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We seek to understand the evolution of morphological novelties by focusing on the evolution and development of butterfly wing patterns. Research in the lab addresses both the ultimate selective factors that favor particular wing patterns, as well as the proximate mechanisms that generate those patterns. We combine tools from ethology, population genetics, phylogenetics, and developmental biology to understand the nature of the variation underlying developmental mechanisms within or between species, and why species display their particular color patterns. Our model organisms (so far) have been African satyrid butterflies in the genus Bicyclus, pierid butterflies, and saturniid moths. |
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If you are interested in pursuing a graduate project (PhD project in the lab) you will have to apply to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) at Yale University to enter the graduate program. If you are an undergraduate, there are several ways that you can participate in research in the lab. Either by doing an honors project (two semester's worth of research), an independent project (one semester), or a summer project (three months). |
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We have successfuly transformed the genome of Bicyclus anynana with a series of EGFP plasmids under the control of different promoters (actin and Pax6). People that did this work were formal post-doctoral researcher Jeffrey Marcus, graduate student Diane Smith, and myself. Currently, postdoctoral fellow Andrew Stoehr is also producing transgenic Pieris rapae butterflies using piggyBac constructs. Testing gene function in color pattern formation: Visiting Scientist, Bin Chen, together with graduate student, Diane Ramos, and postdoctoral fellow, Andrew Stoehr, are developing a new set of transgenic lines to test the function of candidate genes in differentiating colored scales on the wing, when expressed ectopically on the wing. New RNAi constructs Bin Chen has produced a new set of RNAi expression vectors and new transgenic lines to test the necessity of a series of candidate genes in differentiating wing patterns. Biophotonics: Firdous Kamal has developed a new laser-mediated heat-shocking mechanism using a IR laser that will enable us to heat-shock specific areas of a transgenic butterfly in order to induce ectopic expression of candidade wing patterning genes. Bin Chen and Diane Smith cloned a series of candidate genes and are introducing them in the germ line of B. anynana. These transgenes are under the control of a heat-shock promoter. These experiments will allow us to test the role of these candidate genes in the differentiation of colored wing scales. Reconstructing and animating ancestral wing patterns: Undergraduate student, Sam Arbesman, worked on a web based animation (Ancient Wings) that reconstructs the putative ancestral wing patterns of 54 of the 80 species of Bicyclus butterflies, and morphs these patterns across the phylogenetic tree of Bicyclus. Future projects could try to extend this work to use wing pattern data from many genera of butterflies (using the extensive collection of Lepidoptera housed at the Peabody museum). Transposable element mediated mutagenesis and enhancer trapping:This project was started together with former postdoctoral fellow Jeffrey Marcus, but needs further development. The aim is to develop several lines of B. anynana carrying specific constructs. One line will have a stable transposase, other lines will carry hopping elements. We will be crossing these lines in order to induce the transposable elements to hop in the genome of B. anynana. These hopping events may cause interruptions in the sequence of a gene and lead to a visible mutation. Alternatively, the hopping element can integrate close to a gene enhancer region and "trap" that enhancer, i.e., become expressed in the same pattern as the gene that is being enhanced. In both cases, the genomic regions surrounding the hopping element can be readily sequenced and identified. Testing the role of sexual selection in maintaining species specific wing patterns: Graduate students Kendra Roberston and Katie Costanzo tested whether color pattern differences and androconia on the wings of males have an effect on female preference. Future work could attempt to also look at male mate choice. Kendra is currently mapping the wing pattern elements onto the known Bicyclus phylogeny and describing the extent of wing pattern evolution within this genus. |