We will sequence the genomes of the main bacterial endosymbionts of 100 species of a globally distributed aphid genus (Cinara). Using this data we will:
– conduct phylogenomic analyses of bacterial lineages and investigate the history of aphid/symbiont associations;
– compare rates and patterns of molecular evolution of main symbiotic bacterial lineages;
– investigate metabolic complementarities between bacterial symbionts;
– illuminate the role of bacterial associations into aphid evolutionary transitions (e.g.: host plant shifts, climatic tolerance, and speciation).
Publications :
- Jeff Rouïl et al. The Protector within: Comparative Genomics of APSE Phages across Aphids Reveals Rampant Recombination and Diverse Toxin Arsenals Genome Biology and Evolution 2020, vol. 12, issue 6
- Alejandro Manzano-Marı́n et al. Serial horizontal transfer of vitamin-biosynthetic genes enables the establishment of new nutritional symbionts in aphids’ di-symbiotic systems The ISME Journal 2019, vol. 14, issue 1
- Manzano-Marín A et al. A Freeloader? The Highly Eroded Yet Large Genome of the Serratia symbiotica Symbiont of Cinara strobi Genome Biology and Evolution 2018 10(9)