Objetivo Darwin’s finches display an extremely high beak shape diversity associated with occupation of various ecological niches. They are the classic textbook example of adaptive radiation under natural selection. The supervisor of this proposal – Dr. Arkhat Abzhanov and colleagues previously used a combination of morphometrics, comparative developmental genetic and functional tests to reveal basic principles underlying beak shape morphogenesis. They showed that the enormous beak diversity in Darwin’s finches could be reduced to three “group shapes” (A, B, and C) and revealed molecular mechanisms causing the scaling–based variation within group “A”, but not yet the processes underlying the more complex shear-based saltational transformation that produced variation between groups. The main objective of this project is to identify the developmental programs underlying the leaps of beak shape diversification during Darwin’s finches’ adaptive radiation – the variation between “group shapes”. I will employ an extensive whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNAseq) screen to search for novel transcripts whose gene expression is associated with the group shape-specific beak curvatures. This will be complemented with genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify upstream regulators of the actual effector molecules that cause the phenotype. I will validate the best candidates by gain- and loss-of-function tests using retroviral vectors on developing chicken and zebrafinch embryos to reveal their roles in beak morphogenesis. This project will provide novel insights on intrinsic mechanisms that facilitate adaptive morphological diversity, will offer an opportunity for interdisciplinary research interactions and will generate resources valuable to the entire biological community. Ámbito científico natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesdevelopmental biologynatural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanetshumanitiesartsmodern and contemporary artcinematographymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryology Programa(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Tema(s) MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Convocatoria de propuestas H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria Régimen de financiación MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinador IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE Aportación neta de la UEn € 183 454,80 Dirección SOUTH KENSINGTON CAMPUS EXHIBITION ROAD SW7 2AZ LONDON Reino Unido Ver en el mapa Región London Inner London — West Westminster Tipo de actividad Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Participación en los programas de I+D de la UE Opens in new window Red de colaboración de HORIZON Opens in new window Coste total € 183 454,80
