The purpose of the proposed research is uncover the genetic changes that occur when one animal species becomes two. Specifically, this research will identify and characterize genes or gene regions that cause behavioral mating discrimination in Drosophila pseudoobscura. Unlike genes isolated to date, the particular genes to be identified in the proposed work reduce interbreeding in the wild in the present day, and therefore have contributed to speciation directly. This species is ideal for the proposed research because of the availability of the full genome sequence and the extensive previous research performed on the genetics of behavioral mating discrimination and speciation in its group. Three goals are proposed: 1) precisely define the gene(s) or regions involved in discrimination via introgression, and conduct pilot studies to potentially confirm the candidate gene identities using transgenic techniques, 2) assess the frequency of the high discrimination alleles within D. pseudoobscura at the identified loci, and 3) resequence the regions bearing the loci involved in discrimination in multiple strains both to identify candidate genes or SNPs by association and to examine patterns of natural selection that may have operated on these regions. Several subsidiary goals are also described. This research will fill an important conceptual void and may aid in the understanding of the origin of species in other animal groups, including humans. It will also advance the area of behavioral genetics and the genetics of complex traits using a model system, with potential implications for developing hypotheses regarding human behaviors and traits.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01GM076051-04S1
Application #
8318472
Study Section
Genetic Variation and Evolution Study Section (GVE)
Program Officer
Eckstrand, Irene A
Project Start
2007-03-01
Project End
2012-07-31
Budget Start
2010-03-01
Budget End
2012-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$93,962
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
044387793
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Manzano-Winkler, Brenda; McGaugh, Suzanne E; Noor, Mohamed A F (2013) How hot are drosophila hotspots? examining recombination rate variation and associations with nucleotide diversity, divergence, and maternal age in Drosophila pseudoobscura. PLoS One 8:e71582
Mcdermott, S R; Noor, M A F (2012) Mapping of within-species segregation distortion in Drosophila persimilis and hybrid sterility between D. persimilis and D. pseudoobscura. J Evol Biol 25:2023-2032
McGaugh, Suzanne E; Noor, Mohamed A F (2012) Genomic impacts of chromosomal inversions in parapatric Drosophila species. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 367:422-9
Graham, Allie M; Merrill, Jennifer D; McGaugh, Suzanne E et al. (2012) Geographic selection in the small heat shock gene complex differentiating populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura. J Hered 103:400-7
Wayne, Marta L; Pienaar, Jason; Telonis-Scott, Marina et al. (2011) Expression of defense genes in Drosophila evolves under a different selective regime from expression of other genes. Evolution 65:1068-78
Vu, W; Nuzhdin, S (2011) Genetic variation of copia suppression in Drosophila melanogaster. Heredity (Edinb) 106:207-17
McDermott, Shannon R; Noor, Mohamed A F (2011) Genetics of hybrid male sterility among strains and species in the Drosophila pseudoobscura species group. Evolution 65:1969-78
Stevison, Laurie S; Hoehn, Kenneth B; Noor, Mohamed A F (2011) Effects of inversions on within- and between-species recombination and divergence. Genome Biol Evol 3:830-41
Smukowski, C S; Noor, M A F (2011) Recombination rate variation in closely related species. Heredity (Edinb) 107:496-508
Chang, Audrey S; Noor, Mohamed A F (2010) Epistasis modifies the dominance of loci causing hybrid male sterility in the Drosophila pseudoobscura species group. Evolution 64:253-60

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