Evo Devo Fall2011

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EEB 5333, Fall 2011
Evolutionary Developmental Biology
Meeting Time: Tuesdays, 12:30-3:15 pm, Bamford Room (TLS 171B)

Description

This is an advanced course that explores the interface between evolutionary biology and developmental biology. In addition to considering how developmental pathways evolve, and the developmental basis of phenotypic evolution, we will ask what novel insights emerge from a synthesis of these fields. Major topics to be considered include the following: developmental constraints, homology, plasticity, novelty and evolvability.

Instructors

Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch
Office: Biology/Pharmacy 305B
Phone: (860) 486-4452
Office hours: by appointment

Dr. Carl Schlichting
Office: Torrey Life Sciences 366
Phone: (860) 486-4056
Office hours: by appointment


Expectations and Grading

This course has a mixed lecture/discussion format. In general, Tuesdays will be used for lectures that provide an overview and background information. Thursdays will be dedicated to student-led discussion based on reading from the literature. We expect everyone to participate actively in the class. In order to help prepare for discussions, you should write a brief (<1 page) reaction piece to each set of readings, highlighting your thoughts about the readings, connections between them or questions raised by them. This will be handed in each week. Responsibility for leading the discussions will rotate. 
 You are required to complete an independent project on a topic of your choice. Appropriate topics will integrate diverse data types or theoretical models and empirical information, and allow you to explore a particular example or concept in greater depth. You should discuss your choice of topics with one of us no later than Friday, October 28. The last week of class will be devoted to presentations and discussions based on these projects. You will be in charge of assigning a paper relevant to your presentation.
 There will be one take-home exam due the day of the Final Exam. It will consist of one or several essay questions that will ask you to integrate the knowledge that you have acquired during the course. 



Deadlines

WeeklyDiscussion pieces
Friday, Oct. 28Term paper topic approved
Thursday, Dec. 1Independent project paper due
Dec. 6-8Independent project presentations
Tuesday, Dec. 13Final exam due


Course grade

Discussions35%, including participation, leading discussion, and reaction pieces
Individual project40%, based on presentation (15%) and paper (25%)
Final exam25%


Topics and Readings

Aug. 30: Overview of evolutionary developmental biology

Books & Sources in Evolutionary Developmental Biology
References related to lecture material

  • Hughes CL, Kaufman TC. 2002. Hox genes and the evolution of the arthropod body plan. Evol Dev. 4:459-499. link
  • Hughes CL, Liu PZ, Kaufman TC. 2004. Expression patterns of the rogue Hox genes Hox3/zen and fushi tarazu in the apterygote insect Thermobia domestica. Evol Dev. 6(6):393-401. link
  • Papillon D, Telford MJ. 2007. Evolution of Hox3 and ftz in arthropods: insights from the crustacean Daphnia pulex. Dev Genes Evol. 217(4):315-22. link
  • Rafiqi AM, Lemke S, Ferguson S, Stauber M, Schmidt-Ott U. 2008. Evolutionary origin of the amnioserosa in cyclorrhaphan flies correlates with spatial and temporal expression changes of zen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 105(1):234-9. link
  • Rafiqi AM, Lemke S, Schmidt-Ott U. 2010. Postgastrular zen expression is required to develop distinct amniotic and serosal epithelia in the scuttle fly Megaselia. Dev Biol. 341(1):282-90. link
  • Rosenblum EB, Hoekstra HE, Nachman MW. 2004. Adaptive reptile color variation and the evolution of the Mc1r gene. Evolution. 2004 Aug;58(8):1794-808. link
  • Rosenblum EB, Römpler H, Schöneberg T, Hoekstra HE. 2010. Molecular and functional basis of phenotypic convergence in white lizards at White Sands. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 107(5):2113-7. link

Sept. 6: The molecular building blocks of development

Discussion Questions Pdficon small.gif
Discussion Readings

  • Brakefield PM. 2011. Evodevo and accounting for Darwin's endless forms. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 366: 2069-75. link
  • Müller GB. 2007. Evo-devo: extending the evolutionary synthesis. Nat Rev Genet. 8(12):943-9. link
  • Wray GA. 2010. Embryos and evolution: 150 years of reciprocal illumination. Pp. 215-239 In Bell MA, Futuyma DJ, Eanes WF, Levinton JS, Evolution since Darwin: The First 150 Years. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland MA. [EJ will provide copies]

Sept. 13: Small RNAs: another layer of gene regulation

Discussion Leader: Colin Carlson
Discussion Questions...check back closer to class time!
Discussion Readings

  • Frankel N, Erezyilmaz DF, McGregor AP, Wang S, Payre F, Stern DL. 2011. Morphological evolution caused by many subtle-effect substitutions in regulatory DNA. Nature 474(7353):598-603. link
  • Hare EE, Peterson BK, Iyer VN, Meier R, Eisen MB. 2007. Sepsid even-skipped enhancers are functionally conserved in Drosophila despite lack of sequence conservation. PLoS Genet. 4(6):e1000106. link
  • Lynch VJ, Wagner GP. 2008. Resurrecting the role of transcription factor change in developmental evolution. Evolution 62(9):2131-54. link

Sept. 20: Development and homoplasy

Discussion Leader: Elizabeth

Sept. 27: Development and homology

Discussion Leader: Jessie Rack

Oct. 4: Evolution of developmental networks

Discussion Leader: Jon Velotta

Oct. 11: Developmental constraints and evolution

Discussion Leader: Frank Smith

Oct. 18: Developmental modules

Discussion Leader: Brigette Zacharczenko

Oct. 25: Robustness and canalization

Nov. 2: Evolvability

Nov. 9: Novelty

Nov. 16: Morphospace

Discussion Leader: Colin Carlson

Nov. 22: Thanksgiving Break

Nov. 29: EcoEvoDevo

Dec. 6: Project presentations