Dissertation Research: The Evolution of Duplicated Genes in Zea mays and Arabidopsis thaliana

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0104796GautThis work will study the divergence of duplicated genes in two plant model organisms: Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays (corn). The Arabidopsis work will use computational tools to examine differences among 271 duplicated gene pairs found within the Arabidopsis genome. The purposes of the Arabidopsis study are to infer the processes of diversification after gene duplication and also to search for sequence-based clues for shifts in gene function. The second part of the research uses a unique population-based approach to examine divergence of duplicated genes. For this part of the project, DNA sequence data will be generated from several individuals from each gene of several duplicate gene pairs. This population-based approach will provide additional information about the forces governing gene divergence and may also yield insights into the function of several agronomically important genes.The genomics revolution has produced whole-genome sequences from myriad organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. Genomic sequences provide a blueprint of genetic architecture, but the more difficult work is just beginning - i.e., to infer gene function and gene origin. One surprise gleaned from genome data is that all organisms have a very high proportion of duplicated genes. It is not yet clear if the two (or more) duplicate copies retain the same gene function as the ancestral gene or instead diverge to fulfill new functional roles. Knowing how genes diverge after gene duplication is essential for understanding genome evolution and will in turn help us understand the basis of genetic differences among organisms.