Summer Research Opportunity in Developmental Evolution:
Dr. Robert Kuzoff
What do we study?
An intriguing problem confronting contemporary biologists is how evolutionary transformations in developmental programs contribute to morphological diversification. As animals and plants grow from a single cell (at fertilization) to mature organisms, the structures that make up their complex bodies slowly assume their appropriate sizes and shapes. Events in the maturation of each body structure are controlled by suites of genes that are organized into developmental programs. Differences in the sizes and shapes of diverse species can be traced to changes in the functions of genes in particular developmental programs.
The Kuzoff Lab explores the relationship between functional divergence in developmental pathways and the origins of shape discontinuities among major lineages of land plants. Currently, we are focusing on the evolution of laminar structures, which include leaves and floral appendages. Studies in our lab and other labs around the world have identified a number of genes that govern critical events in leaf and flower development. Our lab has isolated and functionally characterized a subset of these genes from a representative array of land plant species. Ongoing comparisons of changes in the functions of these genes have led to critical insights into the evolution of diverse plant species that we’ve presented at a number of national research conferences and published in a variety of research journals.
What will student researchers do?
Members of the Kuzoff Lab are given the opportunity to choose from research projects that fall into (or combine) three main areas: bioinformatics, molecular genetics, and histology. Bioinformatics is the use of computer analyses to make a variety of complicated problems easy to solve. We use computer analyses to infer and explore the historical relationships among species and genes and to model processes that contribute to changes in gene function. Molecular genetics is the use of DNA manipulation techniques to understand the structure and function of genes and genomes. We use an array of molecular genetic techniques to isolate and functionally characterize genes that regulate crucial steps in leaf and flower development. Histology is the use of microscopic techniques to understand the detailed structure of living tissues. We use histological techniques to determine exactly when and where in a plant’s body particular genes are expressed and how their expression contributes to differentiation of tissues in diverse leaves and flowers.
What skills and insights can you gain in the Kuzoff Lab?
Student researchers in the Kuzoff lab regularly communicate with one another about the challenges and successes of their research. Accordingly, students learn not only from their own project, but also from the projects that other students are pursuing in the lab. The average lab member generally becomes familiar with a range of computer programs that are commonly used in biological research, especially comparative genomics, phylogenetics, computer simulation, and statistical analyses. Additionally, the average lab member develops a strong understanding of the nature of developmental pathways and the evolutionary mechanisms that contribute to major transitions in the shape of living forms.
Related literature:
Reviews -
Byrne, M. E. 2006. Shoot Meristem Function and Leaf Polarity: The Role of Class III HD-ZIP Genes. PLoS Genetics 2:785-790.
Kuzoff, R.K., and C.S. Gasser. 2000. Recent progress in reconstructing angiosperm phylogeny. Trends in Plant Science 5:330-337.
Research -
Hill, T. A., J. Broadhvest, R. K. Kuzoff, and C. S. Gasser. 2006. Arabidopsis SHORT INTEGUMENTS 2 is a mitochondrial DAR GTPase. Genetics, 174:707-718.
McAbee, J.M., R.K. Kuzoff, and C.S. Gasser. 2005. Mechanisms of derived unitegmy among Impatiens species. Plant Cell 17:1674-1684.
Golz, J. F., M. Roccaro, R. K. Kuzoff, and A. Hudson. 2004. GRAMINIFOLIA promotes growth and polarity of Antirrhinum leaves. Development 131:3661-3670.
Kim, M., T. Pham, A. Hamidi, S. McCormick, R. K. Kuzoff and N. Sinha. 2003. Reduced leaf complexity in tomato wiry mutants suggests a role for PHAN and KNOX genes in generating compound leaves. Development 130:4405-4415.