Genetic ecology

Genetic ecology is the study of the stability and expression of varying genetic material within abiotic mediums.[1] Typically, genetic data is not thought of outside of any organism save for criminal forensics. However, genetic material has the ability to be taken up by various organisms that exist within an abiotic medium through natural transformations that may occur.[2] Thus, this field of study focuses on interaction, exchange, and expression of genetic material that may not be shared by species had they not been in the same environment.

History

E.B. Ford was the first geneticist to begin work in this field of study. E.B. Ford worked mostly during the 1950s and is most noted for his work with Maniola jurtina and published a book entitled Ecological Genetics in 1975.[3][4] This type of evolutionary biological study was only possible after gel electrophoresis had been designed in 1937.[5] Prior to this, a high throughput method for DNA analysis did not exist. This field of study began to become more popular following the 1980s with the development of polymerase chain reaction (PCR 1985) and poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis (p. 1967).[6][7] With this technology, segments of DNA could be sequenced, amplified, and proteins produced using bacterial transformations. The genetic material along with the proteins could be analyzed and more correct phylogenetic trees could be created.

Since E.B. Ford's research, multiple other genetic ecologists have continued study within the field of genetic ecology such as PT Hanford[8] Alina von Thaden,[9] and many others.[10][11][12][13][14]

Gene transfer

Genetic information may transfer throughout an ecosystem in multiple ways. The first of which, on the smallest scale, being bacterial gene transfer (see bacterial transformations). Bacteria have the ability to exchange DNA. This DNA exchange, or horizontal gene transfer, may provide various species of bacteria with the genetic information they need to survive in an environment.[15] This can help many bacterial species survive within an environment.

A similar event has the ability to happen between plants and bacteria. For example, Agrobacterium tumefaciens has the ability to introduce genes into plants to cause the development of Gall disease. This occurs through genetic transfer between the A. tumefaciens and between the plant in question.[16]

In fact, a similar event occurs each time viral infections occur within living organisms. The viruses, whether positive or negative sense viruses, require a living organism to replicate their genes and produce more viruses. Once a virus is inside a living organism, it utilizes polymerases, ribosomes, and other biomolecules to replicate its own genetic material and to produce more virus genetic material similar to the original virus.[17] Thus, gene transfer may occur through many varying means. Thus, the study of this gene transfer throughout each ecosystem, whether it be through a bacterial ecosystem or through the ecosystem of an organism, genetic ecology is the study of this gene transfer and its causes.

References
  1. Kellenberger, E. (15 May 1994) "Genetic ecology: a new interdisciplinary science, fundamental for evolution, biodiversity and biosafety evaluations" Experientia vol50:5 pp. 429–437
  2. Lederberg, J. (1994) The Transformation of Genetics The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
  3. Ecological Genetics (n.d.)
  4. Baxter S.W. et. al (2017) "EB Ford revisited: assessing the long-term stability of wing-spot patterns and population genetic structure of the meadow brown butterfly on the Isles of Scilly" Heredity
  5. Tiselius, A. (25 January 1937) "A New Apparatus for Electrophoretic Analysis of Colloidal Mixtures" Transactions of the Faraday Society
  6. Shapiro, A.L. et. al (7 September 1967) "Molecular weight estimation of polypeptide chains by electrophoresis in SDS-polyacrylamide gels" Biochem Biophys Res Commun
  7. "The History of PCR" (2004)
  8. Handford PT. (1973) "Patterns of variation in a number of genetic systems in Maniola jurtina" Isles of Scilly. Proc R Soc B Biol Sci 183: 285–300. |
  9. Thaden, A. et. al (11 August 2017) "Assessing SNP genotyping of noninvasively collected wildlife samples using microfluidic arrays" Scientific Reports
  10. Frachon, L et. al (27 July 2017) "Intermediate degrees of synergistic pleiotropy drive adaptive evolution in ecological time" Nature, Ecology, and Evolution
  11. Torda, G. et. al (26 July 2017) Rapid adaptive responses to climate change in corals Nature Climate Change
  12. Benvenuto, C. Cosica, I. Chopelet, J. Sala-Bozano, M. Mariani, S. (25 July 2017) Ecological and evolutionary consequences of alternative sex-change pathways in fish Scientific Reports
  13. Cure, K. Thomas, L. Hobbs, JPA. Fairclough, D.V. Kennington, W.J. (25 July 2017) "Genomic signatures of local adaptation reveal source-sink dynamics in a high gene flow fish species" Scientific Reports
  14. Komurai, R. Fujisawa, T. Okuzaki, Y. Sota, T. (11 July 2017) "Genomic regions and genes related to inter-population differences in body size in the ground beetle Carabus japonicus" Scientific Reports
  15. "Horizontal Gene Transfer". (n.d.).
  16. "Methods of Gene Transfer in Plants" (2011) Agricultural Biosecurity
  17. 7. Weaver, R. (2012). Molecular biology (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill
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