
Research Group Evolution of sensory systems
Sensory systems evolve, allowing organisms to detect the environmental cues necessary for their survival. Different species live in different habitats and eat different foods, and chemosensory receptors, such as taste receptors, pheromone receptors, and olfactory receptors, often vary in number or function across species. This variation can reflect species-specific ecologies and is also shaped by different evolutionary histories.
In birds, the canonical sweet receptor used by mammals has been lost, and in hummingbirds, carbohydrate detection occurs via a re-purposed savory (umami) receptor. How other nectar- and fruit-eating birds detect sugars remains unknown. In our group we examine the mechanisms by which these other birds detect carbohydrates, to investigate the causes and consequences of sensory shifts and the degree of convergent evolution. We use an integrative approach, combining molecular and cell-culture techniques with behavioral studies. In addition, we will develop new tools to probe the function and evolution of the taste system in birds, and in vertebrates more broadly, to examine the effects of diet shifts on organismal ecology and physiology.
High-speed video (slowed for viewing) of a ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) rejecting water presented in the top feeder after three tongue licks (162 milliseconds). Sucrose (500 mM,
bottom feeder) elicits a prolonged feeding bout.
bottom feeder) elicits a prolonged feeding bout.
Ongoing projects