Description du projet
Déchiffrage de l’ADN à partir de spécimens tropicaux historiques
La spéciation cryptique étant un phénomène courant dans les tropiques, les spécimens tropicaux sont idéaux pour son étude. Cependant, les technologies de séquençage à haut débit offrent des solutions de génétique moléculaire pour obtenir des données de séquence à partir de spécimens historiques, facilitant ainsi la recherche sans avoir besoin d’échantillons de tissus fraîchement collectés. Le projet HighThroughFROGS, financé par l’UE, combinera des études phylogénomiques, systématiques et biogéographiques pour obtenir des données de séquence à partir de spécimens historiques en utilisant des grenouilles d’Asie du Sud‑Est comme taxons focaux. Le projet vise à évaluer la faisabilité et à améliorer les techniques de capture de l’exome pour récupérer l’ADN historique des spécimens types. En outre, HighThroughFROGS introduira l’application de techniques modernes dans les pays tropicaux pour quantifier leur grande biodiversité et développer des actions de conservation pour les espèces cryptiques.
Objectif
My postdoctoral study is designed to develop protocols and procedures to obtain genomic DNA data from degraded old museum specimens using HTS (e.g. exome-capture and/ or mtDNA genome sequencing) using SE Asian frogs as focal taxa. Specimens housed in natural history museums are essential raw materials for studies of cryptic speciation that is very common in the tropics. These studies require molecular genetic tools that, to date, could only be applied to freshly collected tissue samples. Because HTS is based on short-fragment sequencing technology, it is more effective at obtaining sequence data from historical specimens than Sanger sequencing, particularly for very old samples collected more than 100 years ago. HTS methods will be tested to assess the phylogenetic and taxonomic position of the Asian ranid frogs with gastromyzophorous tadpoles, a group that has defied taxonomic clarification for decades. This proposed study is well aligned to the Work Programme of Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions. The results of this study will be a valuable baseline to assess the feasibility of and to improve exome-capture techniques aimed at retrieving historical DNA from type specimens for future studies. This study will be the first to investigate the evolution of gastromyzophory in Asian ranid frogs. It will also emphasize the need to apply modern techniques in tropical countries with high biodiversity as a critical step in quantifying its diversity and developing conservation actions for cryptic species. Apart from that, this study is an exceptional step towards advancing my career and establish myself as an independent researcher in the field of phylogenetics systematics. Furthermore, I will be able to actively contribute to disseminate my science to broader audience and play an important role as a catalyst for a long term collaborations between the institutions in Germany, USA, and Indonesia in phylogenomic, systematics, and biogeographic studies.
Champ scientifique
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinateur
53113 Bonn
Allemagne