Peter

Andolfatto

photo of Dr. Peter Andolfatto
Professor
Office: 1313 NorthWest Corner Building, MC 2457 | Lab: 735 Mudd
New York
NY
10027
Short Research Description: 
We study the evolutionary processes shaping genome evolution and the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptations and species-specific traits. Of particular interest to us are the factors that limit the rate of adaptation and the extent to which the genetic basis of organismal phenotypic diversity is predictable.  To do this, we aim to generate and analyse innovative experimental data by bringing together aspects of functional/phylo/population-genomics, ecology, biochemistry and molecular genetics. We work at a variety of scales, from the dissection of repeated adaptation in a single protein (Na+,K+-ATPase) to the characterization of changes in gene regulatory networks underlying phenotypes like pigmentation and morphology to inferences about processes underlying genome evolution and speciation. We study these fundamental questions using a wide variety of model and non-model organisms, including Drosophila, butterflies and other insects, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
Representative Publications: 
Mohammadi S, Yang L*, Harpak A, Herrera-Alvarez S, Rodríguez-Ordoñez MP, Peng J, Zhang K, Storz JF, Dobler S, Crawford AJ, Andolfatto P. 2021. Concerted evolution reveals co-adapted amino acid substitutions in Na+K+-ATPase of frogs that prey on toxic toads. Current Biology 31:1–9. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(21)00462-0 
 
Liuqi G, Reilly PF*, Lewis JL, Reed RD, Andolfatto P, Walters JR. 2019.  Dichotomy of dosage compensation along the neo Z chromosome of the Monarch butterfly. Current Biology, 29:4071-7. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(19)31247-3.pdf 
 
Liu Y, Ramos-Womack M, Han C*, Reilly P*, LaRue-Brackett K, Rogers W, Williams TM, Andolfatto P, Stern DL, Rebeiz M. 2019. Changes throughout a genetic network mask the contribution of Hox gene evolution. Current Biology, 29:2157-2166.e6. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)30688-8
 
Taverner AM*, Yang L*, Barile ZJ, Lin B, Peng J, Pinharanda A*, Rao A*, Roland BP, Talsma AD, Wei D, Petschenka G, Palladino MJ, Andolfatto P. 2019. Adaptive substitutions underlying cardiac glycoside insensitivity in insects exhibit epistasis in vivo. eLife, 8:e48224. https://elifesciences.org/articles/48224
 
Schumer M*, Cui R, Rosenthal GG, Andolfatto P. 2015. Reproductive isolation of hybrid populations driven by genetic incompatibilities. PLoS Genetics, 11(3):e1005041. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25768654
 
Schumer M*, Cui R, Powell D, Dresner R, Rosenthal GG, Andolfatto P. 2014. High-resolution mapping reveals hundreds of genetic incompatibilities in hybridizing fish species.  Elife. Jun 4:e02535. http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02535
 
* denotes trainees

Business Office

Department of Biological Sciences
500 Fairchild Center
Mail Code 2401
Columbia University
1212 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027

Academic Office

Department of Biological Sciences
600 Fairchild Center
Mail Code 2402
Columbia University
1212 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
[email protected]
212 854-4581