Genetics of speciation in Drosophila pseudoobscura

描述(申请人提供)：拟议研究的目的是揭示当一个动物物种变成两个动物物种时发生的基因变化。具体地说，这项研究将识别和表征导致果蝇行为交配歧视的基因或基因区域。与迄今分离的基因不同，拟议工作中将要识别的特定基因减少了当今野外的杂交，因此直接对物种形成做出了贡献。这一物种是拟议研究的理想物种，因为可以获得完整的基因组序列，并且以前在其群体中行为交配歧视和物种形成的遗传学方面进行了广泛的研究。我们提出了三个目标：1)准确定义与渐渗鉴别有关的基因或区域，并进行初步研究以潜在地利用转基因技术确认候选基因的同一性；2)在已识别的基因座上评估拟黑粉虱中高鉴别等位基因的频率；3)对多个品系中含有与鉴别有关的基因座的区域进行重新排序，以通过关联来识别候选基因或SNP，并检验可能对这些区域起作用的自然选择模式。还描述了几个辅助目标。这项研究将填补一个重要的概念空白，并可能有助于理解包括人类在内的其他动物群体中物种的起源。它还将推进行为遗传学和使用模型系统的复杂特征遗传学的领域，对开发关于人类行为和特征的假说具有潜在的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of the proposed research is uncover the genetic changes that occur when one animal species becomes two. Specifically, this research will identify and characterize genes or gene regions that cause behavioral mating discrimination in Drosophila pseudoobscura. Unlike genes isolated to date, the particular genes to be identified in the proposed work reduce interbreeding in the wild in the present day, and therefore have contributed to speciation directly. This species is ideal for the proposed research because of the availability of the full genome sequence and the extensive previous research performed on the genetics of behavioral mating discrimination and speciation in its group. Three goals are proposed: 1) precisely define the gene(s) or regions involved in discrimination via introgression, and conduct pilot studies to potentially confirm the candidate gene identities using transgenic techniques, 2) assess the frequency of the high discrimination alleles within D. pseudoobscura at the identified loci, and 3) resequence the regions bearing the loci involved in discrimination in multiple strains both to identify candidate genes or SNPs by association and to examine patterns of natural selection that may have operated on these regions. Several subsidiary goals are also described. This research will fill an important conceptual void and may aid in the understanding of the origin of species in other animal groups, including humans. It will also advance the area of behavioral genetics and the genetics of complex traits using a model system, with potential implications for developing hypotheses regarding human behaviors and traits.