Divergent mate recognition traits can play a pivotal role in speciation by curtailing gene flow between newly formed species through the evolution of like-mating within differentiated populations. Changes in communication between males and females predict a genetic correlation between male mating signals and female preferences. Testing hypotheses about the male and female genetic components of the intraspecific communication system will advance knowledge of how these associations arise. Using next-generation sequencing approaches, genetic lines that contain differentiated genes involved the origin of species will be mapped in the genome and their gene products will sequenced. The approach taken is to 1) to test the co-localization of song and preference genes, 2) translate the results into a nucleotide genome map to generate candidate genes underlying behavioral change, and 3) build a data set of expressed genes that associates with different behaviors. A targeted genome assembly and gene annotation will also be undertaken. Data will be stored and available based upon type of data. WAV files will be stored on DYRAD (www.dyrad.com), while sequence data will be deposited in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive.
The project will have multiple broader impacts. Many of the fascinating behaviors that illustrate principles in behavioral ecology and evolution come from "non-model" organisms whereas the genetic insights into behavior often come from "model" genetic organisms. The integration of natural behavioral variation (male signal and female preference) with advanced genomic approaches provides a bridge between model-genetic study and natural behavioral systems. Insights promise one of the best empirical and conceptual bridges to explain diversification. From the education and outreach perspective, the project will provide training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, and efforts to reach out to the public will continue via contributions to public science centers and museum events centered on insects.
