New frontiers for organismal biology

Dietmar Kültz; David F. Clayton; Gene E. Robinson; Craig Albertson; Hannah V. Carey; Molly E. Cummings; Ken Dewar; Scott V. Edwards; Hans A. Hofmann; Louis J. Gross; Joel G. Kingsolver; Michael J. Meaney; Barney A. Schlinger; Alexander W. Shingleton; Marla B. Sokolowski; George N. Somero; Daniel C. Stanzione; Anne E. Todgham

doi:10.1525/bio.2013.63.6.8

New frontiers for organismal biology

Dietmar Kültz, David F. Clayton, Gene E. Robinson, Craig Albertson, Hannah V. Carey, Molly E. Cummings, Ken Dewar, Scott V. Edwards, Hans A. Hofmann, Louis J. Gross, Joel G. Kingsolver, Michael J. Meaney, Barney A. Schlinger, Alexander W. Shingleton, Marla B. Sokolowski, George N. Somero, Daniel C. Stanzione, Anne E. Todgham

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Understanding how complex organisms function as integrated units that constantly interact with their environment is a long-standing challenge in biology. To address this challenge, organismal biology reveals general organizing principles of physiological systems and behavior-in particular, in complex multicellular animals. Organismal biology also focuses on the role of individual variability in the evolutionary maintenance of diversity. To broadly advance these frontiers, cross-compatibility of experimental designs, methodological approaches, and data interpretation pipelines represents a key prerequisite. It is now possible to rapidly and systematically analyze complete genomes to elucidate genetic variation associated with traits and conditions that define individuals, populations, and species. However, genetic variation alone does not explain the varied individual physiology and behavior of complex organisms. We propose that such emergent properties of complex organisms can best be explained through a renewed emphasis on the context and life-history dependence of individual phenotypes to complement genetic data.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	464-471
Number of pages	8
Journal	BioScience
Volume	63
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2013.63.6.8
State	Published - Jun 2013

Keywords

Life history
evolution
gene-environment interaction
individuality
phenotype

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Online availability

10.1525/bio.2013.63.6.8

Library availability

Discover UIUC Full Text

Cite this

Kültz, D., Clayton, D. F., Robinson, G. E., Albertson, C., Carey, H. V., Cummings, M. E., Dewar, K., Edwards, S. V., Hofmann, H. A., Gross, L. J., Kingsolver, J. G., Meaney, M. J., Schlinger, B. A., Shingleton, A. W., Sokolowski, M. B., Somero, G. N., Stanzione, D. C., & Todgham, A. E. (2013). New frontiers for organismal biology. BioScience, 63(6), 464-471. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2013.63.6.8

@article{3285fba60dc84471a9b82bdf34dd37bd,

title = "New frontiers for organismal biology",

abstract = "Understanding how complex organisms function as integrated units that constantly interact with their environment is a long-standing challenge in biology. To address this challenge, organismal biology reveals general organizing principles of physiological systems and behavior-in particular, in complex multicellular animals. Organismal biology also focuses on the role of individual variability in the evolutionary maintenance of diversity. To broadly advance these frontiers, cross-compatibility of experimental designs, methodological approaches, and data interpretation pipelines represents a key prerequisite. It is now possible to rapidly and systematically analyze complete genomes to elucidate genetic variation associated with traits and conditions that define individuals, populations, and species. However, genetic variation alone does not explain the varied individual physiology and behavior of complex organisms. We propose that such emergent properties of complex organisms can best be explained through a renewed emphasis on the context and life-history dependence of individual phenotypes to complement genetic data.",

keywords = "Life history, evolution, gene-environment interaction, individuality, phenotype",

author = "Dietmar K{\"u}ltz and Clayton, {David F.} and Robinson, {Gene E.} and Craig Albertson and Carey, {Hannah V.} and Cummings, {Molly E.} and Ken Dewar and Edwards, {Scott V.} and Hofmann, {Hans A.} and Gross, {Louis J.} and Kingsolver, {Joel G.} and Meaney, {Michael J.} and Schlinger, {Barney A.} and Shingleton, {Alexander W.} and Sokolowski, {Marla B.} and Somero, {George N.} and Stanzione, {Daniel C.} and Todgham, {Anne E.}",

note = "Funding Information: This article communicates the analyses and discussions of a workshop on the future of organismal biology, which was held on 18–20 September 2011, in Arlington, Virginia. The workshop was supported by National Science Foundation grant no. IOS-1145241 to DK. We apologize to all whose important and long-standing contributions to the topics discussed were not acknowledged because of limited space for references. We would like to thank William E. Zamer and John C. Wingfield for invaluable advice and guidance during the workshop and manuscript preparation and Letitia Cundiff (University of Illinois) for administrative assistance with the logistics of the workshop.",

year = "2013",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1525/bio.2013.63.6.8",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "63",

pages = "464--471",

journal = "BioScience",

issn = "0006-3568",

publisher = "American Institute of Biological Sciences",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - New frontiers for organismal biology

AU - Kültz, Dietmar

AU - Clayton, David F.

AU - Robinson, Gene E.

AU - Albertson, Craig

AU - Carey, Hannah V.

AU - Cummings, Molly E.

AU - Dewar, Ken

AU - Edwards, Scott V.

AU - Hofmann, Hans A.

AU - Gross, Louis J.

AU - Kingsolver, Joel G.

AU - Meaney, Michael J.

AU - Schlinger, Barney A.

AU - Shingleton, Alexander W.

AU - Sokolowski, Marla B.

AU - Somero, George N.

AU - Stanzione, Daniel C.

AU - Todgham, Anne E.

N1 - Funding Information: This article communicates the analyses and discussions of a workshop on the future of organismal biology, which was held on 18–20 September 2011, in Arlington, Virginia. The workshop was supported by National Science Foundation grant no. IOS-1145241 to DK. We apologize to all whose important and long-standing contributions to the topics discussed were not acknowledged because of limited space for references. We would like to thank William E. Zamer and John C. Wingfield for invaluable advice and guidance during the workshop and manuscript preparation and Letitia Cundiff (University of Illinois) for administrative assistance with the logistics of the workshop.

PY - 2013/6

Y1 - 2013/6

N2 - Understanding how complex organisms function as integrated units that constantly interact with their environment is a long-standing challenge in biology. To address this challenge, organismal biology reveals general organizing principles of physiological systems and behavior-in particular, in complex multicellular animals. Organismal biology also focuses on the role of individual variability in the evolutionary maintenance of diversity. To broadly advance these frontiers, cross-compatibility of experimental designs, methodological approaches, and data interpretation pipelines represents a key prerequisite. It is now possible to rapidly and systematically analyze complete genomes to elucidate genetic variation associated with traits and conditions that define individuals, populations, and species. However, genetic variation alone does not explain the varied individual physiology and behavior of complex organisms. We propose that such emergent properties of complex organisms can best be explained through a renewed emphasis on the context and life-history dependence of individual phenotypes to complement genetic data.

AB - Understanding how complex organisms function as integrated units that constantly interact with their environment is a long-standing challenge in biology. To address this challenge, organismal biology reveals general organizing principles of physiological systems and behavior-in particular, in complex multicellular animals. Organismal biology also focuses on the role of individual variability in the evolutionary maintenance of diversity. To broadly advance these frontiers, cross-compatibility of experimental designs, methodological approaches, and data interpretation pipelines represents a key prerequisite. It is now possible to rapidly and systematically analyze complete genomes to elucidate genetic variation associated with traits and conditions that define individuals, populations, and species. However, genetic variation alone does not explain the varied individual physiology and behavior of complex organisms. We propose that such emergent properties of complex organisms can best be explained through a renewed emphasis on the context and life-history dependence of individual phenotypes to complement genetic data.

KW - Life history

KW - evolution

KW - gene-environment interaction

KW - individuality

KW - phenotype

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880213175&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84880213175&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1525/bio.2013.63.6.8

DO - 10.1525/bio.2013.63.6.8

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:84880213175

SN - 0006-3568

VL - 63

SP - 464

EP - 471

JO - BioScience

JF - BioScience

IS - 6

ER -

New frontiers for organismal biology

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Online availability

Library availability

Related links

Fingerprint

Cite this