Difference between revisions of "Evo Devo Fall2013"

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It's time to begin the conversations about project topics.  We'd like everyone to have a topic approved by Sept. 20.  You can initiate conversations with us by email or in person.  Cera, Nora, Ellen, Wei: your primary contact is Carl.  Dister, Nasim, Jeff, Tim: your primary contact is Elizabeth.
 
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Revision as of 20:45, 10 September 2013

EEB 5333, Fall 2013
Evolutionary Developmental Biology
Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00-3:15 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


Announcements and Handouts

Books & Sources in Evolutionary Developmental Biology

It's time to begin the conversations about project topics. We'd like everyone to have a topic approved by Sept. 20. You can initiate conversations with us by email or in person. Cera, Nora, Ellen, Wei: your primary contact is Carl. Dister, Nasim, Jeff, Tim: your primary contact is Elizabeth.

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 expected to complete an independent project on a topic of your choice. Ideally, your topic will be closely connected to your own research interests, and also integrate multiple topics covered in class . You should discuss your choice of topics with one of us no later than Friday, October 4. To help you stay on track, an outline and relevant references are due on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The final project paper is due Tuesday, Dec. 3, and the last week of class will be devoted to presentations and discussions based on these projects. 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, Sept. 20Independent project topic approved
Tuesday, October 8Independent project outline and references due
Tuesday, Dec. 3Independent project paper due
Dec. 3-5Independent project presentations
Tuesday, Dec. 10Final exam due


Course grade

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


Topics and Readings

Week 1 (Aug. 27/29): Overview of evolutionary developmental biology (EJ)

Discussion Leader: Elizabeth
Discussion Readings:

  • Moczek AP. 2012. The nature of nurture and the future of evodevo: toward a theory of developmental evolution. Int. Comp. Biol. 52:108-119. 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]
  • If time permits (I know there's not much this week!), I'd also encourage you to read this:

  • Müller GB. 2007. Evo-devo: extending the evolutionary synthesis. Nat Rev Genet. 8(12):943-9. link

Discussion Questions: Pdficon small.gif

Week 2 (Sept. 3/5): Morphological and molecular patterns (EJ)

Discussion Leader: Jeff
Discussion Readings: The developmental hourglass and the phylotypic stage

  • Quint M, Drost HG, Gabel A, Ullrich KK, Bönn M, Grosse I. 2012. A transcriptomic hourglass in plant embryogenesis. Nature 490(7418):98-101.link
  • Irie N, Kuratani S. 2011. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals vertebrate phylotypic period during organogenesis. Nat Commun. 2:248. link
  • Xiangjun Tian, Joan E. Strassmann and David C. Queller. 2013. Dictyostelium Development Shows a Novel Pattern of Evolutionary Conservation. Mol. Biol. Evol. 30:977-984. link
  • Slime molds in action!

Discussion Questions: Pdficon small.gif

Week 3 (Sept. 10/12): The molecular building blocks of development (CS)

Discussion Leader: Cera
Discussion Readings:

  • Hoekstra, H. E. and J. A. Coyne. 2007. The locus of evolution: evo devo and the genetics of adaptation. Evolution 61:995-1016. link
  • Carroll, S. B. 2008. EvoDevo and an Expanding Evolutionary Synthesis: a genetic theory of morphological evolution. Cell 134:25-36. link
  • Wessinger, C. A. and M. D. Rausher. 2012. Lessons from flower colour evolution on targets of selection. Journal of Experimental Botany 63:5741-5749. link

    Discussion Questions:

    Week 4 (Sept. 17/19): Evolution of developmental networks (CS)

    Discussion Leader: Carl
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 5 (Sept. 24/26): Homology (CS)

    Discussion Leader: Nora
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 6 (Oct. 1/3): Homoplasy (CS)

    Discussion Leader: Carl
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 7 (Oct. 8/10): Constraints (EJ)

    Discussion Leader: Dister
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 8 (Oct. 15/17): Novelty (EJ)

    Discussion Leader: Nasim
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 9 (Oct. 22/24): Morphospace (CS)

    Discussion Leader: class
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 10 (Oct. 29/31): Modularity (EJ)

    Discussion Leader: Wei
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 11 (Nov. 5/7): Robustness and plasticity (CS)

    Discussion Leader: Tim
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 12 (Nov. 12/14): Evolvability (EJ)

    Discussion Leader: Ellen
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 13 (Nov. 19/21): Case studies (CS/EJ)

    Discussion Leader: Elizabeth
    Discussion Readings:
    Discussion Questions:

    Week 14 (Nov. 26/28): Happy Thanksgiving!

    Week 15 (Dec. 3/5): Project Presentations