Erik Svensson and Ryan Calsbeek (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- December 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199595372
- eISBN:
- 9780191774799
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199595372.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This book aims to present different voices and perspectives on the adaptive landscape, its past, present, and future position in evolutionary biology. Chapters have been written by scientists in ...
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This book aims to present different voices and perspectives on the adaptive landscape, its past, present, and future position in evolutionary biology. Chapters have been written by scientists in different fields, including ecology, evolution, developmental biology, genetics, history of science and philosophy. The idea for this book came a few years ago, as the 80-year anniversary of Sewall Wright's classic paper was approaching rapidly (2012). This seemed to be an excellent opportunity to summarize the state of the art of the adaptive landscape. The hope is that this volume won't mark the end of the scientific discussions about the adaptive landscape, but rather a new beginning. And finally, it is hoped that if the adaptive landscape will not survive another 80 years, it will hopefully be replaced by an even better concept or metaphor that will push evolutionary biology forward and increase knowledge about adaptation, speciation, and the origins and preservation of biodiversity on this fragile planet.Less
This book aims to present different voices and perspectives on the adaptive landscape, its past, present, and future position in evolutionary biology. Chapters have been written by scientists in different fields, including ecology, evolution, developmental biology, genetics, history of science and philosophy. The idea for this book came a few years ago, as the 80-year anniversary of Sewall Wright's classic paper was approaching rapidly (2012). This seemed to be an excellent opportunity to summarize the state of the art of the adaptive landscape. The hope is that this volume won't mark the end of the scientific discussions about the adaptive landscape, but rather a new beginning. And finally, it is hoped that if the adaptive landscape will not survive another 80 years, it will hopefully be replaced by an even better concept or metaphor that will push evolutionary biology forward and increase knowledge about adaptation, speciation, and the origins and preservation of biodiversity on this fragile planet.
Jan Vijg
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198569237
- eISBN:
- 9780191728242
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198569237.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Aging has long since been ascribed to the gradual accumulation of DNA mutations in the genome of somatic cells. However, it is only recently that the necessary sophisticated technology has been ...
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Aging has long since been ascribed to the gradual accumulation of DNA mutations in the genome of somatic cells. However, it is only recently that the necessary sophisticated technology has been developed to begin testing this theory and its consequences. This book critically reviews the concept of genomic instability as a possible universal cause of aging in the context of a new, holistic understanding of genome functioning in complex organisms resulting from recent advances in functional genomics and systems biology. It provides a synthesis of current research, as well as a look ahead to the design of strategies to retard or reverse the deleterious effects of aging. This is particularly important in a time when we are urgently trying to unravel the genetic component of aging-related diseases. Moreover, there is a growing public recognition of the imperative of understanding more about the underlying biology of aging, driven by continuing demographic change.Less
Aging has long since been ascribed to the gradual accumulation of DNA mutations in the genome of somatic cells. However, it is only recently that the necessary sophisticated technology has been developed to begin testing this theory and its consequences. This book critically reviews the concept of genomic instability as a possible universal cause of aging in the context of a new, holistic understanding of genome functioning in complex organisms resulting from recent advances in functional genomics and systems biology. It provides a synthesis of current research, as well as a look ahead to the design of strategies to retard or reverse the deleterious effects of aging. This is particularly important in a time when we are urgently trying to unravel the genetic component of aging-related diseases. Moreover, there is a growing public recognition of the imperative of understanding more about the underlying biology of aging, driven by continuing demographic change.
David A Liberles (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199299188
- eISBN:
- 9780191714979
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199299188.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Ancestral sequence reconstruction is a technique of growing importance in molecular evolutionary biology and comparative genomics. As a powerful tool for testing evolutionary and ecological ...
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Ancestral sequence reconstruction is a technique of growing importance in molecular evolutionary biology and comparative genomics. As a powerful tool for testing evolutionary and ecological hypotheses, as well as uncovering the link between sequence and molecular phenotype, there are potential applications in almost all fields of applied molecular biology. This book starts with a historical overview of the field, before discussing the potential applications in drug discovery and the pharmaceutical industry. This is followed by a section on computational methodology, which provides a detailed discussion of the available methods for reconstructing ancestral sequences (including their advantages, disadvantages, and potential pitfalls). Purely computational applications of the technique are then covered, including whole proteome reconstruction. Further chapters provide a detailed discussion on taking computationally reconstructed sequences and synthesizing them in the laboratory. The book concludes with a description of the scientific questions where experimental ancestral sequence reconstruction has been utilized to provide insights and inform future research.Less
Ancestral sequence reconstruction is a technique of growing importance in molecular evolutionary biology and comparative genomics. As a powerful tool for testing evolutionary and ecological hypotheses, as well as uncovering the link between sequence and molecular phenotype, there are potential applications in almost all fields of applied molecular biology. This book starts with a historical overview of the field, before discussing the potential applications in drug discovery and the pharmaceutical industry. This is followed by a section on computational methodology, which provides a detailed discussion of the available methods for reconstructing ancestral sequences (including their advantages, disadvantages, and potential pitfalls). Purely computational applications of the technique are then covered, including whole proteome reconstruction. Further chapters provide a detailed discussion on taking computationally reconstructed sequences and synthesizing them in the laboratory. The book concludes with a description of the scientific questions where experimental ancestral sequence reconstruction has been utilized to provide insights and inform future research.
Maximilian J. Telford and D.T.J. Littlewood (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199549429
- eISBN:
- 9780191721601
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199549429.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics, Developmental Biology
Animal life, now and over the past half billion years, is incredibly diverse. Describing and understanding the evolution of this diversity of body plans — from vertebrates such as humans and fish to ...
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Animal life, now and over the past half billion years, is incredibly diverse. Describing and understanding the evolution of this diversity of body plans — from vertebrates such as humans and fish to the numerous invertebrate groups including sponges, insects, molluscs, and the many groups of worms — is a major goal of evolutionary biology. This book adopts a modern, integrated approach to describe how current molecular genetic techniques and disciplines as diverse as palaeontology, embryology, and genomics have been combined, resulting in a dramatic renaissance in the study of animal evolution. The last decade has seen growing interest in evolutionary biology fuelled by a wealth of data from molecular biology. Modern phylogenies integrating evidence from molecules, embryological data, and morphology of living and fossil taxa provide a wide consensus of the major branching patterns of the tree of life; moreover, the links between phenotype and genotype are increasingly well understood. This has resulted in a reliable tree of relationships that has been widely accepted and has spawned numerous new and exciting questions that require a reassessment of the origins and radiation of animal life. The focus of this volume is at the level of major animal groups, the morphological innovations that define them, and the mechanisms of change to their embryology that have resulted in their evolution. Current research themes and future prospects are highlighted including phylogeny reconstruction, comparative developmental biology, the value of different sources of data and the importance of fossils, homology assessment, character evolution, phylogeny of major groups of animals, and genome evolution. These topics are integrated in the light of a 'new animal phylogeny', to provide fresh insights into the patterns and processes of animal evolution.Less
Animal life, now and over the past half billion years, is incredibly diverse. Describing and understanding the evolution of this diversity of body plans — from vertebrates such as humans and fish to the numerous invertebrate groups including sponges, insects, molluscs, and the many groups of worms — is a major goal of evolutionary biology. This book adopts a modern, integrated approach to describe how current molecular genetic techniques and disciplines as diverse as palaeontology, embryology, and genomics have been combined, resulting in a dramatic renaissance in the study of animal evolution. The last decade has seen growing interest in evolutionary biology fuelled by a wealth of data from molecular biology. Modern phylogenies integrating evidence from molecules, embryological data, and morphology of living and fossil taxa provide a wide consensus of the major branching patterns of the tree of life; moreover, the links between phenotype and genotype are increasingly well understood. This has resulted in a reliable tree of relationships that has been widely accepted and has spawned numerous new and exciting questions that require a reassessment of the origins and radiation of animal life. The focus of this volume is at the level of major animal groups, the morphological innovations that define them, and the mechanisms of change to their embryology that have resulted in their evolution. Current research themes and future prospects are highlighted including phylogeny reconstruction, comparative developmental biology, the value of different sources of data and the importance of fossils, homology assessment, character evolution, phylogeny of major groups of animals, and genome evolution. These topics are integrated in the light of a 'new animal phylogeny', to provide fresh insights into the patterns and processes of animal evolution.
Claus Nielsen
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- December 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199606023
- eISBN:
- 9780191774706
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199606023.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics, Animal Biology
This book provides a comprehensive analysis of evolution in the animal kingdom. It reviews the classical, morphological information from structure and embryology, as well as the new data gained from ...
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This book provides a comprehensive analysis of evolution in the animal kingdom. It reviews the classical, morphological information from structure and embryology, as well as the new data gained from studies using immune stainings of nerves and muscles and blastomere markings, which makes it possible to follow the fate of single blastomeres all the way to early organogenesis. Until recently, the information from analyses of gene sequences has tended to produce myriads of quite diverging trees. However, the latest generation of molecular methods, using many genes, expressed sequence tags, and even whole genomes, has brought a new stability to the field. The book brings together the information from these varied fields, and demonstrates that it is indeed now possible to build a phylogenetic tree from a combination of both morphology and gene sequences. This thoroughly revised third edition brings the subject fully up to date, especially in light of the latest advances in molecular techniques. The book is illustrated throughout with finely detailed line drawings and clear diagrams, many of them new.Less
This book provides a comprehensive analysis of evolution in the animal kingdom. It reviews the classical, morphological information from structure and embryology, as well as the new data gained from studies using immune stainings of nerves and muscles and blastomere markings, which makes it possible to follow the fate of single blastomeres all the way to early organogenesis. Until recently, the information from analyses of gene sequences has tended to produce myriads of quite diverging trees. However, the latest generation of molecular methods, using many genes, expressed sequence tags, and even whole genomes, has brought a new stability to the field. The book brings together the information from these varied fields, and demonstrates that it is indeed now possible to build a phylogenetic tree from a combination of both morphology and gene sequences. This thoroughly revised third edition brings the subject fully up to date, especially in light of the latest advances in molecular techniques. The book is illustrated throughout with finely detailed line drawings and clear diagrams, many of them new.
William R. Clark and Michael Grunstein
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195178005
- eISBN:
- 9780199893331
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195178005.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
The role of genes in governing behavior remains one of the most controversial topics in human biology. Early in this century, over-eager promotion of a genetic basis for behavior led to the excesses, ...
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The role of genes in governing behavior remains one of the most controversial topics in human biology. Early in this century, over-eager promotion of a genetic basis for behavior led to the excesses, and ultimately the horrors, of eugenics. Subsequent reactions to these excesses, both within the scientific community and society as a whole, led to a nearly complete dismissal of a role for genes in human behavior. Slowly we come back to a more balanced view. Detailed studies of the biological basis of behavior in animals, from the simplest single-celled creatures through the most complex mammals, show that genes play an important role in guiding behavior. Studies in humans, especially those involving twins reared together or apart, indicate clearly that humans are no exception. The variability we see around us in the way humans respond in a given situation is strongly influenced by the variability in their genetic makeup. So are we powerless creations of our genes? Not at all. Guided by differing genetic makeups, we respond to our environment in different ways. But these responses, and the actions of our genes, are in turn modified by the environment itself. Behavior is the result of a balancing act between genes and the environment; between what we inherit and what we learn. To understand ourselves fully, we must understand both.Less
The role of genes in governing behavior remains one of the most controversial topics in human biology. Early in this century, over-eager promotion of a genetic basis for behavior led to the excesses, and ultimately the horrors, of eugenics. Subsequent reactions to these excesses, both within the scientific community and society as a whole, led to a nearly complete dismissal of a role for genes in human behavior. Slowly we come back to a more balanced view. Detailed studies of the biological basis of behavior in animals, from the simplest single-celled creatures through the most complex mammals, show that genes play an important role in guiding behavior. Studies in humans, especially those involving twins reared together or apart, indicate clearly that humans are no exception. The variability we see around us in the way humans respond in a given situation is strongly influenced by the variability in their genetic makeup. So are we powerless creations of our genes? Not at all. Guided by differing genetic makeups, we respond to our environment in different ways. But these responses, and the actions of our genes, are in turn modified by the environment itself. Behavior is the result of a balancing act between genes and the environment; between what we inherit and what we learn. To understand ourselves fully, we must understand both.
John C. Avise
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195369670
- eISBN:
- 9780199871063
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195369670.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
About 99.9% of vertebrate species reproduce sexually. This makes the exceptional 0.1%—the asexual or clonal reproducers—fascinating in their own right, and also uniquely instructive about the ...
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About 99.9% of vertebrate species reproduce sexually. This makes the exceptional 0.1%—the asexual or clonal reproducers—fascinating in their own right, and also uniquely instructive about the biological significance of alternative reproductive modes. This book describes the genetics, ecology, natural history, and evolution of all of the world's approximately 100 “species” of vertebrate animal that routinely display one form or another of clonal or quasi-clonal reproduction. The book investigates the astounding realm of sexual abstinence, from the levels of DNA molecules and somatic cells to whole animals and natural populations. Also described is how scientists have learned to mimic and extend nature's own clonal processes by engineering perfect copies of genes, genomes, and whole animals in the laboratory. By considering the many facets of sexual abstinence and clonal reproduction in vertebrate animals, new light is also shed on the biological meaning and ramifications of standard sexuality.Less
About 99.9% of vertebrate species reproduce sexually. This makes the exceptional 0.1%—the asexual or clonal reproducers—fascinating in their own right, and also uniquely instructive about the biological significance of alternative reproductive modes. This book describes the genetics, ecology, natural history, and evolution of all of the world's approximately 100 “species” of vertebrate animal that routinely display one form or another of clonal or quasi-clonal reproduction. The book investigates the astounding realm of sexual abstinence, from the levels of DNA molecules and somatic cells to whole animals and natural populations. Also described is how scientists have learned to mimic and extend nature's own clonal processes by engineering perfect copies of genes, genomes, and whole animals in the laboratory. By considering the many facets of sexual abstinence and clonal reproduction in vertebrate animals, new light is also shed on the biological meaning and ramifications of standard sexuality.
Gina M. Cannarozzi and Adrian Schneider (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199601165
- eISBN:
- 9780191810114
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199601165.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Codon-based models of evolution are a relatively new addition to the toolkit of computational biologists, and in recent years remarkable progress has been made in this area. The study of evolution at ...
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Codon-based models of evolution are a relatively new addition to the toolkit of computational biologists, and in recent years remarkable progress has been made in this area. The study of evolution at the codon level captures information contained in both amino acid and synonymous DNA substitutions. By combining these two types of information, codon analyses are more powerful than those of either amino acid or DNA evolution alone. This is a clear benefit for most evolutionary analyses, including phylogenetic reconstruction, detection of selection, ancestral sequence reconstruction, and alignment of coding DNA. Despite the theoretical advantages of codon-based models, their relative complexity delayed their widespread use. Only in recent years, when large-scale sequencing projects produced sufficient genomic data and computational power increased, did their usage become more common. This book provides the latest insights from codon-based analyses of genetic sequences. The first part of the book provides comprehensive coverage of the developments of various types of codon-substitution models such as parametric and empirical models used in maximum likelihood as well as Bayesian frameworks. Subsequent chapters examine the use of codon models to infer selection and other applications of codon models to biological systems. The second part of the book focuses on codon usage bias. Both the underlying mechanisms as well as current methods to analyse codon usage bias are presented.Less
Codon-based models of evolution are a relatively new addition to the toolkit of computational biologists, and in recent years remarkable progress has been made in this area. The study of evolution at the codon level captures information contained in both amino acid and synonymous DNA substitutions. By combining these two types of information, codon analyses are more powerful than those of either amino acid or DNA evolution alone. This is a clear benefit for most evolutionary analyses, including phylogenetic reconstruction, detection of selection, ancestral sequence reconstruction, and alignment of coding DNA. Despite the theoretical advantages of codon-based models, their relative complexity delayed their widespread use. Only in recent years, when large-scale sequencing projects produced sufficient genomic data and computational power increased, did their usage become more common. This book provides the latest insights from codon-based analyses of genetic sequences. The first part of the book provides comprehensive coverage of the developments of various types of codon-substitution models such as parametric and empirical models used in maximum likelihood as well as Bayesian frameworks. Subsequent chapters examine the use of codon models to infer selection and other applications of codon models to biological systems. The second part of the book focuses on codon usage bias. Both the underlying mechanisms as well as current methods to analyse codon usage bias are presented.
Ziheng Yang
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198567028
- eISBN:
- 9780191728280
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198567028.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
The field of molecular evolution has experienced explosive growth in recent years due to the rapid accumulation of genetic sequence data, continuous improvements to computer hardware and software, ...
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The field of molecular evolution has experienced explosive growth in recent years due to the rapid accumulation of genetic sequence data, continuous improvements to computer hardware and software, and the development of sophisticated analytical methods. The increasing availability of large genomic data sets requires powerful statistical methods to analyse and interpret them, generating both computational and conceptual challenges for the field. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of modern statistical and computational methods used in molecular evolutionary analysis, such as maximum likelihood and Bayesian statistics. It describes the models, methods and algorithms that are most useful for analysing the ever-increasing supply of molecular sequence data, with a view to furthering our understanding of the evolution of genes and genomes. The book emphasizes essential concepts rather than mathematical proofs. It includes detailed derivations and implementation details, as well as numerous illustrations, worked examples, and exercises.Less
The field of molecular evolution has experienced explosive growth in recent years due to the rapid accumulation of genetic sequence data, continuous improvements to computer hardware and software, and the development of sophisticated analytical methods. The increasing availability of large genomic data sets requires powerful statistical methods to analyse and interpret them, generating both computational and conceptual challenges for the field. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of modern statistical and computational methods used in molecular evolutionary analysis, such as maximum likelihood and Bayesian statistics. It describes the models, methods and algorithms that are most useful for analysing the ever-increasing supply of molecular sequence data, with a view to furthering our understanding of the evolution of genes and genomes. The book emphasizes essential concepts rather than mathematical proofs. It includes detailed derivations and implementation details, as well as numerous illustrations, worked examples, and exercises.
Barbara Forrest and Paul R. Gross
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195157420
- eISBN:
- 9780199894000
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195157420.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This book explains the history and strategy of the intelligent design creationist movement, which is headquartered at the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture in Seattle, WA. The ...
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This book explains the history and strategy of the intelligent design creationist movement, which is headquartered at the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture in Seattle, WA. The movement’s twenty-year “Wedge Strategy,” implementation of which began in 1998, is aimed at bringing intelligent design into American public schools, public policymaking, and the cultural mainstream. Beginning with a brief history of the movement and the authentication of the “Wedge Document,” in which the Wedge Strategy is outlined, the book critiques the incompetent science and rhetorical tactics of the movement’s leaders: Douglas Axe, Paul Chien, Jonathan Wells, Michael Behe, and William Dembski. The movement’s own documents reveal its religious funding sources and its execution of all phases of the strategy except the production of genuine scientific data, including its development of a legal defense against challenges to the teaching of intelligent design. The book recounts the movement’s political maneuvering in its effort to influence science curricula in individual states, most notably Kansas and Ohio, and to develop political support among members of Congress. Importantly, the book documents the centrality of religion to intelligent design, its leaders’ associations with Christian extremists, its continuity with earlier forms of creationism, and its ambitions for academic legitimacy. This 2007 edition provides updates on the movement’s efforts in Kansas and Ohio and offers a firsthand account by Barbara Forrest, who was an expert witness for the plaintiffs, of the landmark legal case involving intelligent design, Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District (2005).Less
This book explains the history and strategy of the intelligent design creationist movement, which is headquartered at the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture in Seattle, WA. The movement’s twenty-year “Wedge Strategy,” implementation of which began in 1998, is aimed at bringing intelligent design into American public schools, public policymaking, and the cultural mainstream. Beginning with a brief history of the movement and the authentication of the “Wedge Document,” in which the Wedge Strategy is outlined, the book critiques the incompetent science and rhetorical tactics of the movement’s leaders: Douglas Axe, Paul Chien, Jonathan Wells, Michael Behe, and William Dembski. The movement’s own documents reveal its religious funding sources and its execution of all phases of the strategy except the production of genuine scientific data, including its development of a legal defense against challenges to the teaching of intelligent design. The book recounts the movement’s political maneuvering in its effort to influence science curricula in individual states, most notably Kansas and Ohio, and to develop political support among members of Congress. Importantly, the book documents the centrality of religion to intelligent design, its leaders’ associations with Christian extremists, its continuity with earlier forms of creationism, and its ambitions for academic legitimacy. This 2007 edition provides updates on the movement’s efforts in Kansas and Ohio and offers a firsthand account by Barbara Forrest, who was an expert witness for the plaintiffs, of the landmark legal case involving intelligent design, Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District (2005).
Accounting for Oneself
Adjusting to a World in Motion
Advancing the Human Right to Health
Aid and Development
The AIDS Generation
Aliens and Strangers?
Altruism in Humans
American Arcadia
Analogies and Theories
