CANCELLED - Ed Louis: "Population genomics and quantitative genetics in yeast"

  • Date: Jun 21, 2016
  • Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
  • Speaker: Ed Louis from the University of Leicester
  • For more information, please check http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/genetics/people/ed-louis
  • Location: MPI Plön
  • Room: Lecture hall
  • Host: Duncan Greig
Abstract:
"The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been at the forefront of advances in genetics and genomics and this continues with recent advances in quantitative genetics. Using multigenerational breeding with several distinct isolates from different populations, we find in general that complex traits are more complex than previously thought. We can now hone in on the QTLs down to the gene responsible in most cases. General findings include: 1) the phenotypic variation among offspring is generally greater than that of the parents - transgressive variation, 2) many of the QTLs have effects opposite to that expected - antagonistic variation, 3) many QTLs are composed of linked QTLs of mixed effects, and 4) there is a great deal of epistatic interaction among QTLs for most traits. These findings are not yeast specific and similar observations are being found in plant and animal models. In addition to bona fide species, many important yeasts, as well as plants, are hybrids, which are difficult to do genetics with, as they are sterile. We overcome this using a tretraploid intermediate and can undertake the same sophisticated quantitative genetic analysis of complex traits in hybrids. These studies also inform our understanding of reproductive isolation and speciation in the clade where sequence divergence itself plays a major role along with DM incompatibilities and chromosomal rearrangements.”

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