Project description:The extinct Haast's eagle or harpagornis (Hieraaetus moorei) is the largest known eagle. Historically, it was first considered a predator, then a scavenger, but most recent authors have favoured an active hunting ecology. However, the veracity of proposed similarities to carrion feeders has not been thoroughly tested. To infer feeding capability and behaviour in harpagornis, we used geometric morphometric and finite-element analyses to assess the shape and biomechanical strength of its neurocranium, beak and talons in comparison to five extant scavenging and predatory birds. The neurocranium of harpagornis is vulture-like in shape whereas its beak is eagle-like. The mechanical performance of harpagornis is closer to extant eagles under biting loads but is closest to the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) under extrinsic loads simulating prey capture and killing. The talons, however, are eagle-like and even for a bird of its size, able to withstand extremely high loads. Results are consistent with the proposition that, unlike living eagles, harpagornis habitually killed prey larger than itself, then applied feeding methods typical of vultures to feed on the large carcasses. Decoupling of the relationship between neurocranium and beak shape may have been linked to rapid evolution.
Project description:This study aims to investigate the DNA methylation patterns at transcription factor binding regions and their evolutionary conservation with respect to binding activity divergence. We combined newly generated bisulfite-sequencing experiments in livers of five mammals (human, macaque, mouse, rat and dog) and matched publicly available ChIP-sequencing data for five transcription factors (CEBPA, HNF4a, CTCF, ONECUT1 and FOXA1). To study the chromatin contexts of TF binding subjected to distinct evolutionary pressures, we integrated publicly available active promoter, active enhancer and primed enhancer calls determined by profiling genome wide patterns of H3K27ac, H3K4me3 and H3K4me1.
Project description:Whole genome sequencing of the Arabidopsis thaliana dot5-1 transposon insertion line described in Petricka et al 2008 The Plant Journal 56(2): 251-263.
Project description:The analysis identifies differentially occupied genomic regions of H2Bub1, H3K79me3, and H3K27ac by RNF40 silencing in HCC1806 cells
