Project description
Decoding the genomic mechanisms behind nature’s diverse forms
The genetic and developmental mechanisms driving the emergence of new traits and the astonishing diversity of animal forms remain poorly understood. The ERC-funded PredictingSPOTS project aims to address this by studying the remarkable colour pattern diversity of cichlid fish egg spots, sexually selected markings that vary dramatically within and between species. Combining genetic mapping, functional genetics, and cutting-edge spatial and single-cell transcriptomics, PredictingSPOTS plans to identify the genes and developmental programmes underlying this variation. Insight will inform a predictive mathematical model shedding light on how genomic and developmental systems promote or constrain the evolutionary trajectories of animal traits while enabling prediction of the mechanisms underlying trait variation in specific organisms.
Objective
How does morphological innovation arise and evolve to create the vast diversity of forms in the natural world? This is a fundamental topic in evolutionary biology, and yet long-standing questions remain, particularly regarding (1) the genomic and developmental mechanisms underlying trait evolution, and (2) how these mechanisms shape trait evolutionary trajectories. To solve these problems, our research uses the dramatic morphological diversity of cichlid fishes to study egg-spots – a sexually selected colour pattern that shows remarkable diversity within and between species. First, we will use a combination of powerful genetic mapping methods (GWAS and QTL) and functional genetics tools to identify and validate candidate genes underlying egg-spot variation across dozens of cichlid species (Aim 1). We will then leverage cutting-edge spatial and single-cell transcriptomics to reveal the underlying developmental programs (Aim 2). The application of spatial transcriptomics is particularly exciting, allowing us to precisely map all gene expression in the native tissue context, offering unprecedented insights into the molecular and developmental mechanisms behind colour pattern formation. Such detailed knowledge of genomic and developmental mechanisms will enable us to develop a data-driven mathematical model that goes beyond the traditional descriptive approaches in evo-devo, creating a predictive framework for understanding trait development and evolution (Aim 3). Importantly, our model will: (1) assess how genomic and developmental mechanisms constrain or promote certain evolutionary trajectories; and (2) predict the mechanisms underlying trait variation across East African Cichlid species, including those lacking empirical data. Taken together, our integrative approach will reveal how genomic and developmental systems shape trait evolution and provide a new conceptual framework for understanding and predicting the mechanisms underlying organismal diversity.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences evolutionary biology
- natural sciences biological sciences developmental biology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
- natural sciences computer and information sciences computational science
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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
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-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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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) ERC-2025-COG
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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.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
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.