Regeneration and gene expression in sea anemones (Actiniaria)

• Grant number: 22/02081-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2022
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Biological Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Sérgio Nascimento Stampar
• Grantee: Maria Luiza Penetto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Regeneration is a relevant ability for animals and, regarding this aspect, some of them end up showing great regenerative power. However, the scarce data available are largely focused on model species, making the distinction of regeneration processes between species of the same taxonomic groups extremely limited, especially when exploring details of gene expression. In Cnidaria, regeneration processes are described in detail for only a few species, such as Nematostella vectensis, which are usually from the Northern Hemisphere. That way, the designation of a model species endemic to the southern hemisphere is relevant. Thus, the present project aims to test the regenerative processes in Bunodosoma caissarum with gene expression and behavioral approaches. The proposition and use of a model species from the coast of Brazil, and its comparison with data from another species already traditionally used, will clarify the possible interspecific variations of regenerative processes in Cnidaria.(AU)