Project Details
Projekt
GRK 3074: Emerging genetic model systems: Cross-species comparison of developmental gene function and gene regulatory networks
Subject Area
Zoology
Term
since 2026
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 532783712
Most knowledge of gene function has been gained from a small number of traditional model organisms. Recently it has become possible to perform functional genetic studies in many more animals, allowing for the study of novel processes and gaining an understanding of the diversity of gene function. This opportunity broadens the scope of basic research and opens doors to novel applications. However, the scientific potential at the interface between zoology and functional genetics depends on researchers with an unusually broad range of skills from morphology, biodiversity, transcriptomics, reverse genetics, genome editing to cell biology in combination with bioinformatics skills. Our interdisciplinary group consists of experts for all of these topics and we are working with a zoo of emerging model systems covering the protostome clade. In this RTG we want to understand basic principles on how animal diversity evolves by the diversification of developmental gene regulatory networks and gene functions. As study case for probably gradual morphological diversification, we focus on the ancient process of anterior head patterning. We will study this process from the initiation of asymmetric Wnt signaling, the dynamics of the signaling gradient to the diversification of Wnt target gene sets and their interactions in the anterior gene regulatory network (aGRN). Using representative protostomes and a Cnidarian outgroup, we join for several collaborative experiments that will lead to data, which are comparable as they cover the same process across species. In addition, these data provide an excellent basis for the development of novel bioinformatics tools for cross-species GRN comparisons. To study the genetic processes involved in the emergence of new morphological structures (evolutionary novelties), we chose several study cases with relation to the aGRN such as horns on beetle heads, emergence of anterior regeneration in annelids and the evolution of the molluscan shell. Hypotheses emerging from these joint efforts will be subsequently tested in selected animals from our zoo.
DFG Programme
Research Training Groups
Applicant Institution
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Participating Institution
Max-Planck-Institut für Multidisziplinäre Naturwissenschaften
Spokesperson
Professor Dr. Gregor Bucher
