Thesis supervisor: István Zachar
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology Abbreviation of location of studies: ELTE
Description of the research topic:
Gene loss is a primary force in prokaryotic evolution. According to the Black Queen hypothesis, species may rely on metabolic functions expressed in their partners, so they can freely and irreversibly lose their respective genes. We assume that as a result, metabolic interactions evolve to explicit genetic dependence between species (cross-feeding). We ask: under what conditions does gene loss lead to exclusively pairwise interactions in microbial communities? We will design a metabolite-based microbial community model with the possibility of gene loss to simulate a BQ regime. We test if how gene loss, paired with cross-feeding, yield exclusive genetic dependence among two species embedded within a community. Furthermore, we introduce HGT to the above model, allowing the transfer of genetic pathways between species, working against gene loss at a different timescale. We will quantify at what rate HGT counterbalances the BQ race to lose genes.
Required language skills: English Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2024-05-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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