Objective The goal of the project is to study population and molecular biology of the genus Blattabacterium. These bacteria are obligatory intracellular symbionts of cockroaches and live inside specialised cells of the abdominal fat body.The association is regarded as a mutual symbiosis. Blattabacteria are assigned to the class Flavobacteria and have not been cultured outside their hosts yet. Regarding population biology, genetic diversity and distribution will be studied for different cockroach taxa.Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) will enable exact spatial localisation within host tissues and temporal monitoring during animal development. Especially, transmission of bacteria during embryogenesis will be addressed. Molecular biology of blattabacteria will be approached by shotgun sequencing of a complete genome and its comparison with known endosymbionts genomes.Isolation of blattabacteria-specific DNA fragments will allow identification of genes crucial for their life style. The functional analysis of these isolated DNA fragments and the annotated ORFs should yield insights into the role(s) of the bacteria in the symbiosis. The expected knowledge is relevant for the question how far the genome evolution of bacterial endosymbionts from diverse phylogenetic lineages follow convergent rules or not.The acquired training of the researcher consists of skills in Microbial Genomics and in Bioinformatics. All experimental and management-related steps involved in a whole-genome sequence project will be learned by the candidate as well as application of cutting-edge bioinformatic tools to comparative genomics.The specific training will allow the researcher to sharpen and complement his personal profile in the Genomics area and become an expert in the field of insect e ndosymbionts in Europe.The community-added value will be an increased knowledge about the blattabacteria-cockroach symbiosis thereby opening access to novel strategies for pest control. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological behavioural sciencesethologybiological interactionsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsgenomesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biology Keywords FISH Microbiology bacterial genome evolution co-evolution comparative genomics flavobacteria insect endosymbionts molecular genetics mutual symbiosis non-culturable microorganisms rRNA Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Call for proposal FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinator UNIVERSITAT DE VALENCIA. ESTUDI GENERAL EU contribution No data Address Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 13 VALENCIA Spain See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
