Understanding phenotypes: Contributions from studying mutations in a model organism (2012-2016)
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of phenotypes is necessary to characterise their genetic basis, and to understand how they evolve. Fish, a highly specious group of vertebrates, face unique locomotor challenges to survive and reproduce in water. Kinematic and physiological predictions of fish phenotypes under different hydrological conditions are often not met. Is this because of a misunderstanding of ecology or of phenotypes? Zebrafish provide the opportunity to manipulate phenotypes and develop a better understanding of what determines how well fish swim. Using mutations to increase phenotypic variation, I will characterise how morphology and physiology co-vary to determine performance, and to infer how these relationships can evolve.
