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Vol. 42 No. 3, 2003
Microarray Analyses of Reptiles and Amphibians: Applications in Ecology and Evolution
Nicole P. Freire1, Michele R. Tennant2 and Michael M. Miyamoto1,*
1Department of Zoology, Box 118525, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8525, USA
2Health Science Center Libraries, Box 100206, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0206, USA
Nicole P. Freire, Michele R. Tennant and Michael M. Miyamoto (2003)
This review examines the potential for microarray analyses of reptiles
and amphibians to address ecological and evolutionary questions.
Microarray techniques extend the basic principles of nucleic acid
hybridization to genome-wide comparisons of gene expression among
different cells, tissues, individuals, and/or groups. Reptiles and
amphibians are recommended for such global analyses because of their
frequent dramatic differences in important biological traits among
close relatives (e.g., in reproduction and development), their
intermediate positions within the vertebrate phylogeny, and their
often-strong responses to environmental stimuli. The potential utility
of microarray analyses in ecology and evolution is highlighted using a
proposed test of viviparity in the common European lizard and with
recent publications on the ecological and evolutionary genetics of
other animal systems.
Key words: Microarray, Reptiles, Amphibians, Ecology, Evolution.
*Correspondence: Tel: 1-352-3923275. Fax: 1-352-3923704. E-mail: miyamoto@zoo.ufl.edu
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