Research Interests
I am broadly interested in the process of genome evolution and have projects
exploring genomic evolution at various points in the history of organisms. Since
the analysis of genome evolution requires a variety phylogenomic approaches, I
am also interested in the theory and practice of phylogenetic and bioinformatic
studies. My interest in the theory used in nucleic acid and protein sequence
comparisons reflects a broader interest in the use of mathematical and
computational methods in biology.
Representative Publications
Feller, A, K Machemer, EL Braun & E Grotewold (2011) Evolutionary and comparative analysis of MYB and bHLH plant transcription factors. The Plant Journal, in press.
Han,K-L, EL Braun, RT Kimball, S Reddy, RCK Bowie, MJ Braun, JL Chojnowski, SJ Hackett, J Harshman, CJ Huddleston, BD Marks, KJ Miglia, WS Moore, FH Sheldon, DW Steadman, CC Witt & T Yuri. (2011) Are transposable element insertions homoplasy free? An examination using the avian tree of life. Systematic Biology, in press.
Katsu, Y, EL Braun, LJ Guillette Jr & T Iguchi (2009) From reptilian phylogenomics to reptilian genomes: Analyses of c-Jun and DJ-1 proto-oncogenes. Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 127:79-93.
Braun, EL & N Phillips. (2008) Phylogenomics and secondary plastids: A look back and a look ahead. Journal of Phycology, 44:2-6.
Chojnowski, JL & EL Braun. (2008) Turtle isochore structure is intermediate between amphibians and other amniotes. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 48: 454-462.
Chojnowski, JL, J Franklin, Y Katsu, T Iguchi, LJ Guillette Jr, RT
Kimball & EL Braun. (2007) Patterns of vertebrate
isochore evolution revealed by comparison of expressed mammalian,
avian, and crocodilian genes. Journal
of Molecular Evolution, 65: 259-266.
Georgelis, N, EL Braun, JR Shaw & LC Hannah. (2007)
The two AGPase subunits evolve at different rates in angiosperms, yet
they are equally sensitive to activity-altering amino acid changes when
expressed in bacteria. Plant Cell, 19: 1458-1472.
Hackett, SJ, RT Kimball, S Reddy, RCK Bowie, EL Braun, MJ Braun, JL
Chojnowski, WA Cox, K-L Han, J Harshman, CJ Huddleston, BD Marks, KJ
Miglia, WS Moore, FH Sheldon, DW Steadman, CC Witt & T
Yuri. (2008) A phylogenomic study of birds reveals their
evolutionary history. Science, 320:1763-1768.
Harshman, J, EL Braun, MJ Braun, CJ Huddleston, S Reddy, RCK Bowie, JL
Chojnowski, K-L Han, SJ Hackett, RT Kimball, BD Marks, KJ Miglia, WS
Moore, FH Sheldon, DW Steadman, SJ Steppan, CC Witt & T
Yuri. (2008) Phylogenomic evidence for multiple losses of
flight in ratite birds. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 105:13462-13467.