and combine the expertise of two research groups for a comprehensive molecular genetic analysis of such variation. Two distinct and equally important types of defences will be considered, physiological resistance and behavioural responses. During the proposed first funding period, we will focus on the analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL) using recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and nearisogenic lines (NILs) derived from a cross of two genetically as well as phenotypically distinct natural isolates. We expect that this analysis will yield novel insights into the evolution of immune systems and behavioural defences, their regulatory interactions, and also the complexity of the underlying molecular genetic mechanisms.