Genetics 462 — Evolutionary Genetics— Spring 2007
Instructor:
Anne M. Bronikowski
237 Bessey
294-7170
abroniko@iastate.edu
Office Hours: T/R 11AM-noon
or by Appt.
Course Content:
This 3-credit course will focus on genetic and selective
processes at the population level that are responsible for the generation and
maintenance of biological diversity. We will begin with a discussion of variation
and move from there to basic population genetic theory and variations on that
theme. Next we will briefly evaluate the role of population genetics in the fields
of molecular evolution and speciation. Afterward we will extend the theory and
concepts of population genetics to more complex, quantitative traits. Finally, to
tie the genetic machinery firmly into adaptive evolutionary processes, we will
explore and apply the statistical tools of multivariate selection theory.
Course Prerequisite: BIOL 303 or equivalent evolution course. A background in
statistics, particularly a STAT 401-type course or higher, would also be helpful.
Recommended Text: A Primer of Ecological Genetics, by Conner & Hartl
I will not follow the text directly and I will list readings to supplement particular
topics.
Classes: We will meet in 107 Kildee from 09:30 sharp to ~10:45 on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. I encourage you to ask questions even if they seem totally simple and
you think you just dozed off and missed the point. Obviously, you won’t benefit if
you don’t understand what we’re discussing. I expect you to attend class regularly
and promptly (plus the exams will come almost solely from my lectures).
If you have a documented disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course,
please make arrangements to meet with me by the end of the first week of class. Please also
request that a Disability Resources staff member (1076 Student Services Building, 4-6624)
send a SAAR form verifying your disability and specifying the accommodation you will
need.
Course Requirements:
1)
In-class quizzes and assignments
20%
Each quiz will consist of a single question just like I would ask on an exam (short
essay and problem solving). You will have 10 minutes to finish (09:30-09:40), so
come prepared and don’t be late! An unexcused absence will earn a grade of zero.
I will implement occasional group problem sets that will improve your skills as
well.
2)
3)
Class presentation (as discussant)
Class participation in discussions
10%
10%
Each student will present a summary of a seminal paper in the field of
evolutionary genetics that I will assign. These summary discussions will each
have three assigned presenters. Everyone is required to participate in the
discussion of each figure. When being graded as a discussant, the grade will be
based on your preparation and presentation. When being graded as a participant,
your grade will depend on whether you actively participate in the class discussion
following the presentation, and whether you have prepared by reading the
assigned paper. Obviously, failure to participate in a discussion shall equal a 0 for
that date.
4)
Midterm exam
30%
The midterm exam will consist of about 10 questions. Coherent writing will be
necessary to answer the questions; a calculator may be useful for some questions.
Oh, and don’t cheat. I take it very seriously and do not tolerate it any form, not
that I expect it to be a problem. As with the quizzes, an unexcused absence will
earn a grade of zero. If you know you will miss the exam, tell me beforehand so
we can make arrangements. The exam will cover classical population genetics,
speciation genetics, and molecular evolution.
5)
Final exam (take-home!)
30%
It will focus entirely on problem solving and interpretation, will be comprehensive
but emphasize the latter portion of the course (i.e., quantitative genetics and
multivariate selection), and will be take-home. And, in case you forgot, don’t
cheat. You can use other resources if you feel they are necessary, but you must
work on the exam questions by yourself. I intend to hand out the exam in class on
26 April. It will be due in my office by 5 PM on 2 May so that we will have time
to grade it.
Genetics 462/562 — Evolutionary Genetics — Course Syllabus — Spring 2007
DATE
TOPIC
READING
Conner & Hartl or [Crow & Dove]
1/9
Phenotypic diversity, genetic variation, Hardy-Weinberg principle
pp. 1–36
1/11
Sex-linkage and linkage disequilibrium
pp. 157–160
1/16
Non-random mating--Assortation and inbreeding
pp. 36–43
1/18
Discussion 1
Godfrey Harold Hardy & Wilhelm Weinberg
Hardy. 1908. Science 28: 49-50
Stern 1943. Science 97: 137-138
[54-57]
1/23
Random genetic drift--Effective population size, F-statistics
pp. 52–66
1/25
Migration--Wahlund’s principle, Wright’s island model
Stepping-stone model, private alleles
pp. 47–51
1/30
Mutation
2/1
Discussion 2
Herman Joseph Muller
1927. Artificial transmutation of the gene. Science 66:84-87
[51-53, 238241, 632-637]
2/6
Natural selection--Fitness, selection coefficient
Natural selection--overdominance, underdominance, etc.
pp. 66–71
pp. 71–76
2/8
Discussion 3
Barbara McClintock
1951. Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 16: 13-47
[469-474, 516519, 688-692]
2/13
Still more natural selection--Mutation-selection balance, genetic load, pp. 76–89
Haldane’s Sieve, Fisher’s Fundamental Theorem
2/15
Speciation--isolating mechanisms, modes, reinforcement, Haldane’s Rule
2/20
Discussion 4
Theodosius Dobzhansky
[31-34, 5551937. Genetic nature of species differences. Am Nat 71: 404-420
559,612-616]
Speciation--isolating mechanisms, modes, reinforcement, Haldane’s Rule
2/22
Discussion 5
John Burdon Sanderson Haldane
1922. Sex-ratio and unisexual sterility in hybrid animals.
J. Genet. 12: 101-109.
[253-258, 617-631]
2/28
Neutral theory of molecular evolution, molecular clocks, selfish DNA
3/1
Discussion 6
Motôo Kimura
1968. Evolutionary rate at the molecular level. Nature 217: 624-626
[17-18, 93-96]
3/6
MIDTERM EXAM
3/8
Quantitative genetic traits & statistical measures/methods--phenotypic pp. 97–107,
plasticity, reaction norms, genotype-by-environment interactions
137–145
3/20
Partitioning phenotypic variation; Repeatability
3/22
Discussion 7
Francis Galton
[357-360,465-468]
1888. Co-relations and their measurement. Proc. R. Soc. London
45: 135 – 145.
3/27
Heritability--broad-sense, narrow-sense, estimation, interpretation
pp. 112–133
3/29
Genetic covariances and correlations
pp. 150–163
4/3
# of loci affecting a trait, QTL analysis
pp. 170–180
4/5
Discussion 8
Richard C. Lewontin
[227-232, 378-383]
1966. A molecular approach to the study of genetic heterozygosity in natural
populations. Genetics 54:595-609
4/10
Experimental methods of quantitative genetics (QG w/o tears)-common gardens, wide crosses
pp. 145–147
4/12
More quantitative genetics without tears--transplant experiments
Selection differentials, response to selection
pp. 147–149,
163–170
4/17
Multivariate selection--correlated response, selection gradient,
predicting/reconstructing adaptive evolution
pp. 189–210,
216–223
pp. 108–111
4/19
Discussion 9
Lynn Margulis
4/24
Adaptive landscapes and evolutionary equilibria
4/26
Visualizing multivariate selection
RECEIVE FINAL EXAM
5/2
FINAL EXAM DUE BY 5 PM!
pp. 210–211