The smell of speciation: chemical signalling in butterfly diversification

将基因组数据与Heliconius蝴蝶的生态和行为观察相结合，为研究物种形成的基因组后果提供了极好的机会。该类群的种间翅型变异研究得特别深入，但对它们的化学通讯却知之甚少，而化学通讯在性通讯和物种识别中也起着重要作用。性信号中的一种关键化合物最近在H. melpomene沿着电生理学证据，证明其在择偶中的作用。此外，还为进一步研究黑腹叶蝉信息素差异的遗传基础奠定了基础。melpomene和H.通过杂交试验和基因组（QTL）分析，本项目将研究这种信息素在男性中的差异以及相应的女性偏好。这项工作将涉及目前正在进行的基因组分析的后续实验，包括使用CRISPR测试候选wingpheromone基因功能的遗传操作实验。这将通过行为分析得到补充，产生雄性突变体，以研究特定基因在交配行为中的作用。此外，我将饲养更多的对照杂交品种，并对杂交蝴蝶翅膀样本进行化学分析，以确定重要的化合物。然后，我将使用合成的化合物进行进一步的行为测定，以研究特定化合物在女性偏好中的作用。

The integration of genomic data with ecological and behavioural observations of the Heliconius butterflies provides anexcellent opportunity to study the genomic consequences of speciation. Interspecific wing pattern variation in this grouphas been particularly well studied but we know much less about their chemical communication, which also plays animportant role in sexual communication and species recognition. A key compound in sexual signalling has recently beenidentified in H. melpomene along with electrophysiological evidence for its role in mate choice. In addition, foundationshave been laid for investigating the genetic basis of pheromonal differences between H. melpomene and H. cydno byrecent crossing experiments and genomic (QTL) analysis. This project will study such pheromonal differences in malesand the corresponding female preferences. The work will involve experiments to follow up on the genomic analysiscurrently underway, including genetic manipulation experiments using CRISPR to test the function of candidate wingpheromone genes. This will be complemented by behavioural assays with resulting male mutants to study the role ofspecific genes in mating behaviour. In addition, I will raise additional controlled crosses and conduct chemical analysis ofhybrid butterfly wing samples to identify important compounds. I will then conduct further behavioural assays usingsynthesised compounds to study the role of specific compounds in female preference.