Evolutionary origins of the gekkotan adhesive system

生物体进化是一个由环境驱动的相互作用的过程，有机体适应强加的变化。进化生物学家的任务是记录环境如何以及以什么方式挑战有机体适应。生物体与环境之间密切而容易处理的关系的一个例子是动物运动中脚与底物之间的接触。这种相互作用可以在不同的层面上进行探索，从宏观到纳米尺度。壁虎(通常统称为壁虎)以其高度发达的粘合系统而闻名，这种粘合系统使它们能够轻松地攀爬玻璃等表面。这种结合的极端强度，它反复连接和分离而不磨损或丧失能力的能力，以及它容易接触和脱离，都是需要更深入了解的关键因素。调查技术的突破使我们能够更好地了解这些粘合能力是如何运作的，并导致了合成模拟这些相互作用的广泛尝试，用于可能有利于人类剥削的应用。壁虎是一个多样化的群体，由1000多个物种组成，其中约一半缺乏或只拥有非常初级的粘附系统。这些非粘附性物种为研究壁虎高度复杂的粘附性系统是如何产生的，以及它是在什么环境条件下被选择的提供了途径。研究这种现象的演化是有用的，因为它既允许直接评估有机体与其环境之间的相互作用(“橡胶上路”的地方)，也将为如何最好地模拟系统提供洞察。从至少5400万年前开始，Gekkos已经在几个(多达10个)场合阐述了他们的粘合系统。在这些不同的谱系中，设计的相似程度允许评估什么是这样一个系统运行所必需的和足够的。这项研究计划的主旨是探索系统的基本计划，并调查如何模仿其结构和功能特性。

Organismic evolution is an interactive process driven by the environment, with organisms adjusting to imposed change. The task of the evolutionary biologist is to document how, and in what ways, the environment challenges the organism to adapt. One example of an intimate and tractable relationship between organisms and environment is evident in the contact between feet and the substrate in animal locomotion. Such an interaction can be explored at various levels, from the macro to the nano scale. Gekkotan lizards (commonly collectively referred to as geckos) are well known for their highly developed adhesive system that permits them to scale surfaces such as glass with seeming ease. The extreme strength of the bond, its ability to attach and detach repeatedly without wear or loss of capability, and its ease of engagement and disengagement, are critical factors that require deeper understanding. Breakthroughs in investigative techniques have enabled us to obtain a better understanding of how these adhesive capabilities operate, and have led to broad-scale attempts to mimic these interactions synthetically, for applications that might benefit human exploitation. Geckos are a diverse group, consisting of over 1000 species, about half of which either lack or possess only a very rudimentary adhesive system. These "non adhesive" species provide avenues to investigate how the highly complex adhesive system of geckos arose, and under what environmental circumstances it was selected for. Investigation of the evolution of such a phenomenon is useful because it both permits a direct appraisal of interaction between the organism and its environment (where the "rubber hits the road"), and will provides insights into how best to mimic the system. Gekkos have elaborated their adhesive system on several (as many as 10) occasions beginning at least 54 million years ago. The degree of similarity of design in these various lineages allows assessment of what is necessary and sufficient for the operation of such a system. The thrust of this research program explores the fundamental plan of the system and investigates how we can mimic its structural and functional properties.