Supervisors: James Prendergast, Tim Connelley

Project Description:

DNA mutations are the driving force behind species evolution and shape important phenotypes, such as disease resistance. Despite their importance there are still large gaps in our knowledge of what determines where mutations occur in the genome. Recent work has shown that even within the same species DNA mutation rates are not the same across different populations. For example, among human populations there has been an increased rate of TCC->TTC mutations in Europeans relative to other populations1. This implies certain populations are better at ensuring particular types of mutations are not passed on to the next generation than others, and it has been suggested that this is due to population differences in the large number of genes that control DNA replication and repair. Using bovids as a model, the aim of this project will be to use hundreds of novel whole genome sequences spanning a range of species (including cattle, African buffalo and Water buffalo) to investigate how mutation rates differ within and between these species, with a particular focus on the impact of domestication on mutation rates in cattle breeds. Modern cattle derive from two distinct domestication events2, suggesting that the two branches of domesticated cattle likely started with different mutational profiles. We will explore this and its potential impact on the divergence of the two lineages following domestication. We will also explore the biological mechanisms underlying different mutational profiles, its relevance to animal breeding and how the mutation rates of cattle differ to non-domesticated species such as the African buffalo.

The successful student will receive extensive training in the relevant analytical approaches required for this project including programming (Python or Perl), working with large genomics datasets in a Unix environment and downstream statistical analysis.

References:

1.    Harris, K. & Pritchard, J. K. Rapid evolution of the human mutation spectrum. eLife 6, e24284 (2017).
2.    Mwai, O., Hanotte, O., Kwon, Y.-J. & Cho, S. African Indigenous Cattle: Unique Genetic Resources in a Rapidly Changing World. Asian-Australas. J. Anim. Sci. 28, 911–921 (2015).

If you wish to apply for this project, please check this link and send your application to this email.