title: The old man and the sea urchin genome: theory and data in the work of Eric Davidson, 1969-2006.
abstract: Eric Davidson's work from 1969-2006 illustrates a period in the study of gene regulation that marked a transition from the gene to the genome and from theory-driven to data-intensive science. To make sense of this transition, I address Davidson's work during a first, predominantly theoretical, episode and contrast it with a later chapter in his research devoted to sequencing the California purple sea urchin genome and, more recently, to the computerized analysis of sea urchin development. By comparing these two approaches I offer some thoughts on how work configuration and material organization in the study of metazoan gene regulation have changed over the past forty years.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences Social Anthropology, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road Manchester 9PL M13, UK.
authors.forename: Vivette
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: García-Deister
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003196:Computer Graphics / Q000266:history*; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States