A fundamental tenet of evolutionary genetics is that the direction and strength of selection on individual loci varies with the environment. Barcoded evolutionary lineage tracking is a powerful approach for high-throughput measurement of selection within experimental evolution that to date has largely been restricted to studies within microbial systems, largely because the random integration of barcodes within animals is limited by physical and molecular protection of the germline. Here, we use the recently developed TARDIS barcoding system in (Stevenson et al.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-throughput transgenesis using synthetic DNA libraries is a powerful method for systematically exploring genetic function. Diverse synthesized libraries have been used for protein engineering, identification of protein-protein interactions, characterization of promoter libraries, developmental and evolutionary lineage tracking, and various other exploratory assays. However, the need for library transgenesis has effectively restricted these approaches to single-cell models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSexual reproduction often leads to selection that favors the evolution of sex-limited traits or sex-specific variation for shared traits. These sexual dimorphisms manifest due to sex-specific genetic architectures and sex-biased gene expression across development, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these patterns are largely unknown. The first step is to understand how sexual dimorphisms arise across the genotype-phenotype-fitness map.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrecision genome editing for model organisms has revolutionized functional analysis and validation of a wide variety of molecular systems. To date, the capacity to insert single-copy transgenes into the model nematode has focused on utilizing either transposable elements or CRISPR-based safe harbor strategies. These methods require plate-level screening processes to avoid selecting heritable extrachromosomal arrays or rely on co-CRISPR markers to identify knock-in events.
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