Collaborative Research: Neuroethology of olfactory Evolution in Moths

合作研究：飞蛾嗅觉进化的神经行为学

• 批准号: 9905683
• 负责人: Neil Vickers
• 金额: $ 26.5万
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1999
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1999-09-15 至 2004-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9905683&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Neuroethology; olfactory; Evolution; Collaborative; Research; Neuroethology; olfactory; Evolution

Effective communication between males and females of the same species (conspecifics) is essential for continued success of a species. In many moth species, communication utilizes production and detection of airborne chemical signals called pheromones. In one moth group, the Heliothines, three species that are evolutionarily closely related use a pheromone blend that contains the same primary component but different secondary components. The males are only attracted by the correct conspecific blend, and repelled by the blends released by females of the other species. Simple mutations in the pathway for synthesis of the blend are likely to have produced the different blends in the females, but it remains unclear how the male olfactory systems have evolved in response to these changes. This project examines this question by correlating behavioral preferences and discrimination abilities of males with their underlying olfactory neurobiology. Anatomical and physiological work will show the properties of structures in the olfactory system both in the antenna and in the complex structures called glomeruli within the brain. Behavioral tests in a wind tunnel will show how hybrids and back-crosses bred from between two species respond, and how their behavioral preferences also correlate with their neuronal physiology and anatomy. Results will be important for vertebrate as well as invertebrate olfactory biology because of known anatomically similar structures, for comparative evolutionary biology in learning more about how 'receivers' can evolve to match 'senders' of signals, and for agriculture because they may suggest strategies for pest control. This project also will provide fine postdoctoral training in a broad range of biological techniques.

同一物种（同种）男性与女性之间的有效沟通对于一个物种的持续成功至关重要。 在许多飞蛾物种中，通信利用了称为信息素的机载化学信号的生产和检测。 在一个飞蛾组中，三个在进化上相关的三个物种使用的信息素混合物包含相同的主要成分但不同的二级成分。 雄性仅被正确的同种混合物所吸引，并被其他物种的女性释放的混合物所吸引。 合成混合物的途径中的简单突变可能会产生女性的不同混合物，但尚不清楚男性嗅觉系统如何响应这些变化而发展。 该项目通过将男性的行为偏好和歧视能力与其潜在的嗅觉神经生物学相关联，来研究这个问题。 解剖学和生理工作将显示天线中嗅觉系统和大脑中称为肾小球的复杂结构中结构的特性。 风洞中的行为测试将显示两个物种之间繁殖的杂种和背部杂交如何响应，以及它们的行为偏好也与它们的神经元生理学和解剖结构相关。 由于已知的解剖学上相似的结构，对于脊椎动物以及无脊椎动物的嗅觉生物学将很重要，对于比较进化生物学，在了解更多有关“接收器”如何发展以匹配信号的“发件人”和农业的比较进化生物学对农业和农业的比较生物学非常重要。 该项目还将在广泛的生物学技术中提供精细的博士后培训。