Project description
A closer look at how organisms adapt
How do organisms survive and adapt to changing environments? Populations rely on two main processes: phenotypic plasticity, where one genotype can produce different traits depending on the environment, and evolutionary adaptation, which involves genetic changes over time. While scientists have made progress in understanding these processes, the molecular details and their combined roles in adaptation remain unknown. This knowledge is key to understanding how species evolve and thrive under stress. In this context, the EU-funded Phenoevo project tackles this challenge using fruit flies. By exposing them to different temperature conditions and analysing genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic changes, researchers aim to uncover the mechanisms behind adaptation. This work will provide a clearer picture of how organisms adjust to their environments.
Objective
Understanding the mechanisms that generate phenotypic variation and their impact on evolutionary processes is central in modern biology. When faced with adverse environmental conditions populations survive through two distinct processes: phenotypic plasticity (i.e. mechanism in which one genotype produces several different phenotypes depending on the environment) or evolutionary adaptation (i.e. pertinent allele frequency changes in population). While numerous studies have expanded our knowledge of evolutionary principles, the molecular basis and the relative contribution of these two processes to the adaptation is still unknown. Here I propose to tackle this key question by performing experimental evolution and exposing wild-caught D.melanogaster populations to four temperature selection regimes: constant cold temperature, constant hot temperature, fluctuating between hot and cold and optimal temperature as a control. To determine the genetic targets of selection behind the change in thermal tolerance I will perform pooled whole population sequencing of both ancestral and evolved populations. The alleles that increase in frequencies between the ancestral and evolved populations will be further validated to determine their effect on the thermal tolerance. To understand the contribution of phenotypic plasticity to the process of adaptation, I will transfer the evolved populations into a non-selective environment and determine the relative change in thermal tolerance that occurred upon the transfer. Furthermore, to unravel the gene regulatory changes associated with plastic response, I will perform ATAC-seq (chromatin accessibility assay) and RNA-seq (changes in gene expression) of evolved individuals before and after the transfer to the non-selective environment. The inclusion of epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis of the evolved populations will enable us to construct a more holistic picture of adaptation.
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Keywords
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.4.1 - Widening participation and spreading excellence
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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.
Funding Scheme
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-TALENTS-02
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1749 016 Lisbon
Portugal
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