 | Positions: Research Biologist, NIST Adjunct Associate Professor, UMBI Education: Ph.D., Biology, University of Iowa, 1991 B.A., English, Grinnell College, 1985 Email: stoltzfu@umbi.umd.edu Homepage:Stoltzfus Lab Voice: (240) 314-6208 FAX: (240) 314-6255 Mailing info CARB Faculty Directory |
Research OverviewDNA, Mutations and Evolution Genetic information is contained in DNA sequences, which contain sequences that specify the amino acid sequences of proteins, and which also contain sequences that regulate the expression of that information within living cells. All of this information is represented by the sequence of four types of subunits found in all DNA sequence: it is the sequence of these four subunits (adenosine, cytosine, guanosine and thymine) abbreviated A, C, G, and T, that represents all forms of genetic information contained in DNA. When these subunits change (for example, an A changes to a C or a T), this is referred to as... Complete Information... | Research DescriptionResearch Area: Computational Biology Research Specialties: Bioinformatics, Evolution The Stoltzfus group uses computer simulations and statistical data analysis to explore models and to test hypotheses about the evolution of genes, proteins, and genomes. The evolution of introns is a long-standing interest. The diversity of intron sites observed in a eukaryotic gene family is due primarily, not to inheritance of primordial introns, nor to "intron sliding", but to the gain of introns (Stoltzfus, et al., 1997). Therefore our research focuses on models of intron gain (e.g., Qiu, et al., 2004). Recent work includes a model of intron gain that accounts largely for non-uniformity in the positions of introns relative to protein structure (De Kee, et al, accepted). A second major topic is understanding the role of mutation in evolution. Contrary to conventional wisdom, mutation is non-uniform, and its non-uniformities impose non-uniformities on evolution, even adaptive evolution. This influence raises many questions... Complete Information... |
