项目编号: | 1702043
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项目名称: | DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The mechanistic basis of seasonal color molts in snowshoe hares |
作者: | Jeffrey Good
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承担单位: | University of Montana
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批准年: | 2017
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开始日期: | 2017-04-01
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结束日期: | 2018-03-31
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资助金额: | 17952
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资助来源: | US-NSF
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项目类别: | Standard Grant
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国家: | US
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语种: | 英语
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特色学科分类: | Biological Sciences - Environmental Biology
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英文关键词: | snowshoe hare
; research
; coloration gene
; seasonal color molt
; co-option
; coat color change
; seasonal coat color change
; project
; evolution
; coat color
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英文摘要: | The project will test the hypothesis that the ability of some mammals to change their coat color seasonally, has evolved via a genetic mutation that synchronized the expression of coloration genes and hair growth genes. The results will provide general insights into the processes by which complex traits evolve. Organisms exhibit many complex and interrelated traits that contribute to their success in the environment. However, the evolution of complexity is poorly understood. Investigating the molecular and genetic mechanisms that produce complex traits clarify the origins of biological complexity. This project will explore these mechanisms in the expression of seasonal coat color change in snowshoe hares, which exhibit regional variation in their ability to change color. The project will involve undergraduates in research and project participants will work with the University of Montana School of Media Arts to develop interactive outreach materials based on the study system.
Linking genotypes to adaptive phenotypes in nature is a fundamental goal in evolutionary biology. The co-option of existing gene regulatory networks may be an important mechanism underlying the evolution of adaptive traits, particularly adaptive traits that involve coordination among distinct biological processes. This research will explore the role of gene regulatory network co-option in the evolution of seasonal color molts in snowshoe hares. Using RNA sequencing and DNA-protein binding assays in molting snowshoe hare skin, the project will explore the hypothesis that coat color change evolved by the co-option of seasonal hair growth regulatory machinery by coloration genes to synchronize these processes in the seasonal color molts. This research will provide a rare glimpse into the molecular mechanisms involved in the evolution of a complex adaptive trait in a natural population. |
资源类型: | 项目
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标识符: | http://119.78.100.158/handle/2HF3EXSE/90376
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Appears in Collections: | 全球变化的国际研究计划 科学计划与规划
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Recommended Citation: |
Jeffrey Good. DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The mechanistic basis of seasonal color molts in snowshoe hares. 2017-01-01.
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