596 The Evolution of Development 2005. Syllabus draft. (Definitive syllabus the first day of class)

12:30 13:45 T TH LS 269

Cesar Arenas-Mena arenas@sciences.sdsu.edu X0717

Office hours LS271 or Lab LS216, Anytime or by appointment

Course description

We will explore how the regulatory functions of development are shaped by evolution and vice versa, how evolution depends on the regulatory fiber of developmental processes.

Undergraduate rerequisites:

Genetics and Evolution 352.

Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology 366.

Both completed.

Optional eadings:

From DNA to diversity: molecular genetics and the evolution of animal design. Sean B. Carroll, Jennifer K. Grenier, and Scott D. Weatherbee. Blackwell Science. 2001 or new edition. This way too basic book deals with many of the ideas that will be discussed during the course. The concepts will be further explored with review papers, class material and exercises provided during lectures and on the “blackboard” web page. Please, check the blackboard at least once a week.

Genomic regulatory systems: development and evolution. Eric H. Davidson. Academic Press. 2001. Advanced reading. This book explains how the regulatory systems of development work and has interesting reflections about their evolution. The emphasis is on transcriptional regulatory networks and their relevance to the evolutionary process. During the course, some of the illustrative examples of this book will be explored by the reading of the review papers.

Some reference books:

Developmental Biology. Scott F. Gilbert. Sixth edition. 2000. Sinauer. (Free online @ NCBI)

Embryology: constructing the organism. Scott F. Gilbert and Anne M. Raunio.1997. Sinauer.

Evolution. Scott Freeman and Jon C. Herron. Pearson Prentice Hall. 2004.

Evolution. Mark Ridley. Third edition. 2003. Blackwell Science.

Presentations and discussions

All the students should give a talk about a research paper. The list of papers will depend on the number of students enrolled and will be provided before the third portion of the course. Everybody should read the publications before the presentation.

Critical reading and written paper:

All students will identify a subject in the literature strongly related with the aim of this course and prepare a paper. References in the recommended readings and books are a good starting point. No cheating.

Guidelines about papers and presentations will be provided in class.

Student learning outcomes in a nut-shell

Skills:

Literature retrieval in unfamiliar discipline.

Advanced critical thinking and self-learning skills.

Oral presentations and discussion.

Concepts:

Identification of relevant molecular substrate of regulatory entities.

Basic understanding of transcriptional regulation, signal transduction and development.

Understanding of how the molecular changes in the regulatory machinery translate in evolutionary transformations.

Understanding of how the regulatory machinery is shaped by evolutionary processes acting at the population genetics level that eventually derive in major body plan transformations.

Exams

There will be a midterm and a final exam. There will be questions about the research and review papers. You have to bring your own copies of the papers to the exam sessions. No books.

Grading

Grads. Undergrads.

Exams (midterm and final) 60% 70%

Critical reading and written paper 20% 15%

Presentation/discussion of research publication 20% 15%

Scale