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The Best Genes for the Job!. Kate and Michael. How did you get to be the way you are today?. Think about why you are the height you are…or why your favorite foods are your favorite. How did you get to be the way you are today?. + Environment. Genes. Images: wikimedia.org, healthparley.com.
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The Best Genes for the Job! Kate and Michael
How did you get to be the way you are today? Think about why you are the height you are…or why your favorite foods are your favorite
How did you get to be the way you are today? + Environment Genes Images: wikimedia.org, healthparley.com
Nature vs. Nurture Q: What is more important in determining your physical and behavioral traits, nature (genes) or nurture (environment)?
Nature vs. Nurture A: Both Genes and the environment both play an important role and often interact with each other Images: neihs.nih.gov
Genotype-Environment Interaction (GxE) A GxE is when genes and the environment interact with each other to determine how a trait is expressed • The same genes in different environments may not result in the same phenotype Images: gatech.edu
Maze-Running Ability in Rats • Two different genotypes were created “bright” and “dull” • “Bright” rats do better at running a maze than “dull” rats • BUT…this difference in ability disappears if the rats are raised in a more social environment with lots of objects to explore • The bright genes only outperform the dull genes in certain environments Cooper and Zubek 1958
Plant Height and Altitude • Seven different yarrow plant genotypes were all grown at low, medium, and high elevations • No single genotype grew the best at all elevations. • Altitude influenced plant height, but not in the same way for all genotypes Clausen et al. 1948
Sickle cell anemia • Autosomal recessive disease • Carriers have symptoms when deprived of oxygen or dehydrated Images: wikimedia.org, abbotlab.wordpress.com
Sickle cell anemia Adaptive advantage: the heterozygote (carrier) is resistant to malaria Carriers still have some defective hemoglobin, which the parasite cannot digest SCA persists in areas where malaria is present: distribution of the sickle-cell trait historical distribution of Malaria Images: wikimedia.org
MAOA and Antisocial behavior • The amount of MAOA enzymes can influence violence and antisocial behavior in humans • Low levels of MAOA increases the risk of antisocial behavior in adults…BUT…only when they were raised in an abusive environment Caspi et al. 2002
The best genes for the job! You are all birds. There are two different genotypes for beak shape (spoons and tweezers) Images: igourment.com, photohome.com, neillosin.com, webstaurantstore.com,
The best genes for the job! • Your goal is to “eat” as much as possible by picking up beans with your beak • There are two different environments to feed in Images: webstaurantstore.com, igourmet.com, foodsubs.com
The best genes for the job! • Which genotype is best? Images: powernet.co.uk, 9bar-espresso.com, happyfolding.com
An additional experiment Little bluestem Big bluestem Images: podepauw.edu, nps.gov
An additional experiment Big bluestem Little bluestem • Usually ~3 ft. in height • Do well in gravel, sandy soil Can reach 10 ft. in height Prefers deep fertile soil LaGory et al. 1982, wildflower.org