Integrating cytogenetics and genomics in the study of sex chromosome differentiation pathways. Part I

• Grant number: 23/00955-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo de Bello Cioffi
• Grantee: Marcelo de Bello Cioffi
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexandr Sember ; Anderson José Baia Gomes ; Edivaldo Herculano Correa de Oliveira ; Fábio Porto-Foresti ; Orlando Moreira Filho ; Petr Ráb ; Rafael Kretschmer ; Ricardo Utsunomia ; Tariq Ezaz ; Thomas Liehr ; Vladimir Trifonov
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/00722-0 - Plan of activities for the TT4 Scholarship with the Fish Cytogenetics Laboratory, BP.TT

Abstract

The present project aims to integrate cytogenetic and genomic approaches to elucidate the mechanisms of origin and differentiation of sex chromosomes and verify whether their differentiation pathways occurred following the canonical model of evolution. To do this, we will analyze nascent and differentiated BZZ@/ZW ; nascent BXX@/XY, @X1X1X2X2/BX1X2Y and @XX/BXY1Y2 systems, present in different species of vertebrates, including the traíra Hoplias malabaricus and catfishes of the genus Harttia (fishes); snakes from the Colubridae family (reptiles), the emu Dromaius novaehollandiae and the Tataupa tinamou Crypturellus tataupa (birds). The investigation of simple and multiple sex chromosome systems, in nascent and well-differentiated stages, present in these model groups that have different characteristics regarding the amount of repetitive sequences present in their genomes and the phylogenetic position they occupy, represent an excellent scenario for this hypothesis to be tested. The methodological approaches of this proposal involve i) the prospecting and characterization of the entire library of Satellite DNAs (Satelitome) of these species; ii) Comparative analysis of the chromosomal distribution of repetitive sequences between males and females to identify which were mostly involved with the differentiation of the sex-specific chromosome (Y, W, or neo-Y); iii) Analysis of the sharing and evolution of satellite DNAs present in the sex chromosomes of the sister species of each selected model group and iv) use of chromosome painting experiments (WCP) and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) to investigate the common or independent origin of their sex chromosomes. This proposal relies on an already well-established network involving several Brazilian and international research groups who are equally interested in the topic to be investigated, enabling its execution and obtaining promising results for cytogenetics and evolutionary genetics. (AU)

Scientific publications

(10)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NIRCHIO, MAURO; OLIVEIRA, CLAUDIO; CIOFFI, MARCELO DE BELLO; SASSI, FRANCISCO M. C.; RIZZI, FRANCISCO PROVENZANO; BENAVIDES, SANTIAGO WLADIMIR NUNEZ; BERRONES, ALISON JAZMIN CALDERON; ROMERO, JUAN FRANCISCO RIVADENEIRA; DEON, GEIZE APARECIDA; KURANAKA, MARIANA; et al. Integrative morphological, cytogenetic and molecular characterization of the Andean climbing catfish Astroblepus mindoensis (Regan, 1916) (Siluriformes:Astroblepidae). Journal of Fish Biology, v. N/A, p. 13-pg., 2024-10-09. (23/08116-0, 20/02681-9, 22/04261-2, 20/13433-6, 23/00955-2)

DOS SANTOS, RODRIGO ZENI; GOES, CAIO AUGUSTO GOMES; STORNIOLI, JOSE HENRIQUE FORTE; SASSI, FRANCISCO DE MENEZES CAVALCANTE; DE MORAES, RENATA LUIZA ROSA; DERGAM, JORGE ABDALA; PORTO-FORESTI, FABIO; CIOFFI, MARCELO DE BELLO; UTSUNOMIA, RICARDO. Comparative satellite DNA mapping in species of the genus Prochilodus (Teleostei, Characiformes) and its evolutionary implications. GENOME, v. N/A, p. 8-pg., 2024-12-05. (21/14562-7, 23/00955-2, 21/12722-7, 22/13381-1)

TOMA, GUSTAVO AKIRA; SEMBER, ALEXANDR; GOES, CAIO AUGUSTO GOMES; KRETSCHMER, RAFAEL; PORTO-FORESTI, FABIO; BERTOLLO, LUIZ ANTONIO CARLOS; LIEHR, THOMAS; UTSUNOMIA, RICARDO; DE BELLO CIOFFI, MARCELO. Satellite DNAs and the evolution of the multiple X₁X₂Y sex chromosomes in the wolf fish Hoplias malabaricus (Teleostei; Characiformes). SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 14, n. 1, p. 13-pg., 2024-09-02. (23/00955-2, 22/00427-3)

DEON, GEIZE APARECIDA; DOS SANTOS, RODRIGO ZENI; SASSI, FRANCISCO DE MENEZES CAVALCANTE; MOREIRA-FILHO, ORLANDO; VICARI, MARCELO RICARDO; PORTO-FORESTI, FABIO; UTSUNOMIA, RICARDO; CIOFFI, MARCELO DE BELLO. The role of satellite DNAs in the chromosomal rearrangements and the evolution of the rare XY₁Y₂ sex system in Harttia (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). JOURNAL OF HEREDITY, v. 115, n. 5, p. 11-pg., 2024-05-17. (23/00955-2, 22/13381-1, 21/14096-6)

SETTI, PRINCIA GREJO; EZAZ, TARIQ; DEON, GEIZE APARECIDA; UTSUNOMIA, RICARDO; TANOMTONG, ALONGKLOD; DITCHAROEN, SUKHONTHIP; DONBUNDIT, NATTASUDA; SUMONTHA, MONTRI; SEETAPAN, KRIENGKRAI; BUASRIYOT, PHICHAYA; et al. Evolution of ZW Sex Chromosomes in Ptyas Snakes (Reptilia, Colubridae): New Insights from a Molecular Cytogenetic Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, v. 26, n. 10, p. 19-pg., 2025-05-09. (23/15700-0, 23/00955-2, 22/12296-0)

DE OLIVEIRA, MARIANNAH PRAVATTI BARCELLOS; DEON, GEIZE APARECIDA; DE MENEZES CAVALCANTE SASSI, FRANCISCO; DE SOUZA, FERNANDO HENRIQUE SANTOS; GOES, CAIO AUGUSTO GOMES; UTSUNOMIA, RICARDO; PORTO-FORESTI, FABIO; VIDAL, JHON ALEX DZIECHCIARZ; DA SILVA, AMANDA BUENO; EZAZ, TARIQ; et al. Repeatome Dynamics and Sex Chromosome Differentiation in the XY and XY₁Y₂ Systems of the Fish Hoplias malabaricus (Teleostei; Characiformes). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, v. 26, n. 13, p. 18-pg., 2025-06-24. (24/03469-4, 23/00955-2, 23/07699-1)

SOUZA, GUILHERME MOTA; VIDAL, JHON ALEX DZIECHCIARZ; UTSUNOMIA, RICARDO; DEON, GEIZE APARECIDA; DE OLIVEIRA, EDIVALDO HERCULANO CORREA; FRANCA, RAQUELI TERESINHA; PORTO-FORESTI, FABIO; LIEHR, THOMAS; DE SOUZA, FERNANDO HENRIQUE SANTOS; KRETSCHMER, RAFAEL; et al. Cytogenomic analysis in Seriemas (Cariamidae): Insights into an atypical avian karyotype. JOURNAL OF HEREDITY, v. 116, n. 4, p. 12-pg., 2025-05-12. (23/06898-0, 23/00955-2, 24/03030-2, 22/14584-3)

DE SOUZA, FERNANDO HENRIQUE SANTOS; TOMA, GUSTAVO AKIRA; VIDAL, JHON ALEX DZIECHCIARZ; GARRIDO-RAMOS, MANUEL ANGEL; SOUZA, GUILHERME MOTA; DOS SANTOS, RODRIGO ZENI; PORTO-FORESTI, FABIO; LIEHR, THOMAS; UTSUNOMIA, RICARDO; CIOFFI, MARCELO DE BELLO. Comparative Satellitomics in Arowanas (Telostei, Osteoglossiformes) Sheds Light on the Evolution of Ancient Satellite DNAs. Integrative Zoology, v. N/A, p. 13-pg., 2025-07-17. (22/00427-3, 23/00955-2, 21/11169-2)

SOUZA, FERNANDO H. S.; PEREZ, MANOLO F.; FERREIRA, PEDRO H. N.; BERTOLLO, LUIZ A. C.; EZAZ, TARIQ; CHARLESWORTH, DEBORAH; CIOFFI, MARCELO B.. Multiple karyotype differences between populations of the Hoplias malabaricus (Teleostei; Characiformes), a species complex in the gray area of the speciation process. HEREDITY, v. 133, n. 4, p. 11-pg., 2024-07-22. (23/00955-2, 19/25009-7, 17/10240-0)

SOUZA, GUILHERME MOTA; KRETSCHMER, RAFAEL; TOMA, GUSTAVO AKIRA; DE OLIVEIRA, ALAN MOURA; DEON, GEIZE APARECIDA; SETTI, PRINCIA GREJO; DOS SANTOS, RODRIGO ZENI; GOES, CAIO AUGUSTO GOMES; GARNERO, ANALIA DEL VALLE; GUNSKI, RICARDO JOSE; et al. Satellitome analysis on the pale-breasted thrush Turdus leucomelas (Passeriformes; Turdidae) uncovers the putative co-evolution of sex chromosomes and satellite DNAs. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 14, n. 1, p. 14-pg., 2024-09-04. (23/00955-2, 22/14584-3, 22/00427-3)