Convergence Hologenomics

We aim to generate population-level paired genomic and metagenomic data of paired marsupial and placental species with similar ecological characteristics, to understand the impact of animal-microbiota interactions in the evolution of ecological features of mammals. 

Coordinator: University of Copenhagen
Participants: University of Adelaide, University of Tasmania, Universidad Austral de Chile, University of Pittsburgh
Funding: Carlsberg Foundation
Period: 2021-2024


Convergence Hologenomics is a global collaborative effort to generate paired genome and microbial metagenomic datasets of ecologically similar placental and marsupial mammals. Because marsupial and placental mammals share such a distant common ancestor (~180 million years), this is an excellent natural experimental system to understand the mechanisms of how species from these separate lineages have converged to fill similar ecological niches. We will study both the genomic and gut microbial metagenomic features of these paired species using a cutting-edge and standardised pipeline. By doing so, we expect to gain new insights into the evolution of genomic and microbial metagenomic adaptations that are occurring in species with similar ecological niches, and by contrasting them, identify common and divergent features. These data will also aid in the understanding of how host-microbiota interactions evolve, and their impacts on the evolution, ecology, and conservation of their mammal hosts.

The following samples have already been collected for the project.

Address

Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute
University of Copenhagen
Ă˜ster Farimagsgade 5, 7
1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark

Contact

Coordinator: Antton Alberdi, PhD
Email: ehi@sund.ku.dk