CAREER: The domesticated pigeon as a model for avian genetics and diversity

职业：家养鸽子作为鸟类遗传学和多样性的模型

• 批准号: 1149160
• 负责人: Michael Shapiro
• 金额: $ 92.4万
• 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: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-01-15 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1149160&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; domesticated; pigeon; model; avian; CAREER; domesticated; pigeon; model; avian

Remarkably little is known about the number and types of genetic mutations that control differences within and among species. This project takes advantage of the diversity among the 350+ breeds of domestic pigeon - many of which show spectacular diversity in color, feather, and skeletal traits - to identify the genes that control variation in this species. Experimental crosses between dissimilar pigeon breeds will be used to determine the number and chromosome location of genes controlling interesting traits. Additionally, the genomes of many different breeds will be surveyed to find the specific mutations that control variation. Importantly, many of the traits that vary among pigeon breeds also vary among wild species of birds and other animals; thus, new insights gleaned from pigeons will yield a better general understanding of animal diversity.The pigeon is already an important model organism in biology and medicine, and this project will potentially expand other research programs by providing new tools for genetic analyses. The educational plan of this project will also have local, national, and global impacts. A centerpiece of this plan is a new computer-based virtual pigeon breeder game that will be installed on the Utah Genetic Science Learning Center's highly successful website. These and other new educational materials will be targeted at a diverse community and broad age range, promote critical thinking and self-directed learning, and key components of this plan will be accessible via the Internet to reach millions of people worldwide.

关于控制物种内部差异的遗传突变的数量和类型，知之甚少。该项目利用了350多种家用鸽子的多样性 - 其中许多鸽子表现出壮观的颜色，羽毛和骨骼特征，以识别控制该物种变化的基因。不同鸽子品种之间的实验杂交将用于确定控制有趣特征的基因的数量和染色体位置。此外，将调查许多不同品种的基因组，以找到控制变异的特定突变。重要的是，鸽子繁殖的许多特征在野生鸟类和其他动物之间也有所不同。因此，从鸽子那里收集的新见解将对动物多样性产生更好的一般理解。鸽子已经是生物学和医学中的重要模型生物体，该项目将通过提供遗传分析的新工具来扩展其他研究计划。该项目的教育计划还将具有本地，国家和全球影响。该计划的核心是一种新的基于计算机的虚拟鸽子育种游戏，该游戏将安装在犹他州遗传学科学学习中心非常成功的网站上。这些和其他新的教育材料将针对多元化的社区和广泛的年龄范围，促进批判性思维和自我指导的学习，以及该计划的关键组成部分将通过互联网访问，以吸引全球数百万的人。