BIOL2040: Evolution Lecture Summary

A set of vocabulary flashcards to aid in the understanding of key concepts in evolutionary developmental biology as covered in the BIOL2040 course.

Evo-Devo

Evolutionary developmental biology; the study of how evolutionary processes shape developmental processes and pathways.

Ontogeny

The development of an individual organism over its lifetime.

Heterochrony

Differences in the timing of developmental processes between species.

Homeotic genes

Genes that regulate the development of anatomical structures.

Hox genes

A subset of homeotic genes that determine the positioning of body structures.

Colinearity

The correspondence between the order of genes on a chromosome and the bodies they develop.

Paralogs

Multiple copies of the same gene that arise from gene duplication events.

Subfunctionalization

Divergence of duplicated genes where each paralog takes on part of the original gene's function.

Neofunctionalization

Divergence of duplicated genes where one paralog assumes a new function.

C-value paradox

Genomes of different organisms do not correlate with their phenotypic complexity.

G-value paradox

The number of protein-coding genes not corresponding with organismal complexity.

Transcription factors

Proteins that bind to DNA to control the rate of gene expression.

Regulatory enhancers

DNA sequences that regulate the timing and level of gene expression.

Gene duplication

The process by which a segment of DNA is copied, resulting in two identical genes.

Gene families

Groups of related genes that have evolved from a common ancestor.

Neural crest cells

Embryonic stem cells that give rise to various cell types in vertebrates.

Phenotypic complexity

The range of physical and biological traits expressed by an organism.

Evolutionary trends

Patterns observed in the evolution of species over time.

Regulatory switches

Elements that turn gene expression on or off in response to environmental cues.

Gene expression

The process by which information from a gene is used to create a functional gene product.

Functional paralogs

Gene copies that acquire new functions after duplication.

Morphological traits

Physical characteristics of an organism that can change developmentally.

Developmental pathways

The biochemical and genetic mechanisms that control how an organism develops.

Genetic controls

The systems of genes and their interactions that dictate development.

Early embryonic development

The process that occurs after fertilization, leading to the formation of the body plan.

MADS-box genes

Homeotic genes involved in the development of flowers and other plant structures.

Accelerated heterochrony

Developmental timing where juvenile forms display adult traits earlier than related species.

Evo-Devo research

The scientific study of the interplay between evolution and developmental biology.

Homologous genes

Genes that share a common ancestry and may have similar functions across different species.

Biogenic law

The idea that development of an organism reflects its evolutionary history.

Embryonic characteristics

Features that embryos display which can provide insight into their evolutionary past.

Genomic evolution

Changes in the structure and size of genomes across different species.

Transcriptional regulation

The control of gene expression levels through the action of transcription factors and enhancers.

Ancient homologies

Shared genetic sequences that are preserved over long evolutionary periods.

Developmental timing variations

Differences in when certain traits appear during the development of different species.

Regulatory networks

Complex systems of interactions between genes that dictate developmental outcomes.

Gene drift

Random changes in the frequency of alleles in a population due to chance.

Encoding transcription factors

The process by which genes produce proteins that control other genes.

Evolutionary mechanisms

Processes like natural selection and mutation that drive evolution.