Medeiros Lab ProjectsWe're interested in a variety of issues in vertebrate developmental evolution, from the small scale of gene regulatory networks to the large scale of cells and what they look like. These are just a few of the things the Medeiros Lab is working on!
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Regulation of Cartilage Genes in Amphioxus and Vertebrates Background Cellular cartilage generates the head skeleton, a defining feature of the vertebrate subphylum. Question What were the developmental and genetic changes driving the evolution of cellular cartilage and the vertebrate head skeleton? Approach Compare the regulation and function of cartilage genes in amphioxus and vertebrates. |
Developmental Changes Involved in the Evolution of the Gnathostome Head Skeleton
Background The jointed head skeleton of jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes) evolved from the simpler unjointed skeleton of a jawless (agnathan) vertebrate ancestor Question What are the developmental genetic changes underlying the evolution of the gnathostome head skeleton? Approach Compare the development and patterning of the lamprey head skeleton with that of gnathostomes. |
Development of Cis-Regulatory Modules Involved in the Evolution of Neural Crest Cells
Background Comparisons of gene expression patterns in amphioxus and vertebrates indicates changes in cis-regulatory DNA drove the evolution of the neural crest, an embryonic cell population unique to vertebrates. Questions How did the cis-regulatory DNAs mediating neural crest development evolve? What does cis-regulatory evolution look like? Approach Isolate and compare neural border/neural crest cis-regulatory elements from vertebrates and amphioxus. |