The influence of the endosymbiont Wolbachia on resistance to starvation stress in South American populations of Drosophila melanogaster

• Grant number: 24/16689-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Cogni
• Grantee: Celine Aska Masubuchi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/06874-9 - Ecological genomics of insects' phase 2: climate adaptations and evolution of ecological interactions, AP.JP2

Abstract

The undergraduate student will carry out part of the studies planned for aim 2 of the main research project. The main goal is to test the influence of the endosymbiont Wolbachia on resistance to starvation stress in South American populations of the Drosophila melanogaster. The student will work on close proximity to the postdoc, the associated researchers, and technicians. We will carry out laboratory experiments to test if Wolbachia affect starvation resistance in two populations collected at the extremes of the South America cline that we will study in aim 2.