Differentiation of the ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system. Comparative analyzes in reptile and bird species

• Grant number: 22/12296-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo de Bello Cioffi
• Grantee: Príncia Grejo Setti
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/15700-0 - Differentiation of the ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system in snakes: A cytogenomics approach, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

This project aims to integrate cytogenetic and genomic analyzes to investigate the differentiation of the BZZ/@ZW sex chromosome system present in different vertebrate groups. For this, species of reptiles (the canine snake Spilotes pullatus, carrier of highly heteromorphic Z and W chromosomes) and birds (the emu Dromaius novaehollandiae, carrier of homomorphic Z and W chromosomes and in early stages of differentiation) were selected as models. The isolation and characterization of the satellite DNA library (satellitome) of these two species will be carried out. Subsequently, comparative analyzes of the chromosomal distribution pattern of these satellitomes, not only between males and females of both species, but also in some congeneric species, will provide conditions to investigate the processes occurred in the differentiation of the Z and W chromosomes (molecular cytogenetics analysis). Additionally, satDNA families differentially distributed among the sex chromosomes will be selected to investigate the homogenization and recombination rate of different haplotypes (genomic analysis). This project is associated with a broader research project, focused on investigating the differentiation of sex chromosomes in vertebrates and includes the integration of a network of national and international researchers, equally interested in the proposal addressed, enabling its execution and obtaining promising results for cytogenetics and evolutionary genetics.