Project description
Sequencing extinct megafauna genomes to understand species extinction
Structural variants – large genomic rearrangements – play a crucial role in gene function and fitness, yet they remain understudied in extinct species due to technical challenges. While previous research largely focused on single nucleotide polymorphisms, recent advancements in long-read sequencing have made the analysis of structural variants in non-model organisms feasible and affordable. The ERC-funded GENOMICIDE project will harness these cutting-edge sequencing technologies to decode ancient genomes of extinct megafauna from the late Pleistocene. By generating high-quality genomic data, the project aims to uncover how structural variants evolved under increased genetic drift and reduced selection pressures. This research will shed light on critical genetic factors that influenced species diversity, adaptation, survival and eventual extinction.
Objective
In this proposal, I seek to quantify the impact of structural variants on species genome diversity and extinction by sequencing ancient genomes of extinct megafauna. Structural variants are large genomic rearrangements capable of significantly affecting gene function and fitness. While in previous work I have investigated the genomes of extinct species at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) level, the accurate identification of structural variants has been hampered by molecular and computational challenges, thus impeding their incorporation into genomic extinction research. Recent advancements in long-read sequencing technologies have led to considerable improvements in accuracy and affordability, making it feasible to characterize structural variants at population level scale in non-model organisms. Despite the fragmented nature of ancient DNA, our preliminary results show that millions of ancient DNA sequences exceeding 500 basepairs in length can be obtained from extraordinarily well-preserved samples. This project capitalizes on these samples, combined with state-of-the-art sequencing technologies, to recover high-quality long-read sequencing data from ancient specimens and subsequently reconstruct extinct genomes de-novo. Focussing on megafaunal that went extinct during the late Pleistocene, this project will examine the evolution of structural variants under scenarios of increased genetic drift and reduced selection at unprecedent resolution. Moreover, the project will pioneer the direct quantification of within-species structural variant changes through time, and provide new insights into genetic variants within previously unassembled genomic segments. By expanding our understanding of the genetic role of structural variants on extinction events, we will contribute valuable insights into the genetic determinants beyond SNPs that influence species diversity, adaptations, survival and eventual extinction.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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SE 114 18 Stockholm
Sweden
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