Project description
Asexual reproduction and pollen quality in dandelions
Dandelions serve as a food source for insects, supplying up to 80 % of springtime pollen in meadows. Surprisingly, most dandelions reproduce asexually, which may lead to less or poor-quality pollen since sexual reproduction is not required. This poses a threat to pollinators, particularly in regions where only asexual dandelions grow. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the NoSexPoorPollen project aims to investigate how asexuality influences pollen quality. Researchers will employ phenotypic analysis and advanced genomics to assess changes in pollen traits, gene expression, and mutation rates in sexual and asexual plants. Project findings will shed light on the evolutionary decline of pollen under asexuality and its ecological consequences for insects.
Objective
Dandelions (Taraxacum agg.) are one of the most important plants for insects, providing up to 80% of early spring pollen production in meadows. This high pollen production is surprising and unfavourable from the plant’s perspective as most dandelions reproduce asexually (apomixis). Decreased selection on nutritious pollen is therefore expected and would lead to lower production and degenerate (poor) pollen, or even complete male sterility, in the absence of sex. This would have potentially disastrous consequences for the dependent insects, especially in areas of higher latitude (e.g. Sweden) where sexual dandelions are absent. Little is known, however, about the evolutionary effects of asexuality on pollen production, particularly from a genomic point-of-view.
We aim to understand how pollen degenerates under asexuality through a combination of phenotypic and genotypic characterisations in sexual and asexual dandelions, including male sterile plants: 1) microscopy and flow cytometry will reveal the effect of asexuality on pollen number, morphology and viability; 2) comparative transcriptomics in pollen, petals, bracts and leaves will reveal pollen-specific genes and if they are down-regulated under asexuality; 3) comparative transcriptomics in anthers will reveal genes necessary for healthy pollen production; 4) comparative genomics using full gene sequences will reveal the rate of deleterious mutation accumulation in pollen-specific genes, for which museum specimens will be unlocked using a customised Hyb-Seq approach. The fellow will fill significant skill gaps in their career through training in gene expression studies, whilst establishing themselves in plant reproductive biology.
NoSexPoorPollen will be the first study to compare pollen gene expression in sexual and asexual plants. By combining phenotypic and genomic studies on pollen under asexuality, we provide an impactful and clear indication of the amount of insect food lost in the absence of dandelion sex.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
-
HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
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.
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
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.
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-MSCA-2024-PF-01
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
10691 Stockholm
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.