Genomes are the blueprints of life: the genomic DNA sequences contain the instructions for the formation of a given species. DNA sequence polymorphisms between individuals of the same species offer a hypothesis to understand the molecular bases of fitness differences. However, many polymorphisms are located in parts of the genome that we poorly understand: the non-coding genome. While polymorphisms that change the protein sequence offer a sufficiently clear path forward, my seminar outlines approaches and solutions to understand the non-coding genome.
Results from my laboratory illustrate different molecular mechanisms of how the non-coding genome promotes organismal fitness. The results from my lab highlight different ways of how the non-coding genome communicates functional information, with intriguing implications for current models explaining non-coding genome conservation and function.