IBBR Project #222
Response of Antarctic notothenioids to thermal stress: an integrated molecular approach to investigate the effects of increasing temperatures in Trematomus bernacchii and Chionodraco hamatus
| Project ID | 222 |
| ID | PNRA2013/AZ1.10 |
| Acronym | XXXXXX |
| Project acronym and title | Response of Antarctic notothenioids to thermal stress: an integrated molecular approach to investigate the effects of increasing temperatures in Trematomus bernacchii and Chionodraco hamatus |
| Contract | PNRA2013/AZ1.10 |
| Description | Antarctic notothenioids evolved in the Southern Ocean over the last 20 million years. As a consequence of such a long term adaptation to freezing waters their tolerance to temperature increase is severely limited as they do not survive at few degrees above zero. Some differences were reported between white-blooded and red-blooded notothenioids, the latter being relatively less stenothermal. The molecular bases of these differences are not yet fully investigated and appear of great relevance in light of the current global warming affecting also Antarctic regions. The aim of this proposal is to investigate phenotypic plasticity of the redblooded Trematomus bernacchii and the white-blooded Chionodraco hamatus in response to thermal stress by means of an integrated molecular approach. Massive genome sequencing of T.b. and C.h. will be carried out by NGS technology in order to reach a 45x genome coverage allowing a large scale genome comparison. In parallel, thermal stress experiments will be set up at the Italian station by challenging T.b. and C.h. specimen for temperature increase at various time points. The functional response to thermal stress will be analysed in various tissues by transcriptome analysis and by investigating the effect on key enzymes and signalling pathways involved in thermal plasticity. Considering that higher water temperature diminishes oxygen availability we will also investigate the regulation of globin genes that may play an important role in coping with increased temperatures. |
| Funding body | Programma di Ricerca Nazionale in Antartide (PNRA)/MUR |
| UOS | Napoli |
| Role | Coordinatore/Research Unit |
| Signatory | Giordano Daniela |
| Contact Person | Giordano Daniela |
| Starting of activities | 2014 |
| Ending of activities | 2016 |
| Extension | - |
| Amount (euro) | 96000.00 |
| Technological Area | - |
| Technological Field | Basi molecolari e cellulari della vita degli organismi |
