Comparative genomics: Grasping human transcriptome evolution: what does it all mean?

Genes, hormones, and circuits: an integrative approach to study the evolution of social behavior

Tremendous progress has been made in our understanding of the ultimate and proximate mechanisms underlying social behavior, yet an integrative evolutionary analysis of its underpinnings has been difficult. In this review, we propose that modern genomic approaches can facilitate such studies by integrating four approaches to brain and behavior studies: (1) animals face many challenges and opportunities that are ecologically and socially equivalent across species; (2) they respond with species-specific, yet quantifiable and comparable approach and avoidance behaviors; (3) these behaviors in turn are regulated by gene modules and neurochemical codes; and (4) these behaviors are governed by brain circuits such as the mesolimbic reward system and the social behavior network. For each approach, we discuss genomic and other studies that have shed light on various aspects of social behavior and its underpinnings and suggest promising avenues for future research into the evolution of neuroethological systems.

Evolution of the nervous system: a critical evaluation of how genetic changes translate into morphological changes

Living creatures evolve, and this evolution allows them to adapt to an ever-changing milieu. Two main adaptive strategies coexist. The first involves genetic mutations taking place at the species level. The second strategy occurs at the individual level, and primarily involves changes in chromatin organization and brain circuits. We shall illustrate how the two modes of adaptation are interdependent, and will show the difference in their respective importance depending on the species. It will be proposed that changes in developmental strategies, genetically selected, can lead to more or less epigenetic freedom, sometimes with dramatic consequences. In particular it will be shown, taking chimpanzees and humans as examples, how minor genetic modifications can translate into nonlinear changes in brain structure and cultural practices, placing the two types of primates at a much greater distance than had been anticipated.