Meeting Abstract

P1.120  Friday, Jan. 4  Understanding novel evolutionary changes in morphology using next-generation sequencing technology MELICHER, D*; TORSON, A; North Dakota State University; North Dakota State University dacotah.melicher@ndsu.edu

Morphological evolution is often the result of changes in the location, level, or duration of the expression of developmental genes. The sepsid fly Themira biloba has a complex, jointed abdominal appendage with no homologous structure outside of the family Sepsidae. This appendage appears to have evolved independently in several Sepsidae specices which implies that the underlying genetic regulatory network responsible for its development was already in place prior to the appearance of the appendage itself. Improvements in next-generation sequencing technologies allow us to compare gene expression in different tissues. By sequencing samples of different tissues we are able to create a transcription profile of the gene transcripts present in each tissue. This allows us to perform a comparative analysis to determine which developmental genes are up-regulated during appendage specification and development. Because the appendage develops from cells located in the 4th larval segment in male flies we have chosen to compare the transcription profile of the 3rd and 4th segments of males as well as the 4th segments of male and female larva to determine the genes involved in specification and patterning of the appendage.