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.

学界对于体型与发育时长的进化意义已有较为充分的认知。二者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，旨在探究三类基础生理性状的遗传架构，如何影响两种生活史性状同时面临选择时的演化响应。该遗传架构表明：当两种生活史性状接受同向选择（即同时增大或同时减小）时，选择响应主要由激素机制主导；当二者接受反向选择（即一个增大、一个减小）时，选择响应则主要由影响生长速率的相关因素决定。为明确生理性状对生活史性状选择响应的调控机制，本研究模拟了历经十代选择后的预期演化结果。模拟结果验证了本研究83%的预测。该生理框架的核心组分在单细胞生物、脊椎动物与植物中均有存在，因此可为解析基础生理机制如何调控生活史性状的同步演化提供一套稳健的理论框架。