The role of chromosomal inversions in adaptation in Atlantic cod

I will be studying chromosomal inversions in cod. A chromosomal inversion is a segment of the genome that is flipped. A key feature of inversions is that they rarely undergo recombination which causes them to evolve separately. Recombination is the point in cell division when genetic material mixes between two chromosomes to create new combinations of genetic variants. This means that multiple alleles (the material that makes up a gene) can be trapped together in an inversion and may allow an individual to adapt better to local conditions. Due to human impacts, local environmental changes are becoming more common, some to the extent that they become stressors. Having alleles adapted to local environments is important for an animal to survive stressors. Individuals who contain an inversion with locally adapted alleles will be more likely to survive in a population exposed to stressors. The Atlantic cod is an ecologically, culturally, and economically important species due to previous overfishing. Understanding the biology of cod is important for informing management strategies to increase its population size and for their conservation in the face of global change. I will investigate how genetic inversion frequency in Atlantic cod changes when cod are exposed to stressors.

Faculty Supervisor:

Rebekah Oomen

Student:

Partner:

Institute of Marine Research

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Aquaculture and Fishing; Life Sciences (not health); Natural Resources

University:

University of New Brunswick

Program: