Dept. Biological Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney , NSW 2109.

Phone: (02) 9850 8205

Fax: (02) 9850 8245

agleeson@bio.mq.edu.au

 

Free spawning marine organisms face many challenges in ensuring species-specific fertilisation, especially because complex mating behaviours are generally absent. Much of the assurance of species-specific fertilisation lies in the interactions of the gametes themselves. Proteins on the surface of gametes are responsible for recognising conspecific mates and play a crucial role in the prevention of hybridisation. It has been shown that the proteins involved in gamete recognition for a number of marine invertebrates evolve rapidly and are consequently potential mechanisms of speciation..

My project deals specifically with blocks to fertilisation within and between populations of Galeolaria caespitosa from different geographical areas along the Australian east coast. I am investigating the compatibility of gametes between individuals from different areas in the hope of discovering a pattern of predictability in gamete compatibility.