Abstract

The purpose of this work is to uncover the genetic changes that occur when one animal species becomes two. In particular, our goal is to find the genes that cause hybrid inviability and sterility and to identify the population genetic forces that drive their divergence. Using genetic and molecular population genetic analysis in Drosophila, we will address the following questions: 1. How many genes cause hybrid lethality between good species? 2. Which particular genes cause hybrid lethality? 3. What is the nature of the molecular differences distinguishing species at these genes? 4. Was divergence at these genes driven by natural selection? 5) Does meiotic drive in species hybrids cause hybrid sterility? Our long-term goal is to understand how animal species, including human, arise by determining the genetic cause of speciation.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM051932-09
Application #
6710164
Study Section
Genetics Study Section (GEN)
Program Officer
Eckstrand, Irene A
Project Start
1995-05-01
Project End
2005-03-31
Budget Start
2004-04-01
Budget End
2005-03-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$246,698
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Rochester
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
041294109
City
Rochester
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14627

  Publications

Ahmed-Braimah, Yasir H; Unckless, Robert L; Clark, Andrew G (2017) Evolutionary Dynamics of Male Reproductive Genes in the Drosophila virilis Subgroup. G3 (Bethesda) 7:3145-3155
Ahmed-Braimah, Yasir H (2016) Multiple Genes Cause Postmating Prezygotic Reproductive Isolation in the Drosophila virilis Group. G3 (Bethesda) 6:4067-4076
Alfonso-Parra, Catalina; Ahmed-Braimah, Yasir H; Degner, Ethan C et al. (2016) Mating-Induced Transcriptome Changes in the Reproductive Tract of Female Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 10:e0004451
Ahmed-Braimah, Yasir H; Sweigart, Andrea L (2015) A single gene causes an interspecific difference in pigmentation in Drosophila. Genetics 200:331-42
McNabney, Daniel R (2012) The genetic basis of behavioral isolation between Drosophila mauritiana and D. sechellia. Evolution 66:2182-90
Phadnis, Nitin (2011) Genetic architecture of male sterility and segregation distortion in Drosophila pseudoobscura Bogota-USA hybrids. Genetics 189:1001-9
Sweigart, Andrea L (2010) Simple Y-autosomal incompatibilities cause hybrid male sterility in reciprocal crosses between Drosophila virilis and D. americana. Genetics 184:779-87
Orr, H Allen (2010) The population genetics of beneficial mutations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 365:1195-201
Sweigart, Andrea L (2010) The genetics of postmating, prezygotic reproductive isolation between Drosophila virilis and D. americana. Genetics 184:401-10
Orr, H Allen (2009) Fitness and its role in evolutionary genetics. Nat Rev Genet 10:531-9

Showing the most recent 10 out of 16 publications