Innovating Works

VenomEvolvability

Financiado
Lacewing venom: Linking the molecular and phenotypic evolution of adaptive trait...
Understanding the ability of species to adapt to their environment, or their evolvability, is central to evolutionary biology. Most traits are complex in that their phenotype results from the contributions of many genes with small... Understanding the ability of species to adapt to their environment, or their evolvability, is central to evolutionary biology. Most traits are complex in that their phenotype results from the contributions of many genes with small, sometimes non-additive effects. While quantitative genetics has been instrumental in showing that short term evolvability depends on additive genetic variation, it ignores details of the molecular underpinnings of phenotypic characters that are crucial for the production and maintenance of additive genetic variation, and therefore evolvability at longer time scale. This impacts our understanding of evolvability and calls for model traits that enable the integration of quantitative and molecular genetics. Venoms are great model systems for this purpose. They are convergent sets of traits well-suited for comparative studies, and their phenotypes result from the combined actions of a relatively small number of secreted, functionally repurposed proteins, or toxins, that can be identified, characterised, and quantified. This project focuses on the venoms of Neuroptera, which venoms remain unstudied despite providing a unique opportunity among venomous animals to combine omics techniques, and comparative molecular and morphological evolution with evolutionary quantitative genetics. This multidisciplinary approach will elucidate the genetic and evolutionary mechanisms that underlie the emergence of venoms as complex evolutionary novelties and identify the molecular properties that facilitate or constrain their evolution across micro- and macroevolutionary timescales. Thus, the project will test central hypotheses about venom evolvability, but it is also likely to yield novel bioactive molecules with potential use as molecular tools and agrochemical leads. It will also establish venom as model systems that enable integration of quantitative and molecular genetics, thereby addressing a major methodological challenge in evolutionary biology. ver más
28/02/2027
Innovasjon Norge
1M€
Perfil tecnológico estimado
Duración del proyecto: 60 meses Fecha Inicio: 2022-02-03
Fecha Fin: 2027-02-28

Línea de financiación: concedida

El organismo HORIZON EUROPE notifico la concesión del proyecto el día 2022-02-03
Línea de financiación objetivo El proyecto se financió a través de la siguiente ayuda:
ERC-2021-STG: ERC STARTING GRANTS
Cerrada hace 3 años
Presupuesto El presupuesto total del proyecto asciende a 1M€
Líder del proyecto
Innovasjon Norge No se ha especificado una descripción o un objeto social para esta compañía.