CAREER: The Molecular Basis of Visual Mate Choice in Butterflies

职业：蝴蝶视觉择偶的分子基础

• 批准号: 1452648
• 负责人: Marcus Kronforst
• 金额: $ 86.9万
• 依托单位: University of Chicago
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-04-15 至 2020-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1452648&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Molecular; Basis; Visual; Mate

IOS-1452648: CAREER: The Molecular Basis of Visual Mate Choice in ButterfliesYears of research focused on the Drosophila eye and vertebrate retina have revealed, in fantastic detail, the molecular and developmental basis of vision. However, the molecular basis of visual attraction, i.e. the genes, molecular pathways, and neural circuits that integrate visual cues and direct a behavioral response towards a stimulus, has not been characterized as fully. Work on Heliconius butterflies has shown them to be primarily visual, with mate selection specifically mediated by simple visual cues. This project will utilize these unique features of Heliconius butterflies to characterize the fundamental biological process of visual mate choice. The research is likely to have a variety of broader impacts on science and society. Because divergence in color pattern and mate choice causes speciation in Heliconius butterflies, this research will provide an integrative analysis of the functional mechanisms responsible for the origin of species. Finally, a major educational outreach component of the project will implement new teaching and learning activities for students at secondary, undergraduate and graduate levels. The fundamental goal of this research project is to characterize the molecular basis of visual mate choice spanning the continuum from organismal biology and behavior all the way to specific neural circuits and functional mutations. This will be achieved using three complementary research projects that integrate genomics, functional genetics, developmental biology, and comparative neurophysiology. Project 1 will generate a reference genome sequence and use genome resequencing data from preference-tested butterflies to map nucleotide changes responsible for divergent mate preference. Project 2 will characterize the developmental basis of visual preference by comparing patterns of gene expression between butterflies with divergent wing color and mate preference, focusing on wing, eye, and nervous system tissues, using a combination of qRT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and RNA-Seq. Project 3 will examine the anatomical and neurophysiological basis for mate preference, as well as functionally test genes associated with mate preference, using comparative analyses of eye anatomy, electrophysiology, and RNAi. All DNA and RNA sequence data will be deposited on the NCBI SRA database. Other data types will be stored locally and made available upon request.

iOS-1452648：职业：蝴蝶叶中视觉伴侣选择的分子基础，重点是果蝇眼和脊椎动物视网膜，揭示了视力的分子和发展基础，揭示了视觉的分子和发展基础。然而，视觉吸引力的分子基础，即将视觉提示并将行为反应引导到刺激的基因，分子途径和神经回路，尚未被完全表征为完全。在Heliconius蝴蝶上的工作表明它们主要是视觉的，伴侣选择专门由简单的视觉提示介导。该项目将利用Heliconius蝴蝶的这些独特特征来表征视觉伴侣选择的基本生物学过程。该研究可能对科学和社会产生更广泛的影响。由于颜色模式和伴侣选择的差异会导致Heliconius蝴蝶的物种形成，因此这项研究将对负责物种起源的功能机制进行综合分析。最后，该项目的主要教育外展部分将为中学，本科和研究生级的学生实施新的教学和学习活动。该研究项目的基本目标是表征跨越有机生物学和行为的连续体的视觉伴侣选择的分子基础，一直到特定的神经回路和功能突变。这将使用三个互补的研究项目来实现，这些研究项目整合基因组学，功能遗传学，发育生物学和比较神经生理学。项目1将产生参考基因组序列，并使用从偏好测试蝴蝶的基因组重新陈述数据，以绘制负责发散伴侣偏好的核苷酸变化。 Project 2将通过使用QRT-PCR的组合，原位杂交和RNA-Seq的组合，将蝴蝶与翅膀，眼睛和神经系统组织的侧重于翅膀，眼睛和神经系统组织的蝴蝶之间的基因表达模式来表征视觉偏好的发展基础。项目3将使用眼科解剖学，电生理学和RNAi的比较分析来检查伴侣偏好的解剖学和神经生理基础，并在功能上测试与伴侣偏好相关的基因。所有DNA和RNA序列数据将沉积在NCBI SRA数据库上。其他数据类型将在本地存储并应要求提供。