Fly Research
1) The genetic basis of morphological variation within and between species
We are currently pursuing the genes and nucleotide changes underlying differences in a number of morphological traits within and between D. melanogaster and species of the D. simulans clade (D. simulans, D. mauritiana and D. sechellia). This includes investigating the basis of intra-specific variation in leg trichome patterns in D. melanogaster, and differences in features of head morphology and male genitalia between D. mauritiana and D. simulans, and between different D. simulans populations.
2) The phenotypic effect of natural genetic variation
There is considerable genetic variation between populations as well as between species, however, the functional consequences of the vast majority of this variation remains unknown. To investigate the functional consequences of this variation we are using transgenic approaches in D. melanogaster to test intra- and inter-specific amino acid variation in a range of transcription factors.
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Further reading
McGregor, A. P., Orgogozo, V., Delon, I., Zanet, J., Srinivasan, D. G., Payre, F. and Stern, D. L. (2007). Morphological evolution through multiple cis-regulatory mutations at a single gene. Nature 448, 587-590.
Gregor, T., McGregor, A. P. and Wieschaus, E. F. (2008). Shape and function of the Bicoid morphogen gradient in dipteran species with different sized embryos. Developmental Biology 316, 350-358.
Spider Research
The Wnt genes encode secreted glycoprotein ligands that are important for many developmental processes in animals. The 12 or 13 subfamilies of these genes appeared early in animal evolution, but have since undergone numerous lineage specific loses and duplications.
We employ the common house spider Achaearanea tepidariorum as a model to investigate the expression and function of Wnt genes in chelicerates to understand the evolution of these genes in arthropods and other metazoans.
Further reading
McGregor, A. P., Pechmann, M., Schwager, E. E., Feitosa, N. M., Kruck, S., Aranda, M. and. Damen, W. G. M. (2008). Wnt8 is required for establishment of the growth zone and development of opisthosomal segments in a spider. Current Biology 18, 1619-1623.
McGregor, A. P., Hilbrant, M., Pechmann, M., Schwager, E. E., Prpic, N. M. and Damen, W. G. (2008). Cupiennius salei and Achaearanea tepidariorum: Spider models for investigating evolution and development. Bioessays 30, 487-98.
