The evolution of gene regulatory networks

5 June 2015

Greg Wray
Department of Biology
Duke University

Abstract

What factors shape the organization of gene regulatory networks? At least three distinct evolutionary processes – adaptation, drift, and historical legacy – likely contribute, but their relative impact is not well understood. My group is investigating this question using a well-defined gene regulatory network which operates during embryonic development in the purple sea urchin. We use high-throughput methods to identify the genetic basis for evolutionary changes in network interactions and their impact on subsequent development. My talk will focus on developing methods to analyze these complex datasets.

current theory lunch schedule