據(jù)國外媒體報道,，俄勒岡大學(xué)的科學(xué)家利用DNA標(biāo)簽相關(guān)的排序技術(shù),，首次發(fā)現(xiàn)名叫“Wyeomyia smithii”蚊子通過改變基因結(jié)構(gòu)來應(yīng)對氣候變遷。他們的研究結(jié)果已經(jīng)發(fā)表在《美國國家科學(xué)院院刊》上,。
圖片來源：William Bradshaw / Christina Holzapfel
科學(xué)家利用DNA標(biāo)簽技術(shù),，研究了名叫“Wyeomyia smithii”的蚊子，這種蚊子起源于22000年到19000年前勞倫冰蓋衰退期間的阿巴拉契亞山脈南部,。這種蚊子生活在紫瓶子草（學(xué)名：Sarracenia purpurea）富含水的葉子里面,。紫瓶子草廣泛分布于寒冷地帶，在其分布的地方,，都可以發(fā)現(xiàn)這種名叫“Wyeomyia smithii”蚊子,。
科學(xué)家通過研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，這種蚊子利用光周期反應(yīng)來應(yīng)對氣候變化的基因機制,，比如隨著氣候變化,，可以改變休眠的時間、遷移甚至是繁殖時機,?？茖W(xué)家稱，因為蚊子對光周期的反應(yīng)是一種遺傳特征,，因此它能夠根據(jù)地球氣溫變化而進(jìn)行調(diào)整的特性應(yīng)該是遺傳基因發(fā)生改變的結(jié)果,。
美國國家科學(xué)基金會環(huán)境生物部山姆 沙伊納（Sam Scheiner）是項目負(fù)責(zé)人，他說,，這是迄今發(fā)現(xiàn)的第一種因為全球氣候變化而發(fā)生基因改變的生物,，這項研究成果可以用來研究由吸血蚊子作為傳播媒介的登革熱、腦炎等疾病,。同時,，這項技術(shù)可以用來研究人類進(jìn)化機制。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
PNAS doi: 10.1073/pnas.1006538107
Resolving postglacial phylogeography using high-throughput sequencing
Kevin J. Emerson1, Clayton R. Merz, Julian M. Catchen, Paul A. Hohenlohe, William A. Cresko, William E. Bradshaw, and Christina M. Holzapfel
Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-5289
The distinction between model and nonmodel organisms is becoming increasingly blurred. High-throughput, second-generation sequencing approaches are being applied to organisms based on their interesting ecological, physiological, developmental, or evolutionary properties and not on the depth of genetic information available for them. Here, we illustrate this point using a low-cost, efficient technique to determine the fine-scale phylogenetic relationships among recently diverged populations in a species. This application of restriction site-associated DNA tags (RAD tags) reveals previously unresolved genetic structure and direction of evolution in the pitcher plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii, from a southern Appalachian Mountain refugium following recession of the Laurentide Ice Sheet at 22,000–19,000 B.P. The RAD tag method can be used to identify detailed patterns of phylogeography in any organism regardless of existing genomic data, and, more broadly, to identify incipient speciation and genome-wide variation in natural populations in general.
