Evolution of duplicated pathways and networks
Polyploid speciation is exceptionally common in plants, often operating sympatrically to saltationally generate new lineages. Read more about Evolution of duplicated pathways and networks
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Research
Comparative genomics and genome size evolution
Comparative evolutionary genomics and domestication genomics are among the most active areas of research in the lab. Please check back here often for updates on our massive genomic resequencing effort, our comparative molecular evolutionary analyses, and our work on domestication genomics. Read more about Comparative genomics and genome size evolution
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Biodiversity and the discovery of new cotton species
Somewhat remarkably, given its importance in human commence, new species of cotton continue to be discovered. Our lab is among the few worldwide that maintains an active interest in fundamental plant exploration and discovery in the cotton genus. Read more about Biodiversity and the discovery of new cotton species
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Evolution of duplicate gene expression
One of the important realizations to emerge from numerous studies of polyploid plants is that polyploid creates massive alterations in gene expression. Read more about Evolution of duplicate gene expression
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Cytonuclear Evolution
One underexplored dimension of allopolyploid evolution is cytonuclear interactions. Potential stoichiometric disruption caused by merging two nuclear genomes but only inheriting one set of progenitor organellar genomes (usually the maternal) suggests that cytonuclear accommodation is a necessary aspect of allopolyploid evolution. Read more about Cytonuclear Evolution
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Cotton fiber and the domestication process
One of the exciting opportunities stimulated by the convergence of modern genomic approaches with other areas of biology is that of resolving the enigmatic processes by which new phenotypes arise. Read more about Cotton fiber and the domestication process
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Small RNA Evolution
Small RNAs are a diverse category of nuclear-encoded non-coding RNAs that play multiple, central functions in eukaryotic development, stress responses and many other biological processes. The major two types of small RNAs are microRNAs (miRNAs) and silencing RNAs (siRNAs). The major focus of this project is the role of and divergence among sRNAs during cotton diploid divergence, polyploid formation, and cotton domestication. Read more about Small RNA Evolution
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Evolutionary Proteomics
Because mRNA abundance and protein amounts often are poorly related, it is important to extend the evolutionary analysis of polyploidy and domestication to the proteomic level. Read more about Evolutionary Proteomics
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