The dynamic world of porifera, commonly known as sponges, presents a captivating avenue for exploration within molecular biology. Sponges, considered among the most primitive multicellular organisms, hold key insights into fundamental cellular processes. Given our resent findings of genes encoding for anaerobic metabolism in freshwater sponges, i.e., the rqua gene, and given the crucial role the mitochondria hold in metabolic respiration and energy production, this MSc project will focus on a bioinformatics-driven exploration of Electron Transport Chain (ETC) genes in porifera. As crucial components of cellular respiration, ETC genes play a fundamental role in energy production. Understanding their presence and diversity in the genomes of porifera can offer valuable insights into the molecular adaptations of these early multicellular organisms.
The project involves data mining and ETC gene identification across all available poriferan species in public databases using blast algorithms and HMMs profiles. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses aim to unveil the evolutionary history of sponge ETC genes, providing valuable insights into their adaptive potentials, particularly concerning anaerobic metabolism.
MSc project 30-60 cr
Contact: Courtney Stairs