Anthony D Long

Picture of Anthony D Long
Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
School of Biological Sciences
PH.D., McMaster University
Phone: (949) 824-2562
Fax: (949) 824-2181
Email: tdlong@uci.edu
University of California, Irvine
Ecology and Evolution
Steinhaus Hall
Mail Code: 2525
Irvine, CA 92697
Research Interests
quantitative and population genetics
Research Abstract
What is the Nature of Quantitative Variation?


The inheritance of many traits of evolutionary, medical, and agricultural importance is polygenic in nature. The observation that quantitative traits have ample standing genetic variation, despite apparent stabilizing selection which should erode this variation over time, is a paradox in evolutionary biology. A number of theoretical models address the question what maintains quantitative genetic variation, yet all models rely on assumptions regarding underlying genetic parameters. This is problematic, as despite great recent advances in our understanding of 'Mendelian' traits, we still know little about the molecular genetic basis of quantitative traits. My research uses the powerful genetic and molecular tools of Drosophila melanogaster, yeast, and E. coli to elucidate the molecular genetic basis of polygenic characters. We employed cutting edge molecular biology tools (including nextgen sequencing), bioinformatics, theory, and large phenotypic studies to get at these questions.

(see my lab home page for up to the minute publications, etc).
Publications
Genomic sequence around butterfly wing development genes: annotation and comparative analysis.
Conceição IC, Long AD, Gruber JD, Beldade P.
PLoS One. 2011;6(8):e23778. Epub 2011 Aug 31.
Genome-wide analysis of a long-term evolution experiment with Drosophila.
Burke MK, Dunham JP, Shahrestani P, Thornton KR, Rose MR, Long AD.
Nature. 2010 Sep 30;467(7315):587-90. Epub 2010 Sep 15.
Microsatellite markers associated with genes expressed in developing wings of Bicyclus anynana butterflies.
Beldade P, Van't Hof AE, Jerónimo MA, Long AD.
Mol Ecol Resour. 2009 Nov;9(6):1487-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02691.x. Epub 2009 Apr 7.
A gene-based linkage map for Bicyclus anynana butterflies allows for a comprehensive analysis of synteny with the lepidopteran reference genome.
Beldade P, Saenko SV, Pul N, Long AD.
PLoS Genet. 2009 Feb;5(2):e1000366. Epub 2009 Feb 6.
Experimental evolution reveals natural selection on standing genetic variation.
Teotónio H, Chelo IM, Bradic M, Rose MR, Long AD.
Nat Genet. 2009 Feb;41(2):251-7. Epub 2009 Jan 11.
Cis-regulatory variation is typically polyallelic in Drosophila.
Gruber JD, Long AD.
Genetics. 2009 Feb;181(2):661-70. Epub 2008 Dec 8.
Joint estimates of quantitative trait locus effect and frequency using synthetic recombinant populations of Drosophila melanogaster.
Macdonald SJ, Long AD.
Genetics. 2007 Jun;176(2):1261-81. Epub 2007 Apr 15.
How repeatable are associations between polymorphisms in achaete-scute and bristle number variation in Drosophila?
Gruber JD, Genissel A, Macdonald SJ, Long AD.
Genetics. 2007 Apr;175(4):1987-97. Epub 2007 Feb 4.
Estimation of population heterozygosity and library construction-induced mutation rate from expressed sequence tag collections.
Long AD, Beldade P, Macdonald SJ.
Genetics. 2007 May;176(1):711-4. Epub 2006 Dec 18.
The pharmacology of ageing in Drosophila.
Jafari M, Long AD, Mueller LD, Rose MR.
Curr Drug Targets. 2006 Nov;7(11):1479-83. Review
Graduate Programs
Mathematical and Computational Biology
Last updated
01/26/2012