Molecular evolution of ribosomal DNA and its transposons in Daphnia.

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A large fraction of plant and animal genomes consists of repeated sequences that impact patterns of gene expression, rates of cell division and cell size. The members of these repeated, or multigene families diverge between species, but are generally homogeneous within species, which is known as concerted evolution. This homogeneity is maintained by recombination between repeat units, the products of which are subject to genetic drift, gene flow and natural selection at the population level. The rate at which new variants spread through a gene family, and an entire species depends on rates of recombination, gene family size, the number of chromosomes on which the gene family occurs and population structure. The long-term goal of my research is to understand the mechanisms and consequences of multigene family evolution using ribosomal DNA in the waterflea, Daphnia as a model system.