A5032940167- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Plant and animal studies
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Genomic variations and chromosomal abnormalities
- Marine animal studies overview
- Horticultural and Viticultural Research
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Connexins and lens biology
University of Auckland
2019-2025
Lincoln University
2024
Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité
2011-2023
John Innes Centre
2004-2023
Norwich Research Park
2023
École Pratique des Hautes Études
2016-2021
Sorbonne Université
2016-2021
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
2006-2021
Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
2010-2012
University of Cambridge
2009-2010
The evolutionary importance of hybridization and introgression has long been debated. Hybrids are usually rare unfit, but even infrequent can aid adaptation by transferring beneficial traits between species. Here we use genomic tools to investigate in Heliconius, a rapidly radiating genus neotropical butterflies widely used studies ecology, behaviour, mimicry speciation. We sequenced the genome Heliconius melpomene compared it with other taxa chromosomal evolution Lepidoptera gene flow among...
Heliconius butterflies represent a recent radiation of species, in which wing pattern divergence has been implicated speciation. Several loci that control phenotypes have mapped and two were identified through sequencing. These same gene regions play role adaptation across the whole radiation. Previous studies population genetic patterns at these sequenced small amplicons. Here, we use targeted next-generation sequence capture to survey entire divergent geographical races species Heliconius....
Autism is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with complex mode of inheritance. It one the most highly heritable disorders, although underlying genetic factors remain largely unknown. Here, we report mutations in X-chromosome PTCHD1 (patched-related) gene seven families autism spectrum (ASD) and three intellectual disability. A 167-kilobase microdeletion spanning exon 1 was found two brothers, ASD other learning disability features; 90-kilobase entire males second family. In 900 probands...
To understand evolutionary paths connecting diverse biological forms, we defined a three-dimensional genotypic space separating two flower color morphs of Antirrhinum. A hybrid zone between showed steep cline specifically at genes controlling differences, indicating that these loci are under selection. Antirrhinum species with floral phenotypes formed U-shaped cloud within the space. We propose this defines an path allows to evolve while circumventing less-adaptive regions. Hybridization...
Genetic dominance in polymorphic loci may respond to selection; however, the evolution of complex traits remains a puzzle. We analyse at wing-patterning supergene controlling local mimicry polymorphism butterfly Heliconius numata. Supergene alleles are associated with chromosomal inversion polymorphism, defining ancestral versus derived alleles. Using controlled crosses and new procedure, Colour Pattern Modelling, allowing whole-wing pattern comparisons, we estimate coefficients between Here...
Abstract Snapdragon ( Antirrhinum majus L.), a member of the Plantaginaceae family, is an important model for plant genetics and molecular studies on growth development, transposon biology self-incompatibility. Here we report near-complete genome assembly A. cultivar JI7 cv.JI7) comprising 510 Megabases (Mb) genomic sequence containing 37,714 annotated protein-coding genes. Scaffolds covering 97.12% assembled were anchored eight chromosomes. Comparative evolutionary analyses revealed that...
Abstract The quality of genome assemblies has improved rapidly in recent years due to continual advances sequencing technology, assembly approaches, and control. In the field molecular ecology, this led development exceptional that will be important long‐term resources for broader studies into ecological, conservation, evolutionary, population genomics naturally occurring species. Moreover, extent which a single reference represents diversity within species varies: pan‐genomes become...
Growth coordination between cell layers is essential for development of most multicellular organisms. Coordination may be mediated by molecular signaling and/or mechanical connectivity cells, but how genes modify interactions unknown. Here we show that driving brassinosteroid synthesis promote growth internal tissue, at least in part, reducing epidermal constraint. We identified a brassinosteroid-deficient dwarf mutant the aquatic plant Utricularia gibba with twisted likely caused constraint...
Significance Populations often show “islands of divergence” in the genome. Analysis divergence between subspecies Antirrhinum that differ flower color patterns shows sharp peaks relative occur at two causal loci. The island is shaped by a combination gene flow and multiple selective sweeps, showing how barriers populations can arise be maintained.
Inbreeding can lead to a loss of heterozygosity in population and when combined with genetic drift may reduce the adaptive potential species. However, there is uncertainty about whether resequencing data provide accurate consistent inbreeding estimates. Here, we performed an in-depth analysis for hihi (Notiomystis cincta), endemic nationally vulnerable passerine bird Aotearoa New Zealand. We first focused on subsampling variants from reference genome male, found that low-density sets tend...
Supergenes are genetic architectures associated with discrete and concerted variation in multiple traits. It has long been suggested that supergenes control these complex polymorphisms by suppressing recombination between sets of coadapted genes. However, because suppression hinders the dissociation individual effects genes within supergenes, there is still little evidence evolve tightening linkage Here, combining a landmark-free phenotyping algorithm multivariate genome-wide association...
For small and isolated populations, the increased chance of mating between related individuals can result in a substantial reduction individual population fitness. Despite increasing availability genomic data to measure inbreeding accurately across genome, depression studies for threatened species are still scarce due difficulty measuring fitness wild. Here, we investigate extensively monitored Tiritiri Mātangi island Aotearoa New Zealand passerine, hihi (Notiomystis cincta). First, using...
Abstract Invasive species threaten native ecosystems, the economy and human health. Improved understanding of an invasive species’ ecological niche, whether it has differentiated in compared to range, will enable better prediction areas at risk future invasions. Here, we characterise niche common myna ( Acridotheres tristis ) starling Sturnus vulgaris ), their range Aotearoa New Zealand, where they were introduced over 140 years ago. Common are two most bird world agricultural pests,...
CUL4A and B encode subunits of E3-ubiquitin ligases implicated in diverse processes including nucleotide excision repair, regulating gene expression controlling DNA replication fork licensing. But, the functional distinction between CUL4B, if any, is unclear. Recently, mutations CUL4B were identified humans associated with mental retardation, relative macrocephaly, tremor a peripheral neuropathy. Cells from these patients offer unique system to help define at molecular level consequences...
Small RNAs (sRNAs) regulate genes in plants and animals. Here, we show that population-wide differences color patterns snapdragon flowers are caused by an inverted duplication generates sRNAs. The complexity size of the transcripts indicate represents intermediate on pathway to microRNA evolution. sRNAs repress a pigment biosynthesis gene, creating yellow highlight at site pollinator entry. exhibits steep clines allele frequency natural hybrid zone, showing is under selection. Thus,...