Evolution of BMP Genes 2 and 4 in Archosaurs

描述（由申请人提供）：鸟类骨融合（共同骨化）进化背后的遗传基础仍未被探索。骨形态发生蛋白（BMPs），特别是BMP2和BMP4，在脊椎动物胚胎发生过程中骨骼骨化中起着不可或缺的作用。该项目将使用比较基因组学来阐明鸟类和爬行动物的成骨性bmp2和bmp4的进化，因为它们与鸟类骨骼共同骨化的进化有关。为解决这一问题设计了三个主要目标。第一个目标是对几种鸟类、一种鳄鱼和几种蜥蜴的BAG文库中的bmp2和bmp4进行测序。我将在哈佛大学生物和进化生物系和比较动物博物馆的Scott Edwards实验室完成这项工作，该实验室已经拥有本项目所需的BAG图书馆和设备。目的二是阐明bmp2和bmp4调控区域的进化。目的三是阐明bmp2和bmp4编码区的进化。该项目将是对非鸟类爬行动物基因组结构和进化的首次大规模研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The genetic basis behind the evolution of bone fusion (co-ossification) in birds has remained unexplored. Bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs), especially BMP2 and BMP4, are well known for their integral role in skeletal ossification during embryogenesis in vertebrates. This project will use comparative genomics to clarify osteogenic bmp2 and bmp4 evolution in birds and reptiles as they relate to the evolution of skeletal co-ossification on the phylogenetic line to birds. Three primary aims are designed to address this problem. Aim one is to "sequence bmp2 and bmp4 from BAG libraries in several birds, a crocodilian, and several saurian outgoups. I will accomplish this in Scott Edwards' laboratory at Harvard's Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, which already possesses the BAG libraries and equipment required for this project. Aim two is to elucidate the evolution of bmp2 and bmp4 regulatory regions. Aim three is to elucidate the evolution of bmp2 and bmp4 coding regions. This project will be the first large scale examination of non-avian reptile genome structure and evolution.