Quantitative Mapping of Male Traits Affecting Female Longevity and Fecundity in C. Remanei

Presenter: Emily Ebel, Biology

Differing reproductive interests between the sexes can manifest in surprising ways, including a conflict, or tradeoff, between female reproductive effort and longevity. In some species, including the soil-dwelling nematode Caenorhabditis remanei, the act of mating has been demonstrated to reduce female lifespan by up to 50%. Interestingly, males from different genetic backgrounds affect female longevity—and fecundity— to varying degrees. To understand the genetic basis of these differences, and why they may have evolved, I am cataloguing the effects of males from 30 unique C. remanei strains on female lifespan and reproductive output. When this phenotypic data is combined with Restriction site Associated DNA (RAD) marker data from each line, I will be able to generate a Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) map to approximate a genomic region that may be responsible for the male effects. Gaining this insight into the “battle of the sexes” in C. remanei will elucidate how sexual conflict, as an evolutionary force, can shape the morphology and behavior of many animals.