Meeting Abstract
P2.75 Saturday, Jan. 5 A putative gene regulatory network for eye development differs in male and female Euphilomedes carcharodonta (Crustacea; Ostracoda; Myodocopida). SAJUTHI, A*; CARRILLO-ZAZUETA, B/B; HU, B; LIN, C; SPEISER, D; OAKLEY, T; RIVERA, A; University of the Pacific; University of the Pacific; University of the Pacific; University of the Pacific; University of California, Santa Barbara; University of California, Santa Barbara; University of the Pacific a_sajuthi1@u.pacific.edu
Sarsielloidea is a superfamily of ostracods that demonstrates high diversity of eye types and habitat. Some groups of sarsielloid ostracods show sexual dimorphism in their eye phenotype, in which males have an image forming lateral eye similar to those of other pancrustaceans (Hexapoda+Crustacea), while females do not. Sarsielloids have a single-chromosome sex determination system (XX/XO), suggesting that the dimorphism is due to gene expression differences, rather than genotypic differences. In typical arthropod eye development, there are three stages of development – specification, patterning, and differentiation, culminating in phototransduction. At each stage, there are certain genes that are required to execute and complete development at that stage. We looked at the differences in expression of these genes, as elucidated in Drosophila and other arthropods, during the development of Euphilomedes carcharodonta males and females by generating and using gene-expression data from high-throughput sequencing, qPCR, and in situ hybridization. Understanding the differences in a dimorphic species gives clues as to how similar genomes can give rise to multiple phenotypes. These data also gives us a basis for studying the genetic basis of convergent evolution. We will be able to compare male and female gene expression patterns for convergently dimorphic species as well as non-dimorphic species at various stages of development to create a clear picture of the genetic underpinnings of the evolution of dimorphism.
