Cytogenetic and molecular studies on neotropical small rodents from Brazil

• Grant number: 05/04557-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2007
• End date: October 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Maria José de Jesus Silva
• Grantee: Maria José de Jesus Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexandre Reis Percequillo ; Miguel Trefaut Urbano Rodrigues ; Yatiyo Yonenaga-Yassuda
• Associated scholarship(s): 08/00493-9 - Cytogenetic studies on genus Oligoryzomys (Sigmodontinae, Rodentia), BP.IC

Abstract

Neotropical region has the highest biodiversity of our planet and Brazil is one of the hotspots of the biodiversity in the world, particularly for mammals. However, little is known about this diversity and there is still a lack of basic information about these groups, such as the real number of species and genus, their distribution, reproductive patterns, phylogeny and evolutionary history. Our project intends to promote integration among cytogenetic, molecular systematic, classic systematic and biogeography approaches in order to study small rodents of Brazilian ecosystems and to understand their chromosomal and gene diversity as well as their phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary processes. Only in a multidisciplinary view will be possible to comprehend and consequently to increase knowledge about Brazilian biodiversity. Our first aim is to develop cytogenetic analysis using conventional staining, banding patterns and fluorescence 'in situ' hybridization (FISH) with specific probes o Brazilian rodents. In this group of vertebrates, several new species have been described based on chromosomal characterization, since the importance of cytogenetic data is not only restricted to identifying the diploid number, morphology, structure and organization of sequences on chromosomes. This information has been especially useful to identify cryptic species and has been applied to their cytotaxonomy. These data have also been extensively used to elucidate problems of chromosomal evolution. We will also develop molecular studies based on mitochondrial DNA sequences in order to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and to conduct phylogeographical analysis. Mitochondrial genes sequences (especially citochrome b) will be used to reach this aim and, when necessary, sequences of the nuclear gene IRBP (interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein) will be also included. In Brazil, there are several examples that illustrate the importance of cytogenetic and molecular data on the characterization of species among the rodents. Within Akondontini tribe, only by using karyotype it is possible to distinguish some species. In Akodon cursor, the frequencies of chromosome rearrangements along their geographical distribution in Atlantic Forest have provided information about their dispersal pattern and population differentiation. Oryzomyini represents another complex group of rodents in which the number of species is not known and the phylogenetic relationships are not well established. Several new species have been described based on karyotype and molecular data (mainly citochrome b). Some examples can be found within the Oryzomys from the groups nitidus, subflavus and capito; also in Oligoryzomys from the groups nigripes, fulvescens and microtis; and as well as within Nectomys squamipes, N. rattus and in Oecomys, etc. (AU)

Scientific publications

(11)

(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)

DI-NIZO, CAMILLA BRUNO; VENTURA, KAREN; FERGUSON-SMITH, MALCOLM ANDREW; MARY O'BRIEN, PATRICIA CAROLINE; YONENAGA-YASSUDA, YATIYO; SILVA, MARIA JOSE DE J.. Comparative Chromosome Painting in Six Species of Oligoryzomys (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) and the Karyotype Evolution of the Genus. PLoS One, v. 10, n. 2, FEB 6 2015. (05/04557-3, 10/03432-0, 11/50146-6)

MACHADO, TAIS; SILVA, VINICIUS X.; SILVA, MARIA JOSE DE J.. Phylogenetic relationships within Bothrops neuwiedi group (Serpentes, Squamata): Geographically highly-structured lineages, evidence of introgressive hybridization and Neogene/Quaternary diversification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, v. 71, p. 1-14, FEB 2014. (05/04557-3)

DI-NIZO, CAMILLA BRUNO; NEVES, CAROLINA LIMA; VILELA, JULIO FERNANDO; SILVA, MARIA JOSE DE J.. New karyologycal data and cytotaxonomic considerations on small mammals from Santa Virginia (Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, Atlantic Forest, Brazil). COMPARATIVE CYTOGENETICS, v. 8, n. 1, p. 11-30, 2014. (07/03392-6, 05/04557-3, 10/03432-0, 08/00493-9)

MOREIRA, CAMILA NASCIMENTO; DI-NIZO, CAMILLA BRUNO; DE JESUS SILVA, MARIA JOSE; YONENAGA-YASSUDA, YATIYO; VENTURA, KAREN. A remarkable autosomal heteromorphism in Pseudoryzomys simplex 2n=56; FN=54-55 (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae). GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 36, n. 2, p. 201-206, 2013. (05/04557-3, 10/03432-0)

SUAREZ-VILLOTA, ELKIN Y.; DI-NIZO, CAMILLA B.; NEVES, CAROLINA L.; DE JESUS SILVA, MARIA JOSE. First cytogenetic information for Drymoreomys albimaculatus (Rodentia, Cricetidae), a recently described genus from Brazilian Atlantic Forest. ZOOKEYS, v. N/A, n. 303, p. 12-pg., 2013-01-01. (10/03432-0, 08/00493-9, 05/04557-3)

SUAREZ-VILLOTA, ELKIN Y.; DI-NIZO, CAMILLA B.; NEVES, CAROLINA L.; DE JESUS SILVA, MARIA JOSE. First cytogenetic information for Drymoreomys albimaculatus (Rodentia, Cricetidae), a recently described genus from Brazilian Atlantic Forest. ZOOKEYS, n. 303, p. 65-76, 2013. (05/04557-3, 10/03432-0, 08/00493-9)

CAMILA NASCIMENTO MOREIRA; CAMILLA BRUNO DI-NIZO; MARIA JOSÉ DE JESUS SILVA; YATIYO YONENAGA-YASSUDA; KAREN VENTURA. A remarkable autosomal heteromorphism in Pseudoryzomys simplex 2n = 56; FN = 54-55 (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae). GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 36, n. 2, p. 201-206, 2013-00-00. (10/03432-0, 05/04557-3)

VENTURA, KAREN; IACK XIMENES, GILSON EVARISTO; PARDINI, RENATA; NOBREGA DE SOUSA, MARCOS A.; YONENAGA-YASSUDA, YATIYO; SILVA, MARIA JOSE DE J.. Karyotypic analyses and morphological comments on the endemic and endangered Brazilian painted tree rat Callistomys pictus (Rodentia, Echimyidae). GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 31, n. 3, p. 697-703, 2008. (05/04557-3)

GUILARDI, MARIANA D.; JAYAT, PABLO; WEKSLER, MARCELO; PATTON, JAMES L.; ORTIZ, PABLO EDMUNDO; ALMEIDA, KEILA; SILVA, MARIA JOSE DE J.. A review of Euryoryzomys legatus (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae): morphological redescription, cytogenetics, and molecular phylogeny. PeerJ, v. 8, OCT 29 2020. (14/02885-2, 05/04557-3)

CUBIDES-CUBILLOS, SERGIO D.; PATAN, JOSE S. L.; PEREIRA DA SILVA, KARINA MARIA; ALMEIDA-SANTOS, SELMA MARIA; POLYDORO, DENISE S.; GALASSI, GUILHERME GUIDOLIN; TRAVAGLIA CARDOSO, SILVIA REGINA; SILVA, MARIA JOSE DE J.. Evidence of facultative parthenogenesis in three Neotropical pitviper species of the Bothrops atrox group. PeerJ, v. 8, NOV 18 2020. (14/02885-2, 05/04557-3)

SUAREZ-VILLOTA, ELKIN Y.; CARMIGNOTTO, ANA PAULA; BRANDAO, MARCUS VINICIUS; PERCEQUILLO, ALEXANDRE REIS; SILVA, MARIA JOSE DE J.. Systematics of the genus Oecomys (Sigmodontinae: Oryzomyini): molecular phylogenetic, cytogenetic and morphological approaches reveal cryptic species. ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, v. 184, n. 1, p. 182-210, SEP 2018. (10/03969-4, 05/04557-3, 11/20022-3)