Developmental Constraints and Evolution: A Perspective from the Mountain Lake Conference on Development and Evolution

Smith, John Maynard; Burian, Richard M.; Kauffman, Stuart; Alberch, Pere; Campbell, James F.; Goodwin, Brian C.; Lande, Robert H.; Raup, David M.; Wolpert, Lewis

doi:10.1086/414425

Cited by 1,323 publications

(371 citation statements)

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“…From the broad perspective of developmental biology, the concept of evolvability (1) focuses on the generation of novel phenotypes (i.e., a potential), whereas the concept of developmental constraints (32) refers to restrictions on the production of certain phenotypes (i.e., a limitation) (33). Independent of the context, both evolvability and developmental constraints describe the available novelties.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of gene circuits shapes evolvability

Jiménez

Cotterell

Munteanu

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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To what extent does the dynamical mechanism producing a specific biological phenotype bias the ability to evolve into novel phenotypes? We use the interpretation of a morphogen gradient into a single stripe of gene expression as a model phenotype. Although there are thousands of three-gene circuit topologies that can robustly develop a stripe of gene expression, the vast majority of these circuits use one of just six fundamentally different dynamical mechanisms. Here we explore the potential for gene circuits that use each of these six mechanisms to evolve novel phenotypes such as multiple stripes, inverted stripes, and gradients of gene expression. Through a comprehensive and systematic analysis, we find that circuits that use alternative mechanisms differ in the likelihood of reaching novel phenotypes through mutation. We characterize the phenotypic transitions and identify key ingredients of the evolutionary potential, such as sensitive interactions and phenotypic hubs. Finally, we provide an intuitive understanding on how the modular design of a particular mechanism favors the access to novel phenotypes. Our work illustrates how the dynamical mechanism by which an organism develops constrains how it can evolve. It is striking that these dynamical mechanisms and their impact on evolvability can be observed even for such an apparently simple patterning task, performed by just three-node circuits.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of gene circuits shapes evolvability

Jiménez

Cotterell

Munteanu

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…The evolvability of a trait is determined by its level of additive genetic variation and pleiotropic affects. One of the goals of paleontology is to understand the factors that contribute to morphological trends, identifying selective pressures and͞or developmental constraints (83). Determining a trait's evolvability is consequently important.…”

Section: Presumption 3: Small-scale Morphological Change Is Almost Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating the genotype and phenotype in hominid paleontology

Hlusko

2004

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Competing interpretations of human origins and evolution have recently proliferated despite the accelerated pace of fossil discovery. These controversies parallel those involving other vertebrate families and result from the difficulty of studying evolution among closely related species. Recent advances in developmental and quantitative genetics show that some conventions routinely used by hominid and other mammalian paleontologists are unwarranted. These same advances provide ways to integrate knowledge of the genotype into the study of the phenotype. The result is an approach that promises to yield a fuller understanding of evolution below the family level.

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“…Extrinsic factors, in the form of the availability of habitats or co-occurring species, define the selective regime and so influence the evolution and expression of niches . Intrinsic constraints may be genetic (possibly evolving new structures or physiologies), functional (ensuring that the resulting organism is still functional), or developmental (what is ontogenetically possible; Maynard Smith et al 1985). Here we develop and test three hypotheses that describe how extrinsic and intrinsic factors could interact to regulate climatic niche diversification during a clade's range expansion, in order to better understand patterns and drivers of niche occupancy and evolution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Available Climate Regimes Drive Niche Diversification during Range Expansion

Wüest

Antonelli²,

Zimmermann³

et al. 2015

The American Naturalist

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Online enhancements: appendixes. Dryad data: http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1dc8q.abstract: Climate is a main predictor of biodiversity on a global scale, yet how climate availability affects niche evolution remains poorly explored. Here we assess how intercontinental climate differences may affect the evolution of climate niches and suggest three possible processes: niche truncation along major environmental gradients, intercontinental differences in available climate causing differences in selective regimes, and niche shifts associated with longdistance dispersals leading to a pattern of punctuated evolution. Using the globally distributed danthonioid grasses, we show significant niche differentiation among continents and several instances of niche truncation. The comparison of inferred selective regimes with differences in available climatic space among continents demonstrates adaptation resulting from opportunistic evolution toward available climatic space. Our results suggest that niche evolution in this clade is punctuated, consistent with accelerated niche evolution after long-distance dispersal events. Finally, we discuss how intrinsic constraints (genetic, developmental, or functional) and biotic interactions could have interacted with these three processes during range expansion. Integrating these mechanisms could improve predictions for invasive taxa and long-term evolutionary responses of expanding clades to climate change.

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Developmental Constraints and Evolution: A Perspective from the Mountain Lake Conference on Development and Evolution

Cited by 1,323 publications

References 0 publications

Dynamics of gene circuits shapes evolvability

Dynamics of gene circuits shapes evolvability

Integrating the genotype and phenotype in hominid paleontology

Available Climate Regimes Drive Niche Diversification during Range Expansion

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