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Combining experimental evolution with next-generation sequencing, the evolve and resequence (E&R) approach is a powerful method for dissecting the genomic changes underlying the adaptation of populations of laboratory organisms or molecules. This Review describes the E&R results from diverse systems and discusses the extent to which various features, including population genetics, experimental setups and reproduction modes, account for the distinct observed outcomes.
R loops form when a transcript hybridizes to a complementary DNA locus to result in an RNA–DNA hybrid and a displaced single DNA strand. Such structures can have detrimental cellular roles by causing genome instability. However, recent studies have provided detailed views of genome-wide R-loop occurrences and uncovered various apparently beneficial roles in gene regulation. This Review discusses our latest understanding of the contrasting functions of R loops and the implications for genome regulation and various diseases.
The plant circadian clock regulates many physiological processes, such as growth, flowering time, abiotic and biotic stress responses, and metabolism. In turn, many of these responses feed back to control the circadian clock. This Review describes the integration of circadian dynamics into the study of plant physiological processes and highlights the importance of incorporating circadian, spatial and temporal information into predictive models to improve crop breeding.
Ecological evolutionary developmental biology (Eco-Evo-Devo) is a relatively new field that integrates developmental biology and ecology into evolutionary theory. The authors review new research in this field relating to the roles of developmental plasticity and developmental symbiosis in evolution.
