Evolutionary implications of the location of chromosomatic territories in the interphasic nuclei in hominids

Lead researcher: Marta Farré Belmonte (UAB).

Description:
To understand the current diversity of primate species and to implement appropriate conservation programmes, studies are needed to focus on the mechanisms of formation of new species and the relationships between different lineages. Chromosomatic reorganizations (inversions, translocations, fusions and fissions) alter the genomic architecture of the species, thus contributing to the formation of new chromosomes on which natural selection can act. The new chromosomes arising from the changes can by themselves cause reproductive isolation or may contribute to increase and consolidate the differences between populations when they occur in small groups that are reproductively isolated from the general population. When the germ line produces a new form of chromosome, it is likely to fix itself onto populations, providing new genetic variability and, ultimately, contributing to the formation of new species. What evolutionary biologists still do not know is in which regions of the genome, how and why chromosomes break during the evolution of species.

The main objective of the research project is to study the role of the chromosomatic reorganizations in the process of speciation and macro-evolution, taking as model species the great apes (chimpanzee, gorilla and orang-utan) and the human species. The molecular and topological characterization of evolutionary breakpoints will help us to study the role of chromosomatic reorganizations in the processes of speciation.