Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Minneapolis, MN Permit No. 155 123 Snyder Hall 1475 Gortner Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108 e v o l u t i o n For the Record Last spring’s Evolution 2008 conference was the largest scientific meeting in the U’s history t wasn’t quite the Olympics or the Democratic National Convention, but the Cavendar-Bares, assistant professor of ecology, evolution and behavior, and I Evolution 2008 conference was the largest scientific meeting ever held on graduate students from the department gave a presentation on how Ponderosa the University of Minnesota campus and a great opportunity to showcase the U pines changed genetically during the last major climate change. to scientists from around the world. Olivia Judson (aka Dr. Tatiana, sex therapist to the animal kingdom) pro- Typically, scientific meetings are held at hotel conference centers. But there’s vided some comic relief with a public lecture titled “The Art of Seduction: Sex, an evolving trend among research universities to hold them on campus, Evolution and the Public,” in which she talked about how the quirky mating according to George Weiblen, associate professor of plant biology, who orga- habits of green spoon worms (females inhale males) and other species figure nized the event. Evolution 2008, which was held from June 20-24, featured 700 into evolution. presentations and attracted 1,400 participants. The University of Minnesota And there was a special workshop for K-12 teachers on teaching evolution was selected to host the meeting because of the number and influence of called "Evolution 101." College of Biological Sciences faculty members Scott evolutionary biologists at the U, according to Weiblen. Lanyon, Mark Borrello, Mark Decker, Sehoya Cotner and Randy Moore par- Topics spanned fossil history through evolutionary processes that are shaping ticipated. Conference participants were also invited on a field trip to Cedar the world today. Some examples: the way plants respond to climate change Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, with a tour led by Associate Director and how pathogenic bacteria are evolving to elude their predators—big phar- Jeff Corney. maceutical companies. The conference combined the annual meetings of the American Society of “With the advent of modern molecular biology, evolution is having an Naturalists, the Society for the Study of Evolution and the Society of Systematic impact on lots of fields, including genomics,” Wieblen says. “The conference Biologists. The Bell Museum of Natural History and the College of Continuing reflected that.” Education helped plan the event. From the College of Biological Sciences, 15 faculty and 30 graduate students helped out. “Evolution provides a new way of looking at climate change because we can —Peggy Rinard study the fossil record to see how the environment responded to climate changes in the past to predict how it will respond in the future,” One hot topic was merging phylogenetic biology with spatial ecology, which means that environmental changes trigger genetic changes. Jeannine FAll 2008 And Many More? Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories celebrates a century as a vital resource for the University of Minnesota. story on page 10 proFiles college News clAss Notes from the dean What’s so special about Itasca? he first time I saw Itasca was in the late 1970s. It to cutting-edge science. It’s been 30 years since my T was fall and the colors were glorious. I had a very first visit. When I visit Itasca now, its buildings—a good feeling driving onto the campus. The rustic lab generation older—are quaint reminders of another buildings reflected the station’s long academic history. era. They increasingly limit our efforts to offer quality I knew that generations of biologists had been drawn to educational programs and conduct meaningful Itasca to learn about Minnesota’s ecosystems. research. We are grateful for our donors and friends who have helped us make incremental improvements. There was something haunting about the land- As we celebrate the field station’s centennial, we look scape itself. I remember standing on the dock and forward to working with the University and the State looking across the lake to Schoolcraft Island, down Robert Elde, Dean to make the substantive renovations that will enable towards the headwaters, and realizing that this was a very unique part of the geography that defines Minnesota Itasca to thrive for another hundred years. and the middle of the North American continent. As you will read in the cover story beginning on page Itasca is special because it’s the source of the 10, the University has developed a master plan for renovating Itasca and included it in the six-year capital Fall 08 Vol. 6 No. 2 Mississippi River and because the State of Minnesota had the vision early on (1891) to preserve it as a state plan. Funds for the first phase of construction will be Robert Elde part of the 2010 legislative request. Dean park. So it looks the same today as it did hundreds of Robin Wright years ago. It’s also notable that the three major North The price of getting the field station ready for its sec- Associate Dean American biomes come together within the park or ond century of use is an estimated $25 million. That’s Huber Warner nearby: boreal forest, deciduous hardwoods and a lot of money, but it’s a small fraction of Itasca’s value Associate Dean prairie. At Itasca, you can study Minnesota’s natural Elizabeth Wroblewski as a living museum and a resource for ecology educa- Chief Administrative Officer history from a broad perspective, but you can also tion and research. Peggy Rinard explore small, rare ecosystems such as the Iron Communications Director Springs Bog, which interrupts business as usual in Stephanie Xenos Assistant Communications Director the boreal forest with a totally different population of Mary Hoff flora and fauna. Robert Elde, Dean Deane Morrison College of Biological Sciences Peggy Rinard There’s no place quite like Itasca for observing biology. [email protected] Stephanie Xenos But rustic charm simply isn’t enough when it comes Writers Shawn Welch Graphic Designer Tim Rummelhoff Photographer Laurie Hennen Development Director Jean Marie Lindquist Administrative Assistant U of M Printing Services Printing Visit our Web site at www.cbs.umn.edu For address changes, please contact Jean Marie Lindquist at [email protected] or 612-625-7705. cOLLeGe OF biologicAL ScIeNceS table of contents Cover Story And Many More? itasca Biological station and laboratories has been a vital teaching and research resource for a century. But how many more birthdays will it celebrate? page 10 In Every Issue Features Dean’s Message Molecular Biology 6 Genetic mutations have an upside for the Abstracts 2 immune system Climate change triggers epidemics in lions | The dynamics of cell protein disposal | Insights Plant Biology 7 into how cells sense nearby nutrients | Gene for Getting a nitrogen fix from an unlikely source Lou Gehrig’s disease identified | Aggression in Molecular Biology 8 female chimps commonplace Making sense of how cells copy genetic material 6 Around the College 4 Student Profile 9 Mutations and immunity New department head for Ecology, Evolution and Biology Without Borders returns to Tanzania Behavior | Itasca centennial calendar hot off the presses | Up close and personal in the Galápagos Alumni Profiles 16-17 | Biochemistry faculty help bring textbook price relief | Bridging the divide between basic research and public policy Alumni News 18 | Bringing back the prairie and creating a Back Page source of power Donor Honor Roll 19 The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation. Genetic copy cats 8 Printed on elementally chlorine-free recycled paper containing 20 percent post-consumer waste. cover photo by Tim Rummelhoff bIO is published twice a year by the University of Minnesota college of biological Sciences for alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the college. It is available in alternative formats upon request; please call 612-624-8723 or fax 612-624-2785. bIO ❚ FALL 08 a b s t r a c t s ticks. Lions acquired high levels of Genes recombine tick-borne blood parasites from the Climate change triggers buffalo. CDV suppressed the lions’ during yeast mating immunity, raising blood levels of para- [PLoS biology | 5.6.08] epidemics in lions sites to deadly levels. Judith Berman led a study, published [PLoS One | 6.25.08] The lion populations recovered within online in PLoS Biology, demonstrat- three to four years after each event, ing that genetic recombination occurs but most climate change models pre- during the mating cycle of Candida dict increasing frequency of droughts albicans. The study showed that this in East Africa. requires the activity of a protein nec- essary for meiotic recombination in Study shows how other eukaryotes. Berman is a Distinguished McKnight cells dispose of University Professor in the Department unwanted proteins of Genetics, Cell Biology and [Nature | 5.22.08] Development. Research associate Anja Forche also contributed to the study. Proteasomes are biological dispos- als that capture unneeded proteins The opportunistic pathogen Candida in cells, break them down and send albicans has a cryptic parasexual mat- them on their way. Until recently, no ing cycle involving epigenetic switch- one knew exactly how they worked. ing and chromosome loss suggesting But Kylie Walters and colleagues potential advantages of a parasexual solved part of the mystery in two cycle over a conventional sexual cycle. research studies published in Nature. The National Institutes of Health has Walters is an associate professor awarded Berman more than $2 mil- in the Department of Biochemistry, lion over five years to study centrom- Molecular Biology and Biophysics.