Meeting Abstract 26.7  Monday, Jan. 5  The Origin of Conserved Protein Domains and Amino Acid Repeats Via Adaptive Competition RORICK, M.M.*; WAGNER, G.P.; Yale University; Yale University molly.rorick@yale.edu Some proteins, such as homeodomain transcription factors, contain highly conserved regions of sequence. It has been recently suggested that multiple conserved functional domains overlap and together explain the high […]

Meeting Abstract 26.8  Monday, Jan. 5  The Nuclear Receptor Complement of the Cnidarian Nematostella vectensis REITZEL, Adam R.; TARRANT, Ann M.*; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution atarrant@whoi.edu Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a superfamily of metazoan transcription factors that regulate diverse developmental and physiological processes. We have identified the complete set of seventeen nuclear receptors […]

Meeting Abstract 26.1  Monday, Jan. 5  Opsin diversity and extra-ocular photorecepion in the Metazoa MARLOW, Heather Q.*; SPEISER, Daniel I.; SEAVER, Elaine C.; MARTINDALE, Mark Q.; University of Hawaii at Manoa; Duke University; University of Hawaii at Manoa; University of Hawaii at Manoa marlow@hawaii.edu Bilaterian animals (protostomes and deuterostomes) sense light through the use of visual opsins, […]

Meeting Abstract 26.3  Monday, Jan. 5  Molecular evolution of light detection in a bioluminescent squid PANKEY, M.S.*; MCFALL-NGAI, M.N.; OAKLEY, T.H.; University of California, Santa Barbara; University of Wisconsin; University of California, Santa Barbara mpankey@lifesci.ucsb.edu Identifying the molecular bases of adaptive changes leading to novelty and increased complexity is one of the central goals of modern evolutionary […]

Meeting Abstract 26.5  Monday, Jan. 5  Mitochondrial genome evolution of Amphinomidae (Annelida: Amphinomida) BORDA, E*; HALANYCH, KM; Auburn University; Auburn University ezb0004@auburn.edu The sequencing of complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes is becoming easier and the availability of these data continues to play important roles for the inferring evolutionary histories of diverse animal groups. This is particular the case […]

Meeting Abstract 26.11  Monday, Jan. 5  Evolution of physical interactions among the transcription factors HoxA-11 and FOXO1a during the evolution of pregnancy in mammals. BRAYER, K.J.*; LYNCH, V.J.; WAGNER, G.P.; Yale University, New Haven; Yale University, New Haven; Yale University, New Haven kathryn.brayer@yale.edu Decidualization of endometrial stromal cells is a critical step in the successful establishment of […]

Meeting Abstract 26.9  Monday, Jan. 5  EVOLUTION OF GLYCOPROTEIN HORMONE/GLYCOPROTEIN HORMONE RECEPTOR SYSTEMS IN VERTEBRATES FROM A SEA LAMPREY PERSPECTIVE FREAMAT, Mihael*; SOWER, Stacia A.; University of New Hampshire, Durham; University of New Hampshire Durham sasower@cisunix.unh.edu The endocrine control of the gonadal and thyroid physiology in vertebrates depends ultimately on the interaction between the pituitary glycoprotein hormones […]

Meeting Abstract 26.10  Monday, Jan. 5  Domestication and adaptation of a transposable element in to a tissue-specific enhancer of prolactin (PRL) was an essential step in the origin of pregnancy in placental mammals LYNCH, Vincent/J*; WAGNER, Gunter/P; Yale University; Yale University vincent.j.lynch@yale.edu The evolution of gene regulation, particularly through cis-regulatory element and transcription factor change, is widely […]

Meeting Abstract 26.6  Monday, Jan. 5  Comparative transcriptome profiling provides novel insights into the evolutionary genetics of black widow spider venom. GARB, J.E.*; HAYASHI, C.Y.; ZINSMAIER, K.E.; University of Arizona; University of California, Riverside; University of Arizona garb@email.arizona.edu Animal venoms are complex mixtures of toxins having diverse physiological activities, which can often evolve rapidly in response to […]

Meeting Abstract 26.4  Monday, Jan. 5  Accelerated mtDNA evolution in microcrustaceans (Daphniidae) that lack an ultraviolet-radiation refugium CONNELLY, SJ*; TAYLOR, DJ; Rochester Institute of Technology; University at Buffalo sandra.connelly@rit.edu Ultraviolet radiation (UV-R) has been shown to negatively affect exposed organisms through induced DNA mutations, the formation of DNA photolesions, and an overall decreased fitness. Most zooplankton can […]