Current Biology Vol 22 No 23

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writing system that we know to be a

derived one. This early branching point Q&A
is thus the equivalent of speciation
in biological evolution. The separate
writing systems of these neighbouring Vincent Laudet
regions must have been mutually
incomprehensible. Vincent Laudet is Professor at the
Over a short time span — three Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon,
centuries at most, but probably much Director of the Institut de Génomique
less — the proto-Elamite script spread Fonctionnelle de Lyon and head of
across Iran, offering a prime example a research group called ‘Molecular
of cultural diffusion. There is no Zoology’. He is best known for
archaeological evidence suggesting a his analysis of the phylogeny and
mechanism for this spreading, such as evolution of the nuclear receptor
central government or long-distance superfamily. His group now focuses on
trading, so the rapid expansion the role of thyroid hormone receptors
remains one of the mysteries of proto- or retinoic acid receptors in evolution,
Elamite. with an Evo/Devo perspective. Some
As the proto-Elamite script spread years ago he also started from scratch
and developed further, it became richer a new research program on teeth Evo/
in its sign repertoire, but Dahl notes that Devo, using rodent and fish as model
it also ran into problems. “There was an systems.
inflation of signs in proto-Elamite,” says
Dahl, “and even in high-level accounts, What turned you on to biology in
Credit: Vincent Moncorgé
such as those for the household of the the first place? I was fortunate to
ruler of Susa, you see systematic errors be one of those children who always
and bad practice.” For instance, scribes knew what he wanted to do. When I strikingly, to the Pasteur Institute,
would cram in information at the end was five years old, my grandmother where I joined Dominique Stéhelin’s
of a line, rather than planning for the accompanied me to the palaeontology laboratory, which was then at the
space available, like their colleagues in gallery of the French National Museum top of oncogene research (the myc,
Mesopotamia would have done. And for Natural History (MNHN) in Paris. erb, ets and mil/raf oncogenes were
they made elementary mistakes in the This visit was revelatory and I decided all discovered in his lab). In October
bundling of numbers, as it would be a to become a zookeeper of prehistoric 1986, he asked me to work on the
mistake in Roman numerals to write IIIII beasts! Later, I became passionate v-erbA oncogene, shown a few
instead of V. about ornamental fish-keeping, and months later to encode a modified
The key cultural difference is that with hindsight this hobby played version of thyroid hormone
cuneiform was backed up by a lexical an important role as it led me into receptor a. This is how I became
tradition from early on, says Dahl. In scientific reasoning and research. interested in nuclear hormone
Uruk, lists of standardised signs were Following this natural interest, I receptors. Dominique Stéhelin was a
used for reference. No such lists have went to study biology at Montpellier fantastic PhD adviser: inspirational,
ever been found for proto-Elamite. University as I was determined to charismatic, always giving reward for
Dahl can’t resist the temptation to do research in ichthyology. I often audacity. The time I spent in his lab
speculate that it may have been say that in France biologists are was a very formative period and I feel
the failure to invest in the quality of fascinated either by the Pasteur I owe a lifelong debt to him. Then I
proto-Elamite writing culture that led Institute or by the MNHN. Clearly I was enticed to establish in Lyon by
to its deterioration and ultimately to its was, and still am, fond of the latter... Jacques Samarut, with whom I have
downfall. been collaborating for over 15 years
The ensuing period of five centuries What is the best advice you’ve been now. His unique manner of grasping
without writing makes Europe’s given? During my first year at the the complexity of a scientific problem
descent into the Dark Ages pale in university I met Michael Tovey who ‘at a glance’ still impresses me.
comparison. Prophets of linguistic was working at the Cancer Research
doom who worry about youth slang and Center in Villejuif. He recommended Do you have a favourite science
text speak will delight in this example two things: do molecular biology, book? Two biology books have been
of cultural downfall that was possibly because it would allow me to do very important to me. When I was a
triggered or accelerated by bad writing any type of biological research later PhD student, the discovery of James
practice. Seeing writing as a trait that on; and do it in Strasbourg (at the D. Watson’s book The Double Helix
has evolved in human populations, it is university there), which largely due was a strong moment for me, with
only natural that it can not only arise, to the influence of Pierre Chambon its unique mix of ambition, faith in
diversify and spread, but also die out. at that time, was one of the most science and casual attitude. Years
That’s just life. advanced molecular biology-oriented later, reading Wonderful Life by
institutes in France. Stephen Jay Gould made me realize
Michael Gross is a science writer based at So, after a Masters’ degree in the power of mixing functional
Oxford. He can be contacted via his web page biochemistry and molecular biology analysis (as in developmental biology)
at www.michaelgross.co.uk in Strasbourg, I headed north to Lille, with more historical approaches like
Magazine
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those of palaeontology. This was at circadian rhythms, metamorphosis is probably the most important quality
the origin of Evo/Devo and is a strong or teeth Evo/Devo. This dispersed for a scientist. I would also offer
driver of my interests in this field. approach for conducting science is this advice to young lab leaders,
certainly not very popular in those many of whom devote themselves
Do you have a scientific hero? days of scarce funding, but I cannot to writing only big papers in major
Clearly Stephen Jay Gould! His triple resist a good scientific question and journals, which I have seen ruin many
achievements as theoretician of I love to jump with a fresh mind into a career — my view is that it is better
evolution, popular science writer and a new field. It is so exciting! While in patiently to construct an expertise
palaeontologist are truly impressive. I terms of scientific paper production and an international recognition. And
think we are still only starting to fully this is probably not a good idea it I strongly believe funding agencies
grasp the strength of his influence. remains very rewarding at a personal should also regard more highly the
His essays about the myth of progress level and fosters a broad sense of value of these types of career paths.
in evolution should be read by every biology.
biologist, as anthropocentrism is still What is your greatest ambition? I
so important in evolution today. Also, What are you interested in at the head a new department, the Institut
his unique manner of illustrating how moment? I am fascinated by the de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon,
science is not the product of purely origin of metamorphosis. It illustrates which has just moved into a new
objective minds disconnected from very well the situation of many fields building. The project for this institute
their environment, but rather a mix in biology: We understand quite well is to mix people from different areas
of subjectivity and reasoning, has the process in two ‘model’ organisms, of biology — development, physiology
brought home to me how very difficult Drosophila and Xenopus, in both and evolution — and have them
it is to avoid bias. of which hormones — ecdysone working together, exchanging ideas
for insects, thyroid hormones for and so on. I think this unique mix of
What has been your biggest amphibians — have been shown to Physio/Evo/Devo approaches will
mistake in research? I proposed trigger metamorphosis. But we do not be very significant for biology in the
some years ago that the ancestral know the origin of these systems and future and my ambition is to push for
nuclear receptor was probably an despite the fact that metamorphosis mixing these different cultures and
orphan receptor and that ligand is widespread in animals we do not having them at work in my department
binding was acquired several times know how it is triggered outside these that I see as a crucible for such
independently during evolution. We model systems. Furthermore, even in a melting pot. Questions such as
reached this conclusion because vertebrates the evolutionary variations the strategies governing variations
there was no correlation between of metamorphosis are poorly in post-embryonic development
the position of a given nuclear understood. The fact that thyroid in vertebrates, the allocation
receptor in a phylogenetic tree and hormone-regulated metamorphosis is of metabolic resources during
the chemical nature of its ligand. conserved in invertebrate chordates development, the role of energy
The most parsimonious explanation such as amphioxus implies that balance in phenotypic plasticity,
was the convergent acquisition of this event is an ancient feature of or the role of hormonal systems in
ligand binding. But we know now, in all vertebrates. This allows us to convergent adaptations are still poorly
particular thanks to the work of Joe suggest that thyroid hormones may explored but are now ready to be
Thornton’s group, that the first nuclear play an important role in coordinating scrutinized.
receptor did have a ligand and was the post-embryonic development
probably a sensor that bound several of apparently non metamorphosing What is the biggest challenge to
compounds with low specificity and vertebrates, such as mammals or the scientific community in the
low affinity. The convergence is thus sauropsids. Also, in other groups long term? I believe it is critically
only in the change of selectivity and such as teleost fishes there are important that science remains
affinity experienced by the ligand cases that are reminiscent of direct strongly connected to society and
binding domains of the receptors. I development, that is cases in which that we explain again and again the
think this was a very fruitful mistake a larva transforms into a juvenile scientific basis of general problems.
because it provided for the first time inside the egg and in which the This is as much the case with regards
a testable hypothesis that could be newborn is a miniature adult. I believe to the effects of endocrine disruptors
challenged. Indeed it was! After all, we will be able to revisit the post- in our environment or the importance
this is how science works and I have embryonic development strategies of conserving fish stocks. In the spirit
no problem at all in having made this of vertebrates, and I anticipate much of enlightenment, this is the common
mistake. pleasure in studying the zoological, duty of scientists and counters the
endocrinological and developmental detrimental influence of pressure
Did your interest and direction aspects of this process. groups or fanatics on decision-
change over time? I am an example making. It is so important to provide
of a non-focused scientist. My general Any advice for someone starting a some rationality to our world.
interest is in understanding the career in science? I would say three
role played by nuclear receptors in things: be independent; don’t be
Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de
evolution and this has been a general afraid to make mistakes; and don’t
Lyon, CNRS UMR 5242, ENS de Lyon,
theme underlying all my research. be too focused. The excess of focus 46 allée d’Italie, 69364 Lyon Cedex 07,
But from this nuclear receptor can be efficient in the short-term but France.
starting point I have gone on to study it carries the risk of sterility. Curiosity E-mail: [email protected]