Jill C. Preston, Postdoctoral Fellow
The University of Kansas
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
2041 Haworth Hall
1200 Sunnyside Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66045
Phone: 1-785-864-5837
Email: jcpxt8@ku.edu

Degrees:

2007            PhD Biology, University of Missouri – St. Louis, USA
            Advisor: Toby Kellogg
2001            MSc Plant Genetic Manipulation, University of Nottingham, UK
            Advisor: Zoe Wilson
1994            BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, Napier University, Edinburgh, UK

Research Interests:

Flowers and inflorescences come in many shapes and sizes. I am interested in understanding the genetic basis for differences in floral form. Specifically, my research aims to determine patterns of diversification within specific lineages of genes, and to correlate these changes with inter-specific differences in inflorescence and floral traits.

Past Research in the Kellogg Lab:

Plant morphological diversity is thought to have arisen through changes in the number, expression and interactions of developmental genes. The MADS box family of transcriptional regulators are good candidates for involvement in this diversification based on their known roles in several aspects of plant development.  My PhD research examined the evolutionary history of APETALA1/FRUITFULL-like MADS-box genes across the grass family, correlated protein sequence and expression patterns with evolution of the grass spikelet, and determined a potentially conserved role for temperate cereal grass AP1/FUL-like genes in the flowering time pathway.

Current Research in the Hileman Lab:

1. Determining the role of CYCLOIDEA gene homologs in the evolution of petal symmetry and patterns of stamen abortion within Veronicaceae (Lamiales)

2. Testing conservation of the Antirrhinum majus floral symmetry genetic pathway across Veronicaceae

Recent Publications:

Preston, J. C. and Kellogg, E. A. (2008) Discrete developmental roles for temperate cereal grass VERNALIZATION1/FRUITFULL-like genes in flowering competency and the transition to flowering. Plant Physiology. 146: 265-276.

Preston, J. C. and Kellogg, E. A. (2007) Conservation and divergence of APETALA1/FRUITFULL-like gene function in grasses: evidence from gene expression analyses. The Plant Journal. 52: 69-81.

Malcomber, S. T., Preston, J. C., Reinheimer, R., Kossuth, J. and Kellogg, E. A. (2006). Developmental gene evolution and the origin of grass inflorescence diversity.  Advances in Botanical Research. 44: 426-481.

Preston, J. C. and Kellogg, E. A. (2006) Reconstructing the evolutionary history of paralagous APETALA1/FRUITFULL-like genes in grasses (Poaceae). Genetics. 174: 421-437.

Other Publications:

Sales, F., Hedge, I. C., Eddie, W., Preston, J. and Moeller, M. (2004) Jasione L. taxonomy and phylogeny.  Turkish Journal of Botany. 28(1-2): 253-259.

Bateman, R. M., Hollingsworth, P. M., Preston, J., Yi-Bo, L., Pridgeon, A. M. and Chase, M. W. (2003) Molecular phylogenetics and evolution of Orchidinae and selected Habenariinae (Orchidaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 142(1). 1-40.

Sinclair, W. T., Mill, R. R., Gardner, M. F., Woltz, P., Jaffre, T., Preston, J., Hollingsworth, M. L., Ponge, A. and Moller, M. (2002) Evolutionary relationships of the New Caledonian heterotrophic conifer, Parasitaxus usta (Podocarpaceae), inferred from chloroplast trnL-F intron/spacer and nuclear rRNA ITS2 sequences. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 233(1-2). 79-104.

Atkins, H., Preston, J. and Cronk, Q. C. B. (2001) A molecular test of Huxley's line: Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) in Borneo and the Philippines. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 72(1). 143-159.

Pennington, R. T., Lavin, M., Ireland, H., Klitgaard, B., Preston, J., and Hu, J. M. (2001) Phylogenetic relationships of basal papilionoid legumes based upon sequences of the chloroplast trnL intron. Systematic Botany. 26(3). 537-556.

Radford, E. A., Watson, M. F., and Preston, J. (2001) Phylogenetic relationships of species of Aciphylla (Apiaceae, subfamily Apioideae) and related genera using molecular morphological, and combined data sets. New Zealand Journal of Botany. 39(2). 183-208.

Harris, D. J., Poulsen, A. D., Frimodt-Moller, C., Preston, J., and Cronk, Q. C. B. (2000) Rapid radiation in Aframomum (Zingiberaceae): Evidence from nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 57(3). 377-395.

Ireland, H.,Pennington, R. T., Preston, J. (2000) Molecular systematics of the Swartzieae. In: P. Herendeen & A. Bruneau (editors). Advances in Legume Systematics. Part 9. pp.217-232. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Long, D. G., Moller, M. and Preston, J. (2000) Phylogenetic relationships of Asterella (Aytoniaceae, Marchantiopsida) inferred from chloroplast DNA sequences. Bryologist. 103(4). 625-644.