Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Evolution Of Floral Symmetry Across The Plant Order Lamiales, Jinshun Zhong
The Evolution Of Floral Symmetry Across The Plant Order Lamiales, Jinshun Zhong
Dissertations
Bilaterally symmetrical corollas have evolved independently numerous times from radially symmetrical ancestors and are thought to represent adaptation to specific pollinators. However, evolutionary losses of bilateral symmetry have occurred sporadically in different lineages. CYC2-like and RAD-like are genes needed for the normal development of bilateral symmetry in snapdragon corollas. However, exactly how changes in the floral symmetry patterning genes correlate with the origin and loss of floral bilateral remains poorly known. To address this question, a densely sampled phylogeny of CYC2-like genes across the order Lamiales was inferred and calibrated. The expression patterns of these genes in early diverging and …
Insight Into Human Brain Evolution Through Phylogenetic Analysis And Comparative Genomics, Amy Marie Boddy
Insight Into Human Brain Evolution Through Phylogenetic Analysis And Comparative Genomics, Amy Marie Boddy
Wayne State University Dissertations
As a species, humans are often considered to be unique among mammals, with respect to their large brain size and enhanced cognitive abilities. Humans are the most encephalized mammals, with a brain that is six times larger than expected relative to body mass. Presumably, it is this high degree of encephalization that underlies our advanced cognitive abilities, including the skills needed for complex language and culture. Understanding how large brains evolved can shed light on what makes the human brain unique and introduce possible mechanism for human specific neurodegenerative diseases. This study takes a both a phenotypic and molecular approach …