Evolutionary genomics: a dinosaur's view of genome-size evolution.
Estimates of cell volume in fossilized bones of extinct dinosaurs indicate that genome size underwent a significant reduction in the early theropods, from which birds later evolved. This suggests that birds' small genomes are not an adaptation to metabolic demands associated with flight.
Ellegren
Hans
H
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden. Hans.Ellegren@ebc.uu.se
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D048429:Cell Size; D025061:Dinosaurs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016678:Genome; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D010011:Osteocytes / Q000166:cytology; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics