Marc W. Allard Louis Weintraub Associate Professor of Biology Molecular Systematics and Evolution of Mammals Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University 2023 G Street. NW Washington, D.C. 20052 343 Lisner Hall (office); 407a Bell Hall (lab) Tel. Lab: (202) 994-5869 Tel. Office: (202) 994-7065 Tel. Secretary: (202) 994-6090 Fax: (202) 994-6100 E-Mail: mwallard@gwu.edu

My principle areas of interest include: Evolutionary genetics, quantitative and molecular systematics of mammals, phylogenetics, molecular evolution, evolutionary theory, and conservation genetics. As well as adding new genetic information, my research explores the utility of molecular characters for addressing problems in all of the above fields.

Conservation genetics. I am involved in conservation genetics to protect biodiversity in the Caribbean. Taxa I have worked to help manage include the Plain Pigeon [Miyamoto et al. 1994, Young et al. In Conservation Biology, Young and Allard in Molecular Ecology), green turtles (Allard, et al. 1994), and the Solenodon (project in progress). For each of these groups I provided the first available sequences to conservation biologists managing these endangered animals.

Ancient DNA. One project that has captured the attention of the media concerns Jurassic Park: the scientific evidence regarding the validity of reports of dinosaur DNA. My students and I have been a vocal critics of this evidence (Allard et al. 1995, Young et al. 1995). Our work has helped dispel these claims and puts other scientists to rigorous standards.

Rates, Weights, and Congruence. Other major findings of my recent work includes concentrations on both empirical studies of mammals and theoretical studies of phylogenetic methodology and molecular evolution. The mammalian studies include work on higher level relationships among rodent families (Nedbal et al. 1994); and mammalian orders (Allard 1994; Allard and Carpenter 1996; Allard et al. 1996). These studies have addressed the effects of molecular rates on phylogenetic inference which is significant because many phylogenies may be affected by rate related problems. Careful dissection of the variation within heterogeneous taxa is an important way to study this phenomena. Along with rate variation may come incongruence among molecular characters. I have examined the variation observed in the Insectivora and inter ordinal relationships to explore methods to improve congruence through differential weighting. My most recent studies have focused on the use of congruence in molecular evolution (Miyamoto et al. 1994; Allard and Carpenter 1995, 1996, 1997). By examining the properties of sequences using sub-samples of a gene (through differential weighting), and then evaluating the congruence between those sub-samples, I was able to objectively measure the reliability of the various weighting strategies with respect to congruence. This is especially important as there are many strategies for weighting with each different treatment having the potential for providing an alternative phylogenetic hypothesis. I demonstrated the importance of congruence as a tool for molecular evolutionists in providing an objective way to partition genes.

National Science Foundation Funding. The largest project currently underway in the lab is related to my NSF funded research. The objectives of this research are 1) to sequence, using PCR technology, partial gene fragments (500 bp) of mtDNA 12S rRNA and NADH2 genes for representatives of each of the recognized subfamilies and families of insectivores and several outgroups directly related to the question of insectivore monophyly (for a total of 22 taxa); 2) to infer a phylogeny using the newly obtained sequences; 3) to provide a synthesis of the relationships of insectivore subfamilies, families, and related orders which is congruent with all available evidence (both morphological and molecular); 4) to explore molecular rate variability within the Insectivora, for the 12S rRNA sequences, and to examine the effects of rate differences on phylogeny reconstruction; and 5) to examine the 12S rRNA and NADH2 sequences from the same taxa, each as an independent assessment of phylogeny, as well as in a simultaneous analysis, for an examination of differential weighting and congruence between linked genes. These molecular systematic comparisons of the Insectivora will clarify knowledge of their relationships while providing fundamental information about the patterns of evolution for the earliest lineages of the Eutheria. This NSF funded project supports the molecular systematic studies of the Insectivora (Mammalia; Eutheria; Lipotyphla). Today this group (shrews, moles, hedgehogs, and their relatives) is one of the largest mammalian orders, yet little is known about the systematic placement of these taxa. First, it is disputed whether the group, as currently defined, is a single group or requires further subdivision. Second, the relationships of the Insectivora to other mammalian orders is not clear. The traditional view places them at the base of the phylogenetic tree as a sister-group to the other eutherian mammals. More recently, workers have suggested that insectivores may be part of a later clade that includes carnivores and aardvarks on the basis of skull characters. Still other workers examining genetic evidence, alpha and beta hemoglobin, myoglobin and lens a-crystallin sequences propose that the Insectivora are more closely related to the carnivores and pangolins. Furthermore, the relationships of the six families that comprise the order Insectivora are not well understood either. There are many competing classifications with character support for many of the possible combinations of inter-familial relationships. Determining the placement of the Insectivora has implications for understanding all of eutherian mammal systematics because these taxa have been used as a primitive morphological type for determining character transformations. Resolving these questions will require a multi-disciplinary approach including molecular, morphological, and paleontological information. The major objectives of this project are to: 1) collect mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 2 (NADH2) sequences for representatives of all insectivore families as well as five other eutherian orders for parts of each gene; and 2) conduct phylogenetic analyses of gene sequences separately, combined, and combined with published morphological information. The purpose of this project is to provide fundamental information about patterns of molecular systematics for the earliest extant lineages of the eutherian radiation, with emphasis on the Insectivora. This knowledge is important for understanding more about the molecular systematics of all eutherians including humans, and thus this research may even directly impact on human health as we come to know more about our earliest living relatives. This project has been completed and the final NSF report is available. NSF FINAL REPORT

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BiSc 207 - Current Topics in Systematic Biology. A weekly discussion of current topics in systematic biology, including readings of recent literature.

BiSc 223 - Mammalian Evolution. A review of mammalian diversity will be explored in a phylogenetic framework. Natural history, identification of mammals, and their numerous evolutionary adaptations will be discussed (e.g. evolution of eusociality, evolution of flight). Prerequisites: BiSc 150 or equivalent. BiSc 210, recommended but not required. (Fall, odd years)

BiSc 224 - Molecular Evolution. A review of the diversity, organization and evolution of genomes with an emphasis on interpreting this variation in a phylogenetic perspective. All major structures of molecules including, coding and non-coding regions will be reviewed. Prerequisites: BiSc 150 or equivalent, BiSc 107 or 109. BiSc 210, 227, 228 recommended but not required. (Fall, even years)

BiSc 225 - Molecular Phylogenetics. A review of applying comparative evolutionary techniques to molecular data. This will include an introduction to all of the major aspects of analyzing genetic data in a phylogenetic framework including: obtaining information from the various data banks, alignment of sequences, tree building methods, coding data, weighting effects, and general theory of quantitative systematics.

Kristen Webb (Ph.D., Biology, Molecular systematics of Canines; kgansber@gwu.edu).

Burnett King (Ph.D., Biology, Molecular systematics of Primates; bking@gwu.edu).

A review - BIODIVERSITY AND MOLECULAR SYSTEMATIC DATABASES. .

Berkeley Phylogenetic Resources (U.C. Berkeley)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
National Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
Willi Hennig Society
Society of Systematic Biology
National Center for Biotechnology and Information
American Society of Mammalogists
Shrew Talk
hamsterdance
Sequencing Lab
Canine Mitochondrial Genome Project