Lithobates catesbeianus isolate:Bruno Genome sequencing and assembly

Tadpoles undergo remarkable remodeling of the body plan in anticipation of the transition from an aquatic to a terrestrial lifestyle. The same hormone can have very different effects on tadpole tissues (for e.g. the tail disappears and the legs grow). We hypothesize that there are specific genes that contribute to these differences and we will identify them and examine the molecular switches that regulate how they work. Understanding this is important because it gives us fundamental information on how hormones can have very diverse effects and it gives us insight into why some tissues are more sensitive to environmental contaminants and how these contaminants could disturb hormone action. Since frogs are vertebrates and TH signaling is important in all vertebrates, the knowledge obtained by studying them can be easily applied to humans and, hence, will give us important clues in understanding the basis of diseases including cancer and metabolic disorders.