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Reduce, reuse, and recycle: Developmental evolution of trait diversification
Author(s) -
Preston Jill C.,
Hileman Lena C.,
Cubas Pilar
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.3732/ajb.1000279
Subject(s) - biology , evolutionary developmental biology , evolutionary biology , pleiotropy , trait , diversification (marketing strategy) , developmental genetics , ancestor , evolvability , phenotype , gene , genetics , regulation of gene expression , history , archaeology , marketing , computer science , programming language , business
A major focus of evolutionary developmental (evo‐devo) studies is to determine the genetic basis of variation in organismal form and function, both of which are fundamental to biological diversification. Pioneering work on metazoan and flowering plant systems has revealed conserved sets of genes that underlie the bauplan of organisms derived from a common ancestor. However, the extent to which variation in the developmental genetic toolkit mirrors variation at the phenotypic level is an active area of research. Here we explore evidence from the angiosperm evo‐devo literature supporting the frugal use of genes and genetic pathways in the evolution of developmental patterning. In particular, these examples highlight the importance of genetic pleiotropy in different developmental modules, thus reducing the number of genes required in growth and development, and the reuse of particular genes in the parallel evolution of ecologically important traits.