CAS BI 107 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Vasopressin, Common Spotted Cuscus, Microevolution
23 Sep 2015
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Bi107 - lecture 7 - evidence for evolution/natural science (3) homologous traits. Continued from last lecture, the third of five evidence for evolution . Example: prairie voles - monogamous, montane and meadow voles - polygamous. In the polygamous voles, there are far fewer receptors for peptides oxytocin (females) and vasopressin (males). In monogamous voles, the receptors are more highly concentrated in the brain regions responsible for attachment. In males, the release of vasopressin enables the sensations after copulation of recognizing particular sensations of a particular mate, like odor. Experiment: when vasopressin v1a was artificially injected into the male montane (polygamous) vole, it became more successfully attracted to their mate than a strange. Example: 47% of yeast genes could be successfully humanized. Homologous traits were present between the two, allowing for this transformation. Vestigial traits: remnant of a trait that used to exist in an organism"s ancestor. Ex) human goosebumps -- erect hair on chimps for insulation and emotional display.
