Objective
Probabilistic evolutionary models have revolutionized the way sequence data are handled. The success of such models in sequence analysis resides in their ability to accurately describe the stochastic evolutionary process and to incorporate key biological phenomena as they are being discovered. Codon models, in particular, have been indispensable for meaningful biological analysis of vast amount of data because they allow differentiating between the types of selective forces that operate on the genome. Specifically, codon evolutionary models are often used for two related challenges: to detect selective forces operating on protein-coding genes and to study the association of such forces with species’ characteristics. Here, I propose developing and applying novel codon models to tackle these challenges from new perspectives. My suggested models are biologically realistic, computationally feasible, and preliminary data show that they fit sequence data better than previously available models. More specifically, the newly proposed models will relax the widespread unrealistic assumption that synonymous substitutions are free from selection. This will be achieved by explicitly accounting for the baseline selection forces acting at the RNA and DNA levels, on top of which the selection at the amino-acid level operates. This has important implications not only for positive selection inference, but also for the detection of functional elements that operate at the nucleotide level. I further propose developing a unified codon model for the analysis of phenotype-genotype evolution. This novel approach would allow inferring the relative roles of selection and mutation in causing substitution rate variation of a particular gene associated with a particular trait. The use of this novel framework promises to provide a robust approach for the understanding of species adaptation at the molecular level – an enduring goal of evolutionary biology and genomic research.
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 evolutionary biology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics nucleotides
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- 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.
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.
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.
FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG
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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.
MC-CIG - Support for training and career development of researcher (CIG)
Coordinator
69978 Tel Aviv
Israel
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.