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The sources of historical signal in the genomes of birds

Project description

Evaluating the evolutionary history of birds

Biological, medical and agricultural sciences rely on genome-scale sequence data to extract historical signatures of divergence among species and populations. Phylogenomics is a set of techniques offering analysis of genome data and evolutionary reconstructions. However, existing phylogenomic methods are not amenable for detecting the impact of specific drivers of historical information across entire genomes. The EU-funded EvolInfome project intends to develop tests to estimate the impact of the primary evolutionary forces on the genomes of the vast avian family. The project will establish a novel framework of model adequacy that will permit an inclusive examination of the information signal left by fundamental evolutionary forces, providing insights into the evolutionary history of birds. Researchers will access results through a software package.

Objective

Genome-scale sequence data play an important role across the biological, medical, and agricultural sciences for extracting the signatures of divergence among species and populations. Multiple basic biological forces influence the evolutionary information content of genomes, leading to substantial variation across genomic loci and lineages. Models of molecular evolution for phylogenomics are routinely used for extracting information about evolutionary history, and ultimately for making inferences of the relationships and amount of evolutionary change among taxa. However, existing phylogenomic methods are not amenable for identifying the impact of specific drivers of historical information across whole genomes. The present action will develop tests in the framework of model adequacy for assessing the impact of the primary evolutionary forces on the genome. Assessment of model adequacy proceeds by comparing simulated data under a given evolutionary model with empirical data. The novel framework will be tailored at whole-genome analysis. It will allow a comprehensive examination of the sources information signal left by basic evolutionary forces, such as speciation, mutation, selection, recombination, and drift. The new methods will be disseminated through an intuitive software package that will be openly available for researchers across biological sciences. Examining the sources of evolutionary information will allow improved phylogenetic inferences and guide model improvement. An unparalleled genomic resource of the genomes of every avian family, soon to be released by the host, will be examined in detail with the methods developed. This will provide insights into genome evolution in birds and inferences of their evolutionary history with unprecedented confidence.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019

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Coordinator

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution
€ 219 312,00
Address
NORREGADE 10
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark
Region
Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 219 312,00