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Insights from large-scale butterfly genomics
Presented by: Nick Grishin, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biophysics and Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
Abstract: The technological revolution enables scientific advances. We capitalize on the recent breakthroughs in sequencing methods to obtain whole genome datasets for many thousands of specimens, from recently collected to two centuries old. Using butterflies as model organisms, we address general problems in biology, from learning about genotypic determinants of phenotypic traits and associating proteins with morphology to revealing principles of evolution in animals and the significance of gene exchange between different species through hybridization. We use genomics to solve long-standing problems in nomenclature, such as associating century-old and frequently damaged primary type specimens with present-day populations and deducing type localities. Genomic datasets yield well-resolved phylogenies and improve the taxonomic classification. Genome-scale trees reveal levels of diversifications, i.e., periods of bursts followed by extinctions, suggesting that a limited number of taxonomic ranks, such as tribes and genera, can be applied to these levels defined by longer tree branches. This apparent discreteness resulting from continuous processes is observed at all levels, including species. We use genomic analysis to learn about species boundaries and assist in species delimitation. Examples from our most recent work to illustrate these general principles will be shown.
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Thomas C. Emmel Seminar Series presents: Expanding Horizons in Lepidoptera Research
Continuing from Fall 2020, the McGuire Center is hosting this webinar series as an opportunity for both early career researchers as well as established leaders in the field to present their work. We hope that you will join us to hear about current advances in many diverse fields of Lepidoptera research.