Embryonic Change Elicits Adult Fish Change

November 8, 2005

Release from: United Press International

ATLANTA - Georgia Institute of Technology scientists say they've uncovered the genetic elements determining structure and function of a simple biomechanical system.

In a study illustrating the apparent linkages between the evolutionary development and embryonic development of species, the researchers not only determined the genetic code of the lower jaw of the cichlid fish, but also found increasing expression of a particular gene in an embryo can lead to physical changes in the adult fish.

"We're using the jaw to think about the genetic basis of biomechanical systems," said Assistant Biology Professor J. Todd Streelman. "We want to understand the genes that control this lever system. What we found was that this simple biomechanical system is much more complex than previously thought."

Streelman and colleagues predicted components of the jaw that were functionally or developmentally related would be controlled by the same set of genes, or genetically integrated.

"We were surprised to see the genetic basis of components involved in opening the jaw is independent of the jaw-closing system," said Streelman.

The details of the study are published in the Nov. 11 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.