Extent and genomic basis of plant adaptation

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What fraction of genomic differences between species are due to adaptive evolution? How do changes in the DNA sequence of organisms lead to adaptation and evolution? How much adaptive evolution occurs in natural populations? How much is the strength of natural selection dependent on the evolutionary history and demography of natural populations? Recent advances over the last several years in genome technology and genomic resources are allowing for unprecedented opportunities to explore these questions using genomic approaches. The proposed research aims to examine the genetic causes and extent of natural selection in plant genomes, with a focus on species in the mustard family. This plant family, which includes the important Canadian crop plant canola, has several advantages, particularly a wealth of genetic and genomic resources. The research includes surveys of genome-wide patterns of DNA sequence diversity, which are fit to evolutionary models to make inferences about the rate, strength, and location of natural selection. A second component of the research involves genetic mapping using between-species crosses to identify the regions of the genome important in floral evolution. By combining the results, we can gain new insights into the evolutionary forces and genetic causes of speciation and floral evolution. Third, we will use population genomics from a number of species to test for the role of natural selection in driving the evolution of genome size. Research in my laboratory gives students diverse training in cutting-edge techniques at the interface of genomics, genetics, and evolutionary biology.