Functional specificity of paralogs in a family of developmental genes.

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My laboratory studies a family of genes, the Dlx genes, which play important regulatory roles during development of the embryos of a large number of animal species. They are parts of genetic cascades taking place during development to determine the different cell types and the patterning of the embryo, notably in the branchial arches, embryonic structures that give rise to skeleton of the face, in specific parts of the brain, in the ears, in the olfactory organs and in the limbs. In the zebrafish, this family comprises 8 members and it is still unknown what is the specific role of each family member. We have the ability to remove some of the Dlx genes from the genome using a method named CRISPR-Cas9. We are also able to replace one family member with another using the same approach. We will determine the consequences on embryonic development of such gene deletions or replacements. This research will enable us to understand how genes acquire new functions during evolution, thus participating in the emergence of morphological and functional innovations. Our research will also help us better understand how genes control the morphology of the developing embryo.