Dissertation Research: Understanding introgression dynamics through a comparative and genome-wide analysis of a tropical suture zone

论文研究：通过热带缝合带的比较和全基因组分析来了解基因渗入动态

• 批准号: 1110787
• 负责人: Craig Moritz
• 金额: $ 1.5万
• 依托单位: University of California-Berkeley
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-06-01 至 2013-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1110787&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Understanding; introgression; dynamics

Understanding how speciation happens is a long-standing and exciting challenge in biology. Zones of secondary contact, or areas where previously-isolated lineages meet and interact, are one way to test hypotheses and theories about speciation. This study investigates a unique system in the Australian rainforest, in which there are over twenty overlapping zones of secondary contact. This study considers four such contacts within a closely-related group of lizards to investigate patterns of introgression, or gene exchange, across the zone. In particular, this study examines how evolutionary forces, such as demographic processes and selection, influence introgression, and more generally, the evolution of barriers between species. To test these predictions, high-throughput sequencing will be used to develop genomic resources, and fine-scale sampling and genotyping of populations in the contact zone will be used to measure rates of introgression.This research will serve as an excellent vehicle to engage with students and to conduct outreach activities. Undergraduate students in both the United States and Australia will develop their own independent laboratory and field projects related to this project. Additionally, this research will be shared with underserved middle school and community college students through outreach programs. Finally, this research will generate new genomic and bioinformatic tools for use by the greater research community.

了解物种如何发生是生物学中的长期且令人兴奋的挑战。次要接触的区域或先前分离的谱系相遇和相互作用的区域是检验有关物种形成的假设和理论的一种方法。这项研究调查了澳大利亚雨林中的独特系统，其中有20多个重叠的次要接触区。这项研究考虑了与密切相关的蜥蜴中的四个此类接触，以研究整个区域的渗入或基因交换模式。特别是，这项研究研究了进化力，例如人口过程和选择，影响渗入，更普遍地是物种之间障碍的演变。为了测试这些预测，将使用高通量测序来开发基因组资源，并且将使用接触区域中人群的精细抽样和基因分型来衡量渗入率。这项研究将是与学生互动并进行外展活动的绝佳工具。美国和澳大利亚的本科生将开发自己的独立实验室和现场项目。 此外，这项研究将通过外展计划与服务不足的中学和社区大学生共享。最后，这项研究将生成新的基因组和生物信息学工具，以供大型研究社区使用。