Data from: Predicting the response to simultaneous selection: genetic architecture and physiological constraints

A great deal is known about the evolutionary significance of body size and development time. They are determined by the non-linear interaction of three physiological traits: two hormonal events and growth rate. In this study we investigate how the genetic architecture of the underlying three physiological traits affects the simultaneous response to selection on the two life history traits in the hawk moth Manduca sexta. The genetic architecture suggests that when the two life history traits are both selected in the same direction (to increase or decrease) the response to selection is primarily determined by the hormonal mechanism. When the life history traits are selected in opposite directions (one to increase and one to decrease) the response to selection is primarily determined by factors that affect the growth rate. To determine how the physiological traits affect the response to selection of the life history traits, we simulated the predicted response to ten generations of selection. 83% of our predictions were supported by the simulation. The main components of this physiological framework also exist in unicellular organisms, vertebrates and plants and can thus provide a robust framework for understanding how underlying physiology can determine the simultaneous evolution of life history traits.关于体型与发育时长的进化意义，学界已有较为充分的研究与认知。二者的表型由三类生理性状的非线性互作所调控：两类激素事件与生长速率。本研究以烟草天蛾（Manduca sexta）为实验材料，探究三类基础生理性状的遗传架构如何调控两种生活史性状的协同选择响应。该遗传架构显示：当两种生活史性状接受同向选择（即同时提升或同时降低）时，其选择响应主要由激素调控机制决定；当两种生活史性状接受反向选择（即一方提升、另一方降低）时，选择响应则主要由影响生长速率的相关因素主导。为明确生理性状如何作用于生活史性状的选择响应过程，本研究模拟了十代选择下的预期响应结果，模拟结果验证了本研究83%的预测假设。该生理调控框架的核心组分同样存在于单细胞生物、脊椎动物与植物中，因此可为解析基础生理机制如何调控生活史性状的协同进化提供稳健的理论框架。