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Full-Text Articles in Genetics and Genomics
Evolutionary Genetics Of The Genus Zamia (Zamiaceae, Cycadales), Michael Calonje
Evolutionary Genetics Of The Genus Zamia (Zamiaceae, Cycadales), Michael Calonje
FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The genus Zamia L. (Zamiaceae), consisting of 77 species, is the most species-rich and widely distributed cycad genus in the New World and is arguably the most morphologically and ecologically diverse genus in the Cycadales. We utilized a multilocus sequence dataset of 10 independent loci (9 single copy nuclear genes + 1 plastid) and extensive taxon sampling (over 90% of species) to infer phylogenetic relationships within Zamia. We infer a robust phylogenetic tree for the genus with a strong geographic delimitation of clades and find that four morphological characters typically used for diagnostic purposes in the genus exhibit a high …
Mixing It Up: The Impact Of Episodic Introgression On The Evolution Of High-Latitude Mesocarnivores, Jocelyn P. Colella
Mixing It Up: The Impact Of Episodic Introgression On The Evolution Of High-Latitude Mesocarnivores, Jocelyn P. Colella
Biology ETDs
At high latitudes, climatic oscillations have triggered repeated episodes of organismal divergence by geographically isolating populations. For terrestrial species, extended isolation in glacial refugia – ice-free regions that enable terrestrial species persistence through glacial maxima – is hypothesized to stimulate allopatric divergence. Alternatively, upon glacial recession, divergent populations expanded from independent glacial refugia and often contacted other diverging populations. In the absence of reproductive isolating mechanisms, this biogeographic process may trigger hybridization and ultimately, gene flow between divergent taxa. My dissertation research aims to understand how these episodic periods of isolation and contact have impacted the evolution of high latitude …
Plant Mitochondrial Genome Evolution And Structure Has Been Shaped By Double-Strand Break Repair And Recombination, Emily Wynn
School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Plant mitochondrial genomes are large but contain a small number of genes. These genes have very low mutation rates, but genomes rearrange and expand at significant rates. We propose that much of the apparent complexity of plant mitochondrial genomes can be explained by the interactions of double-strand break repair, recombination, and selection. One possible explanation for the disparity between the low mutation rates of genes and the high divergence of non-genes is that synonymous mutations in genes are not truly neutral. In some species, rps14 has been duplicated in the nucleus, allowing the mitochondrial copy to become a pseudogene. By …
Phylogenetic History Of The Amy Gene Cluster In Catarrhines, Christian M. Gagnon
Phylogenetic History Of The Amy Gene Cluster In Catarrhines, Christian M. Gagnon
Theses and Dissertations
This study phylogenetically analyzed 30 AMY-related genes from 11 primates. The results show the gradual expansion of the AMY gene family which could have allowed primates to adapt to various ecological landscapes and maximize energy intake from starch-rich foods in periods of food scarcity.