Project

The nature and evolution of pre- and postzygotic isolation in pennate diatoms

Code
3G0E0714
Duration
01 January 2014 → 31 December 2019
Funding
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Other biological sciences
Keywords
pennate diatoms pre- and postzygotic isolation
 
Project description

Diatoms are the most species-rich group of eukaryotic microalgae and play a pivotal role in global carbon and silica cycles. They have a unique life cycle characterized by gradual vegetative cell size reduction. Sexual reproduction results in cell size restoration and is only possible below a species-specific size threshold, thus allowing diatoms to time their relative investments in asexual propagation and sexual reproduction. Similar to land plants, diatom life cycles are extremely diverse in terms of mating systems and reproductive modes. How the typically obligate nature of sex in diatoms and the diversity in reproductive systems are linked to their speciation potential is currently unknown. In this project we will identify genomic regions and candidate genes responsible for intrinsic reproductive isolation and the switch to asexuality (apomixis) using two well-characterized pennate species complexes, the marine benthic Seminavis robusta and the freshwater epiphytic Eunotia bilunaris. Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) will be used to investigate genome-wide patterns of differences in hybridization potential and apomixis in sympatric and allopatric populations. QTL mapping in combination with Genome-wide association studies will reveal the genetic architecture of these reproductive isolation mechanisms. The identification of candidate genes involved in reproductive isolation will pave the road for comparative and functional studies. Furthermore, these results will contribute to testing the hypothesis that the rapid evolution of reproductive isolation mechanisms contributes to the rapid diversification of this relatively young and highly diverse group of microalgae.