Population genomics of Pilocarpus spp. (Rutaceae)

• Grant number: 18/17236-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2018
• End date: April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Taxonomy
• Principal Investigator: Pedro Dias de Oliveira
• Grantee: Otávio Luis Marques da Silva
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/18002-2 - Sapindales: phylogeny and diversification in the Neotropical Region, AP.TEM

Abstract

The genus Pilocarpus Vahl has 17 species and its distribution is restricted to the Neotropics. Economically, it is noteworthy by being the only natural source of the alkaloid pilocarpine, which is the key element commercialised by the pharmaceutical industry for glaucoma treatment. This project will focus on the four closely related, commercially exploited, and pilocarpine-producing species: P. alatus, P. jaborandi, P. microphyllus and P. trachylophus. This project will use Oxford Nanopore and Illumina sequencing technologies.