Abstract DBI-9803894 Daniel W. Seufert This action funds an NSF/Alfred P. Sloan Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Molecular Evolution for 1998. These fellowships support studies involving the theoretical, comparative, computational, and/or experimental analyses of biological patterns and processes at the molecular level within the framework of organismic evolutionary change and adaptation. These studies also include the use of molecular data to address broader evolutionary questions. Each fellowship supports a research and training plan to be carried out in a sponsoring laboratory. The research and training plan for this fellowship is entitled genes involved in tail development in marine invertebrates. The role of these genes is also being studied in the evolution of tailless development in multiple species. The evolution of direct development of the tail is being examined in molgulid ascidians. Interspecific crosses among two direct- developing and one indirectdeveloping species is being used as a "complementation analysis" for rescue of larval features. Additionally, expression of Manx and bobcat is being analyzed in several species to determine whether loss of gene function is important in loss of larval chordate features.
