Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


case1220370670.pdf (1.87 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Positive Selection in Transcription Factor Genes Along the Human Lineage

Nickel, Gabrielle Celeste
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1220370670

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Genetics.
The genetic changes that have occurred that led to the phenotypic divergence of modern Homo sapiens are unknown, as are the molecular mechanisms through which these changes transpired. A predominant theory in the field of human molecular evolution is that these changes happened because of the effects of adaptive protein evolution, also known as positive selection. This theory posits that amino acid changes have occurred along the human lineage that were beneficial to modern man and fixed in the population, thereby contributing to divergence. Transcription factors are proteins that regulate the expression of other genes, and they have a major role in embryogenesis and development. In this thesis, I have investigated transcription factor genes for human specific positive selection that contributed to the phenotypic divergence of humans and chimpanzees. Over the course of this work, I have developed a novel statistical approach for predicting positive selection that is particularly useful in closely related species, as I have shown that traditional methods lack power to detect selection along short branch lengths. I have also used genome wide expression arrays to test for differential activity and functional divergence of a human candidate transcription factor predicted to be positively selected.
Helen Salz, PhD (Committee Chair)
Mark Adams, PhD (Advisor)
Radhika Atit, PhD (Committee Member)
Peter Harte, PhD (Committee Member)
Joe Nadeau, PhD (Committee Member)
248 p.
Bioinformatics; Genetics
Positive selection; transcription factors; maximum likelihood

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Nickel, G. C. (2008). Positive Selection in Transcription Factor Genes Along the Human Lineage [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1220370670

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Nickel, Gabrielle. Positive Selection in Transcription Factor Genes Along the Human Lineage. 2008. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1220370670.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Nickel, Gabrielle. "Positive Selection in Transcription Factor Genes Along the Human Lineage." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1220370670

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1220370670
1,049
© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.