| Popis: |
The integrative field of ecological evolutionary developmental biology or “Eco-Evo-Devo” attempts to understand how the environment interacts with genes during development to generate phenotypic diversity. Semi-aquatic bugs have long been used as models to study behavior, ecology, evolution, as well as biomechanics. Here, we demonstrate that we can perform single, double, and multiple gene knockdownusingRNAi acrossmultiple species of semi-aquatic bugs.We combine this feature together with previous knowledge of their ecology and evolution to study the developmental genetic and adaptive basis of appendage diversity between different segments, sexes, and species in this group. We will present the results from two studies: one study where we have identified genes that control leg length differences between segments and species, and another study where we identify genes involved in the sexual conflict betweenmales and females. These two studies show the great promise that semi-aquatic bugs hold as powerful model systems for eco-evo-devo studies. |
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