Evolution + Development

Despite their distinct evolutionary histories, different species can sometimes arrive at similar solutions for survival. The work of various researchers at Whitehead Institute investigates this fascinating phenomenon, called convergent evolution, through the lens of shared mechanisms governing reproduction, development, and regeneration across a range of species.

Changes in DNA and gene function are the engines that drive evolution. These seemingly small modifications in an organism’s evolutionary journey ultimately dictate its fate —  deciding which traits will be safeguarded and transmitted through generations, and which new traits will emerge. Whitehead Institute researchers are studying how organisms sharing a common ancestor develop unique traits over time, diverging from one another. These traits — encoded in the genes — impact their chances of survival and reproduction.

Research from Whitehead Institute Member Yukiko Yamashita’s lab finds that a retrotransposon, a genetic element often thought of as a parasite, actually plays an important role in rejuvenating an important region of DNA, preserving fertility in flies.

Doctoral researcher Anaïs Tsai and Whitehead Institute director Ruth Lehmann are recipients of a 2023 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study.

Research from Whitehead Institute Member Jonathan Weissman and colleagues sheds light on human evolution, and demonstrates an approach for identifying significant differences in how genes are used between closely-related species.

Research from Whitehead Institute Member Yukiko Yamashita’s lab finds that a retrotransposon, a genetic element thought of as a parasite, actually plays an important role in rejuvenating an important region of DNA, preserving fertility in flies.

Sperm use tiny proteins to pack their DNA correctly. New research explains how and why sperm cells balance the different versions of these proteins.

A new paper from the lab of Whitehead Institute Director Ruth Lehmann reveals how primordial germ cells in flies migrate from one end of an embryo to the other during development. The work could have implications for how scientists study germ cells in vivo, as well as other motile cells such as cancer cells.

This multimedia story collection explores the myriad of ways in which an organism's development is orchestrated. Visit this page to see all the stories in the Building a Body collection.

A study on asymmetric cell division in fruit fly stem cells took an unexpected twist, revealing how a dividing stem cell “chooses” which of its daughters receives more ribosomal DNA in order to pass on enough of these essential genes to subsequent generations.