The origin of novelty is one of the central questions of evolution. One of the key issues concerning the genetic basis of novelty is the extent to which novelty requires the evolution of new genes. My laboratory has been focused on the genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of animal form, and more recently, on biochemical novelties such as the evolution of snake venom. We have found that the evolution of gene regulatory sequences is the predominant mechanism underlying the evolution of morphological traits, while the evolution of protein activity involves a variety of genetic mechanisms depending upon whether evolutionary change involves the amount or specificity of proteins. The increasing empirical understanding of how different kinds of traits arise is driving a major rethinking of the role of gene duplication in evolution.
The GGA Seminar Series is held In-Person and on Zoom: https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/99571426936?pwd=L2tqQjRUOWMzK1BkSFZSQXprYnRVQT09