Dissertation Research: The Evolution of Floral Developmental Genes in Mimulus

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The development of all organisms is regulated by a wide variety of genes that interact and control one another. Recent research has revealed that many of these sets of genes are shared across a wide variety of plants and animals. A very real question then emerges: if the same genes influence development in all of these organisms, how do the organisms come to be so different from one another? Obviously, the properties of the genes themselves must be changing through time. This project aims to address the question of how quickly these changes occur and whether or not the rate of change is influenced by a gene's role in the regulatory hierarchy. This research focuses on several naturally occurring species of monkeyflowers (Mimulus) and measures rates of change for three genes that interact in regulating flower development using DNA sequencing and an analysis of genetic variation both within and between species.This work will shed light on how variation in developmental processes can lead to the vast diversity we see among living organisms. This not only addresses a fundamental issue in biology, but can also lead to a better understanding of the function of the genes themselves, which has potential implications for both agriculture and human health.