RNA Sequence Analysis of Asellus aquaticus Crustaceans
Start Date
4-22-2020 12:00 AM
End Date
4-22-2020 12:00 AM
Major Field of Study
Biological Sciences
Second Major
Music
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor(s)
Meredith Protas, PhD
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Cave animals are commonly unpigmented and can be eyeless or have small eyes. Some cave animals are thought to have evolved from surface ancestors that were swept into caves and isolated in the cave. After many generations in this new environment, cave populations may develop new phenotypes such as eye loss, lack of pigmentation, and long appendages. The species we work on is the freshwater population, Asellus aquaticus. We are examining populations from Rakov Škocjan (surface) and the Rak Channel of Planina Cave (cave). RNA sequencing was performed of surface, cave and hybrid (surface/cave) samples. I examined RNA sequencing data by trimming RNA sequences from cave and surface samples, which allowed for the identification of genes with allele-specific expression, which might be present in genes with cis-regulatory mutations. Now, we are further investigating these genes with allele-specific expression, by putting them on the genetic map and seeing if they coincide with regions involved in lack of pigmentation or eye loss.
RNA Sequence Analysis of Asellus aquaticus Crustaceans
Cave animals are commonly unpigmented and can be eyeless or have small eyes. Some cave animals are thought to have evolved from surface ancestors that were swept into caves and isolated in the cave. After many generations in this new environment, cave populations may develop new phenotypes such as eye loss, lack of pigmentation, and long appendages. The species we work on is the freshwater population, Asellus aquaticus. We are examining populations from Rakov Škocjan (surface) and the Rak Channel of Planina Cave (cave). RNA sequencing was performed of surface, cave and hybrid (surface/cave) samples. I examined RNA sequencing data by trimming RNA sequences from cave and surface samples, which allowed for the identification of genes with allele-specific expression, which might be present in genes with cis-regulatory mutations. Now, we are further investigating these genes with allele-specific expression, by putting them on the genetic map and seeing if they coincide with regions involved in lack of pigmentation or eye loss.
Comments
This presentation was accepted for the Scholarly and Creative Works Conference at Dominican University of California. The Conference was canceled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic