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SEMINAR: Thursday, 21st of May 15:15 @ the Lecture Hall, Lovén centre Tjärnö: Developmental mode polymorphism in Pygospio elegans: genetic & epigenetic patterns K. Emily Knott, University of Jyväskylä, Finland Transitions in developmental mode are common evolutionarily, but how and why they occur is not understood. Developmental mode describes characteristics of larvae, including their morphology, ecology and behavior: larval phenotypes, which typically are generalized across different species. Evolution of different developmental modes potentially can be affected by a variety of factors, including genetics, maternal effects, and the environment. My research includes approaches aimed at examining these three, interacting influences on the expression of different larval phenotypes in a species with developmental mode polymorphism, the polychaete worm Pygospio elegans. I’ll present a summary of what we know so far, regarding patterns of genetic structure in populations of P. elegans. In addition, since maternal provisioning is a key factor determining eventual larval phenotype, I’ll describe our approach to understanding more about the mother’s influence on the larvae. A comparison of transcriptomes of gravid mothers reveals some differences in expressed genes during oogenesis of eggs and nurse eggs. Patterns of DNA methylation, potentially leading to gene expression differences among mothers, are also explored. Study of a polymorphic species provides a new way to assess mechanisms of developmental mode transitions without the confounding differentiation that accompanies and follows speciation. However, it is not without its limitations!