Publications
In Press
Sotelo G, Gamboa S, Dunning LT, Christin P-A, Varela S. C4 photosynthesis provided an immediate demographic advantage to populations of the grass Alloteropsis semialata. New Phytologist view paper
2024
Olofsson JK, Tyler T, Dunning LT, Hjertson M, Rühling Å, Hansen AJ. Morphological and genetic evidence suggest gene flow among native and naturalized mint species. American Journal of Botany, 111: e16280 view paper
2023
Raimondeau P, Bianconi M E, Pereira L, Parisod C, Christin P-A, Dunning L T. Lateral gene transfer generates accessory genes that accumulate at different rates within a grass lineage. New Phytologist, 240: 2072-2084 view paper
Pereira L, Bianconi M E, Osborne C P, Christin P-A, Dunning L T. Alloteropsis semialata as a study system for C4 evolution in grasses. Annals of Botany, 132: 356-382 view paper
Pereira L, Dunning L T. Extrachromosomal circular DNA as a vehicle to gene transfer in plants. Plant Physiology, 193: 172-173. view paper
Alenazi A S, Bianconi M E, Middlemiss E, Milenkovic V, Curran E V, Sotelo G, Lundgren M R, Nyirenda F, Pereira L, Christin P A, Dunning L T. Leaf anatomy explains the strength of C4 activity within the grass species Alloteropsis semialata. Plant, Cell & Environment, 46: 2310:2322. view paper
Pereira L, Christin P A, Dunning L T. The mechanisms underpinning lateral gene transfer between grasses. Plants, People, Planet, 5: 672-682. View paper
Wood D P, Holmberg J A, Osborne O G, Helmstetter A J, Dunning L T, Ellison A R, Smith R J, Lighten J, Papadopulos A S. Genetic assimilation of ancestral plasticity during parallel adaptation to zinc contamination in Silene uniflora. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7: 414-23. view paper
2022
Dunning L T, Olofsson J K, Papadopulos A S T, Hibdige S G S, Hidalgo O, Leitch I J, Baleeiro P C, Ntshangase S, Barker N, Jobson R W. Hybridisation and chloroplast capture between distinct Themeda triandra lineages in Australia. Molecular Ecology, 31: 5846-5860. View paper
Bianconi, M E, Christin, P A, & Dunning, L T. Inferring the genome-wide history of grasses. Molecular Plant, 15: 591-592. View paper
Young, S N, Dunning, L T, Liu, H, Stevens, C J, Lundgren, M R. C4 trees have a broader niche than their close C3 relatives. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73: 3189-3204. View paper
Bianconi, M E, Sotelo, G, Curran, E V, Milenkovic, V, Samaritani, E, Dunning, L T, Bertolino, L T, Osborne, C P, Christin, P A. Upregulation of C4 characteristics does not consistently improve photosynthetic performance in intraspecific hybrids of a grass. Plant, Cell & Environment, 45: 1398-1411. View paper
2021
Hibdige, S G, Raimondeau, P, Christin, P A, Dunning, L T. Widespread lateral gene transfer among grasses. New Phytologist, 230: 2474–2486. View paper
Papadopulos, A S, Helmstetter, A J, Osborne, O G, Comeault, A A, Wood, D P, Straw, E A, Mason, L D, Fay, M F, Parker, J, Dunning, L T, Foote, A D. Rapid parallel adaptation to anthropogenic heavy metal pollution. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 38: 3724–3736. View paper
Arthan, W, Dunning, L T, Besnard, G, Manzi, S, Kellogg, E A, McKain, M R, Hackel, Lehmann, C E R, Mitchley, J, Vorontsova, M S. Complex evolutionary history of two ecologically significant grass genera, Themeda and Heteropogon (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Andropogoneae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 196: 437–455. View paper
Olofsson, J K, Curran, E V, Nyirenda, F, Bianconi, M E, Dunning, L T, Milenkovic, V, Sotelo, G, Hidalgo, O, Powell, R F, Lundgren, M R, Leitch, I J, Nosil, P, Osborne, C P, Christin, P A. Low dispersal and ploidy differences in a grass maintain photosynthetic diversity despite gene flow and habitat overlap. Molecular Ecology, 30: 2116–2130. View paper
2020
Dunning, L T, Christin, P A. Reticulate evolution, lateral gene transfer, and innovation in plants. American Journal of Botany, 107: 541–4. View paper
Phansopa, C, Dunning, L T, Reid, J D, Christin, PA. Lateral gene transfer acts as an evolutionary shortcut to efficient C4 biochemistry. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 37: 3094–3104. View paper
Bianconi, M, Dunning, L T, Curran, E V, Hidalgo, O, Powell, R F, Mian, S, Leitch, I J, Lundgren, M, Manzi, S, Vorontsova, M, Besnard, G, Osborne, C P, Olofsson, J K, Christin, P A. Contrasted histories of organelle and nuclear genomes underlying physiological diversification in a grass species. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 28720201960. View paper
2019
Dunning, L T, Olofsson, J K, Parisod, C, Choudhury, R R, Moreno-Villena, J J, Yang, Y, Dionora, J, Quick, W P, Park, M, Bennetzen, J L, Besnard, G, Nosil, P, Osborne, C P, Christin, P A. Lateral transfers of large DNA fragments spread functional genes among grasses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116: 4416–4425. View paper
Dunning, L T, Moreno-Villena, J J, Lundgren, M R, Dionora, J, Salazar, P, Adams, C, Nyirenda, F, Olofsson, J K, Mapaura, A, Grundy, I M, Kayombo, C J, Dunning, L A, Kentatchime, F, Ariyarathne, M, Yakandawala, D, Besnard, G, Quick, W P, Bräutigam, A, Osborne, C P, Christin, P-A. Key changes in gene expression identified for different stages of C4 evolution in Alloteropsis semialata. Journal of Experimental Botany, 70: 3255–3268. View paper
Lundgren, M R, Dunning, L T, Olofsson, J K, Moreno-Villena, J J, Bouvier, J W, Sage, T, Khoshravesh, R, Sultmanis, S, Stata, M, Ripley, B S, Vorontsova, M S, Besnard, G, Adams, C, Cuff, N, Mapaura, A, Bianconi, M, Long, C M, Christin, P-A, Osborne, C P. C4 anatomy can evolve via a single developmental change. Ecology Letters, 22: 302–312. View paper
Olofsson, J K, Dunning, L T, Lundgren, M R, Barton, H J, Thompson, J, Cuff, N, Ariyarathne, M, Yankandawala, D, Zeng, K, Osborne, C P, Nosil, P, Christin, P A. Standing variation generated by lateral gene transfer contributes to local adaptation in a grass. Current Biology, 29: 3921–3927. View paper
Olofsson, J K, Cantera, I, Van de Paer, C, Hong-Wa, C, Zedane, L, Dunning, L T, Alberti, A, Christin, P-A, Besnard, G. Phylogenomics using low-depth whole genome sequencing: A case study with the olive tribe. Molecular Ecology Resources, 19: 877–892. View paper
Papadopulos, A S T, Igea, I, Dunning, L T, Osborne, O G, Quan, X, Pellicer, J, Turnbull, C, Hutton, I, Naker, W J, Butlin, R K, Savolainen. Ecological speciation in sympatric palms: 3. Genetic map reveals genomic islands underlying species divergence in Howea. Evolution, 73: 1986–1995. View paper
2018
Wood, D P, Olofsson, J K, McKenzie, S W, Dunning, L T. Contrasting phylogeographic structures between freshwater lycopods and angiosperms in the British Isles. Botany Letters, 165: 476–486. View paper
Bianconi, M E, Dunning, L T, Moreno-Villena, J J, Osborne, C P, Christin, P A. Gene duplication and dosage effects during the early emergence of C4 photosynthesis. Journal of Experimental Botany, 9: 1967–1980. View paper
Moreno-Villena, J J, Dunning, L T, Osborne, C P, Christin, P A. Highly expressed genes are preferentially co-opted for C4 photosynthesis. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 35: 94–106. View paper
2017
Dunning, L T, Lundgren, M R, Moreno-Villena, J J*, Namaganda, M, Edwards, E J, Nosil, P, Osborne, C P, Christin, P A. Introgression and repeated co-option facilitated the recurrent emergence of C4 photosynthesis among close relatives. Evolution, 71: 1541–1555. View paper
Dunning, L T, Liabot, A L, Olofsson, J K, Smith, E K, Vorontsova, M S, Besnard, G, Simpson, K J, Lundgren, M R, Addicott, E, Handasyde, T, Gallagher, R V, Chu, Y, Pennington, R T, Christin, P A, Lehmann, C E R. The recent and rapid spread of Themeda triandra. Botany Letters, 164: 327–337. View paper
2016
Dunning, L T, Hipperson, H, Baker, W J, Butlin, R K, Devaux, C, Hutton, I, Igea, J, Papadopulos, A S T, Quan, X, Smadja, C M, Turnbull, C G N, Savolainen, V. Ecological speciation in sympatric palms: 1. Gene expression, selection and pleiotropy. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 29: 1472–1487. View paper
Hipperson, H, Dunning, L T, Baker, W J, Butlin, R K, Hutton, I, Papadopulos, A S T, Smadja, C M, Wilson, T C, Devaux, C, Savolainen, V. Ecological speciation in sympatric palms: 2. Pre and post-zygotic isolation. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 29: 2143–2156. View paper
Olofsson, J K, Bianconi, M, Besnard, G, Dunning, L T, Lundgren, M R, Holota, H, Vorontsova, M S, Hidalgo, O, Leitch, I J, Nosil, P, Osborne, C P, Christin, P A. Genome biogeography reveals the intraspecific spread of adaptive mutations for a complex trait. Molecular Ecology, 25: 6107–23. View paper
Swift, D G, Dunning, L T, Jgea, J, Brooks, E J, Jones, C S, Noble, L R, Ciezarek, A, Humble, E, Savolainen, V. Evidence of positive selection associated with placental loss in tiger sharks. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 16:1. View paper
Ciezarek, A G, Dunning, L T, Jones, C S, Noble, L R, Humble, E, Stefanni, S S, Savolainen, V. Substitutions in the glycogenin-1 gene are associated with the evolution of endothermy in sharks and tunas. Genome Biology and Evolution, 8: 3011–21. View paper
2015
Dennis, A B, Dunning, L T, Sinclair, B J, Buckley, T R. Parallel molecular routes to cold adaptation in eight genera of New Zealand stick insects. Scientific Reports, 5: 13965. View paper
Cornetti, L, Valente, L M, Dunning, L T, Quan, X, Black, R A, Herbert, O, Savolainen, V. The genome of the “great speciator” provides insights into bird diversification. Genome Biology and Evolution, 7: 2680–2691. View paper
2014
Dunning, L T, Dennis, A B, Sinclair, B J, Newcomb, R D, Buckley, T R. Divergent transcriptional responses to low temperature among populations of alpine and lowland species of New Zealand stick insects (Micrarchus). Molecular Ecology, 23: 2712–2726. View paper
Papadopulos, A S T, Kaye, M, Devaux, C, Hipperson, H, Lighten, J, Dunning, L T, Hutton, I, Baker, W, Butlin, R K, Savolainen, V. Evaluation of genetic isolation within an island flora reveals unusually widespread local adaptation and supports sympatric speciation. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 369: 20130342. View paper
2013
Dunning, L T, Dennis, A B, Thomson, G, Sinclair, B J, Newcomb, R D, Buckley, T R. Positive selection in glycolysis among Australasian stick insects. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 13: 215. View paper
Dunning, L T, Dennis, A B, Park, D, Sinclair, B J, Newcomb, R D, Buckley, T R. Identification of cold-responsive genes in a New Zealand alpine stick insect using RNA-Seq. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics, 8: 24–31. View paper
Dennis, A B, Dunning, L T, Dennis, C J, Sinclair, B J, Buckley, T R. Overwintering in New Zealand stick insects. New Zealand Entomologist, 37: 35–44. View paper
2012
Baraloto, C, Hardy, O J, Paine, C E, Dexter, K G, Cruaud, C, Dunning, L T, Gonzalez, M A, Molino, J F, Sabatier, D, Savolainen, V, Chave, J. Using functional traits and phylogenetic trees to examine the assembly of tropical tree communities. Journal of Ecology, 100: 690–701. View paper
2010
Dunning, L T, Savolainen, V. Broad‐scale amplification of matK for DNA barcoding plants, a technical note. Botanical Journal of the Linnaean Society, 164: 1–9. View paper
Book chapters
Ramstad, K M, Dunning, L T (2020) Population genomics advances and opportunities in conservation of kiwi (Apteryx spp.). In: Population genomics. Springer, Cham. View chapter
Popular science
Raimondeau, Pereira, Dunning (2023) Wild plants may edit their genomes in the same way we make GM crops – and it could be crucial to evolution. The Conversation. View article
Dunning, L T (2021) Natural GM: How plants and animals steal genes from other species to accelerate evolution. The Conversation. View article
Dunning, L T (2017) How the horse can help solve one of evolution’s biggest questions. The Conversation. View article
Dunning, L T (2017) Octopuses can defy their own genetic instructions – and it’s slowed down their evolution. The Conversation. View article