European Regional Development Fund Operational Programme "Growth and Employment" Specific Aid Objective 1.1.1 "To increase the research and innovative capacity of scientific institutions of Latvia and the ability to attract external financing, investing in human resources and infrastructure" Activity 1.1.1.2 "Post-doctoral Research Aid" project No.
Postdoctoral researcher Angelika Voronova
Scientific consultant Dainis Ruņģis
Transposable elements can influence gene function by disruption of gene sequences, induction or inhibition of gene expression; affect gene splicing, influence heterochromatin formation in the gene region, and formation of functional non-coding RNA. Conifer genomes contain a high proportion of transposable element derived sequences in gene non-coding regions; however interspecific variation of these sequences has not been studied.
The aim of the study is the investigation of transposable element derived sequences associated with gene regions in the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) genome and characterization of associated structural variation within breeding germplasm.
The research will result in identification of Scots pine genes that are associated with transposable element derived structural variations in the genome; investigation of transposable element derived polymorphism within pine breeding germplasm; and their influence on expression of stress-induced genes. These objectives are expected to be achieved using state of the art molecular biology methods and bioinformatic analysis of whole genome sequences. The proposed postdoctoral project would provide an opportunity to the young scientist to continue research in this field and to further develop the obtained results for potential application in more applied uses.
The tasks of study are:
- Summarization of available conifer transposable element (TE) sequences.
- Mobility and networking activity. Bioinformatics analysis of Scots pine genome sequence.
- Development of molecular markers for identification and analysis of intraspecific polymorphism.
- Collection of Scots pine breeding germplasm samples and DNA isolation.
- Evaluation of variation of TE-associated polymorphisms within selected Scots pine DNA samples.
- Sampling for expression analysis of genes in genotypes with significant TE-associated variations.
Actualities
- The project started on September 1, 2017.
- 13.–16.09.2017. Participation in the International Symposium The Non-Coding Genome, Heidelberg, Germany.
- 3.10.2017. Seminar of the creative group of the Genetic Resources Centre, where the scientific review on symposium The Non-Coding Genome was presented.
- 4.10.2017. Summarization of available conifer transposable element (TE) sequences started.