Evolution of sperm morphology genes in sea urchins

描述（由申请人提供）：了解当前基因组序列中丰富的遗传数据如何转化为功能显著的特征是基因组研究的基本目标。一种新兴的强有力的方法来解决这个问题，通过比较在关键形态特征上存在元素差异的密切相关物种，以确定产生重要有机体特征的基因。通过比较这些物种的基因序列和表达谱，可以了解形态新颖性、形态发生调控以及形态关键基因的分子进化。本研究的目的有两方面：一是确定与精子形态有关的基因，二是在精子形态变化密切相关的物种中调查这些基因，以了解遗传变异与形态重要改变之间的关系。在对海胆生殖和发育生物学的深入了解以及正在进行的基因组测序项目的帮助下，该项目将使用海胆来实施。这项研究的结果保证了未来在人类生育研究中的应用，以及对基因型如何影响表型的更好理解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Understanding how the wealth of genetic data in current genome sequences translates into functionally significant traits is a fundamental goal in genome research. An emerging powerful approach to this question compares closely related species with elemental differences in key morphological traits in order to identify genes that give rise to important organismal features. Comparing genetic sequences and expression profiles across these species allows an understanding of morphological novelty, regulation of morphogenesis, and molecular evolution at morphologically critical genes. The goals of the proposed research are two-fold: to identify genes responsible for sperm morphology, and to survey those genes in closely related species with variable sperm morphology in order to understand the relationship between genetic variation and morphologically important modifications. This project will be implemented using sea urchins, aided by a vast understanding of their reproductive and developmental biology as well as an ongoing genome sequencing project. The results of this research promise future applications to fertility studies in humans as well as a greater understanding of how genotype influences phenotype.