Genetic analysis of variation in female preference functions and the consequences for sexual selection

性选择产生于个体生殖成功的差异，这种差异与同性和物种成员所表现出的特征或行为特征非随机相关。它是由交配和受精的“性内”竞争(通常在男性之间)和“中间性”的配偶选择(通常由女性施加)造成的。后一个过程被认为是男性精细的形态、行为和生理特征的进化的中心，否则这些特征可能看起来不适应，以及女性对这些夸张特征的偏好的共同进化。为了让女性的偏好随着时间的推移而改变，偏好基因必须有可遗传的遗传变异，但就目前而言，我们对配偶选择的遗传基础、遗传和环境诱导的配偶选择变异的程度以及配偶偏好的差异是否具有适应性知之甚少。这项拟议的研究旨在解决这一问题上的信息匮乏问题，而这一问题对于评估有关性别选择和物种形成过程的许多理论非常重要。 这项工作将使用果蝇进行，果蝇是一种被广泛用作求偶和交配行为模式的模式物种，其中有许多强大的遗传工具可用。使用一种称为半克隆分析的技术来筛选整个苍蝇基因组的99%，我建议探索雌性偏爱和雄性显示特征的遗传变异的程度(和基因组位置)，发育环境条件如何影响雌性偏爱和雄性显示特征的表达，以及衡量与健身伴侣偏好相关的适应成本和收益。这项研究将解决我们关于女性偏好变化在决定性别选择的速度和轨迹方面所起作用的巨大知识空白，并将丰富进化遗传学和行为生态学领域。

Sexual selection arises from variation in individual reproductive success that is non-randomly associated with the characteristics of traits or behaviours exhibited by members of the same sex and species. It is brought about by "intrasexual" competition for matings and fertilizations (usually among males) and "intersexual" mate choice, (usually exerted by females). The latter process is thought to be central to the evolution of elaborate morphological, behavioural and physiological traits in males that might otherwise seem to be maladaptive, and the co-evolution of preferences for such exaggerated traits in females. For female preferences to change over time, there must be heritable genetic variation for preference genes, but as it stands we know very little about the genetic basis of mate choice, the extent of genetic and environmentally-induced variation in mate choice, and whether differences in mate preferences are adaptive or not. The proposed research is designed to address this dearth of information on a subject that is of great importance in assessing much of the theory concerning processes of sexual selection and speciation. This work will be conducted using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, a model species that has served extensively as a model for courtship and mating behaviour, and in which a number of powerful genetic tools are available. Using a technique called hemiclone analysis to screen 99% of the entire fly genome, I propose to explore the extent (and genomic location) of genetic variation in female preferences and male display traits, how developmental environmental conditions affect the expression of the female preferences and male display traits, as well as measure the fitness costs and benefits associated with fitness mate preferences. This research will address the large gaps in our knowledge concerning the role that variation in female preferences plays in determining the rate and trajectory of sexual selection, and will also enrich the fields of evolutionary genetics and behavioural ecology.