Molecular Evolution & Evolutionary Genetics

Genetics of Phenotypic Evolution
The focus of the research in the Sherman lab is on human chromosome nondisjunction and its phenotypic consequences. Our new studies involve mapping of susceptibility genes involved in Down syndrome-associated birth defects.

Recent publications:

• Sherman SL, Freeman SB, Allen EG, Lamb NE. "Risk factors for nondisjunction of trisomy 21." Cytogenet Genome Res 111:273-280, 2005.
• Lamb NE, Sherman SL, Hassold TJ. "Effect of meiotic recombination on the production of aneuploid gametes in humans." Cytogenet Genome Res 111:250-255, 2005.
• Kerstann KF, Feingold E, Freeman SB, Bean LJH, Pyatt R, Tinker S, Meltzer M, Jewel AH, Capone G, Sherman SL: "Linkage disequilibrium mapping in trisomic populations: analytical approaches and an application to congenital heart defects in Down syndrome." Genet Epid 27:240-251, 2004.

Population and Comparative Genomics
One of the research interests in the Sherman lab is to understand the dynamic repeat sequence mutation associated with the fragile X syndrome and its associated disorders. We find that the mutational mechanism differs among ethnic groups and are trying to understand the causes.

Recent publications:

• Sullivan AK, Crawford-Hall DC, Scott EH, Leslie MS, Sherman SL. "Paternally-transmitted FMR1 alleles are less stable than maternally-transmitted alleles in the common and intermediate size range." American Journal of Human Genetics, 70:1532-1544, 2002.
• Crawford DC, Zhang F, Wilson B, Warren ST, Sherman SL: "Fragile X CGG repeat structures among African-Americans: identification of a novel factor responsible for repeat instability." Hum Molec Genet 9:1759-1769, 2000.