This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The underlying genetic basis behind anatomical, physiological, or behavioral adaptations arising during the evolution of humans and great apes (hominids) remains largely unknown. Observable change may come from changes to protein-coding genes, from changes in the regulation of genes, or changes in the way proteins are modified after their production. One such physiological adaptation whose molecular basis is unknown is the unique species-specific characteristics of proteins which correlate with social structure and mating systems among hominid species. This study will examine the rates and patterns of molecular evolution at male reproductive genes in hominids, determine the relative abilities of different species' promoters to drive transcription at ten genes that code for specific proteins, identify the protein constituents from several species, and use patterns of variation within species to make inferences regarding the mode and tempo of natural selection acting on important reproductive genes. This may shed light on our understanding of the evolution of human social behavior. A particularly unique aspect of this research is its multifaceted approach to examining the evolution of a physiological system by examining changes in protein-coding portions of genes, changes in gene regulation, and changes in amounts of proteins and their modifications, in a cross-species comparative context.
The multifaceted approach to studying this relatively simple physiological system may serve as a model for addressing the more general question of how, at the molecular level, do complex human phenotypic adaptations evolve, including our large brain and bipedalism.
A broader impact is that this this comparative view may lead to a better, and more holistic, understanding of human reproductive biology. This project will support one postdoctoral researcher and one graduate student as well as provide training for several undergraduates in molecular techniques and evolutionary theory.
