Experimental evolution
The Dunham Lab combines experimental evolution with genomic analysis to study the structure and function of genetic networks in yeast. Cultures of yeast can be maintained for hundreds of generations of growth in challenging environments. During this time, more fit mutants appear and sweep through the culture. By comparing the "evolved" strains to the ancestral founders, we can study the adaptations selected in the cultures. Growth phenotypes, cell morphology, global gene expression, and DNA copy number all change during the course of laboratory evolution. Genetic dissection of the small number of mutations responsible for these many changes allows us to recognize control points regulating the cells' response to long-term, narrow selection. We particularly favor continuous culture platforms for experimental evolution, including chemostats and turbidostats, which allow us to precisely control selection pressures and growth conditions. But we have also developed simplified batch transfer protocols that can be performed in high school classrooms and even at home!
Aneuploidy and copy number variation
One type of mutation commonly observed in these experiments is genome rearrangement, ranging from focal amplifications to entire chromosome aneuploidy and translocations. Many of these are reproducible in independently evolved cultures, even down to the exact breakpoints.
Our further work on these novel chromosomes has determined their exact fitness consequences and which genes in the amplified and deleted regions contribute to the fitness. Since these events so closely resemble the types of aneuploidies almost universally observed in cancers, we hope the work will be of broader interest. We have further explored this connection through studying lab-created aneuploid strains in collaboration with the late Angelika Amon.
One of the most common gene amplifications we observe adopts a novel inverted tandem repeat configuration. With Bonny Brewer and M.K. Raghuraman's lab, we have proposed a mechanism responsible for these amplifications via an error in DNA replication.
Technology development
As we've developed new genome analysis technologies, we've been able to look at not just CNVs, but also point mutations and transposon insertions in evolved strains. In addition, classical genetic approaches and a novel mapping technique are being employed to dissect the features of the evolved strains. We have also developed new methods for miniaturing and customizing continuous culture, including a mini-chemostat array and a flexible turbidostat platform.
Comparative genomics
Our work on short-term adaptations has led to a broader interest in comparative genomics over longer timescales, ranging from diverse strains with a species, to other Saccharomyces yeasts (and their hybrids), and to other Ascomycetes. Saccharomyces uvarum has been one of our favorites, for which we have generated gene expression and mutant phenotype datasets, among others. In order to systematically survey the vast genetic variation of yeasts, we are working on new high throughput methods for quantitative genetics with Joseph Schacherer's lab.
Comparative genomics of other genome elements, such as DNA replication origins and centromeres, is also ongoing. We developed a suite of genomic tools to map and characterize replication origins, also in collaboration with Bonny Brewer and M.K. Raghuraman's lab. We've applied these tools to study origins across a wide swath of budding yeast, over which they evolve in remarkable ways. These studies have also led to the discovery of some useful strain engineering parts, such as the pan-ARS, an optimized replication origin element that works in every budding yeast we have attempted.
Comparative experimental evolution
The two major arms of our research have merged back into a new area where we use experimental evolution to understand differences in evolutionary trajectories between strains and species. Hybrids between different yeast species evolve in particularly interesting ways that take advantage of having two genomes instead of one.
Industrial and fermentation yeasts
In addition to working on hybrids in the lab, we have also discovered a novel Pichia hybrid in an open inoculated beer from a brewery here in Seattle. We have partnerships with several brewers to understand domesticated yeasts and how they evolve in the brewery. We are also sequencing wild isolates collected by home brewers in collaboration with Bootleg Biology's Local Yeast Project. Finally, we are working with Imperial Yeast on brewing strain improvement.
Human genetics in yeast
Finally, we are using yeast as a platform to "functionalize" human genetic variation. With Doug Fowler, Allan Rettie, and the late Debbie Nickerson, we are transplanting human pharmacogenes into yeast to test the function of libraries of variants. In a second project, we are recreating human mutations associated with cancer in the yeast gene equivalent. We also have delved into resources such as All of Us to try to connect genetic variation to disease risk and severity, in collaboration with Nick Powell and others. We hope our results will help prioritize variants for further analysis in more difficult systems, and maybe even guide clinical practice for patients carrying variants of unknown significance.
Talks
Short overview talk from our 2020 department retreat
SB 5.0: "Understanding the Path of Evolution" a technical talk, but for a broad audience
SB 5.0: "Genome Scale Engineering" panel moderated by Eric Lander
Yeast Synthetic Biology Workshop: "Use of Fermentors for Strain Selection" another technical talk, but still for a somewhat broad audience
Wednesday night at the Genome: "Watching evolution in action" talk geared to the general public
National Academy of Sciences Synthetic Biology for the Next Generation: panel discussion on Synthetic Biology for Exploring Fundamental Questions in Biology
Articles
interview with Maitreya in Transcripts from University of Toronto Department of Biochemistry
interview with Maitreya from BBI
UW trash art contest win
feature by Rita Allen Foundation
NSF MCB Blog post about our high school experimental evolution lab
article in Outside magazine on our citizen science project sequencing wild yeasts with Bootleg Biology
feature by Singer Instruments on Discovering the Power of Yeast. Includes some discussion of my research and teaching the CSHL Yeast Course.
article (Google drive link) in Beer Advocate featuring our beer metagenomics project
UW Today article on me and the other UW HHMI Faculty Scholars
Interview at the Buck Institute: SAGE
UW Medicine Report to the Community: 2011 (PDF) The article I'm in starts on page 18.
Genome Technology: Profile for Young Investigators Feature, requires free registration to read
Cell: "Superpostdocs Reach for the Stars" [PDF]
AWIS Magazine: "Research Advances: A Conversation with New Voices in Biology: Amy Caudy and Maitreya Dunham" (PDF)
NASW: review of the 2010 AAAS meeting
Articles about people in the lab
The Daily: story on SACNAS featuring Monica Sanchez
The Daily: story about the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium featuring Erica Alcantara
GSA: Poster award for Ivan Liachko at Fungal Genetics meeting