Progetto Vigoni finanziato da AIT-MIUR e DAAD - The study of subterranean species provides valuable and unique insight into how organisms evolve in response to an extreme environment. Many aspects of behaviour such as negative phototaxis and changes in anatomy such as loss of the eyes appear to represent key adaptations to life in a constant dark environment. In this project we plan to focus attention on one cavefish species: the cyprinid P.andruzzii that presents extreme adaptations to its subterranean habitat but for which no molecular tools are available. The aim of this project will be to provide the first clues as to the consequences of evolution in the absence of light for the circadian clock light input pathway. The results obtained will provide an essential framework for future studies in this cavefish. Moreover, comparison of our results with those obtained using other subterranean species could help us to arrive at a general understand of the origin, evolution and functioning of light-dependent complex behaviour.
Evoluzione al buio: analisi molecolare e comportamentale dell'orologio circadiano di un pesce ipogeo
BERTOLUCCI, Cristiano
2008
Abstract
Progetto Vigoni finanziato da AIT-MIUR e DAAD - The study of subterranean species provides valuable and unique insight into how organisms evolve in response to an extreme environment. Many aspects of behaviour such as negative phototaxis and changes in anatomy such as loss of the eyes appear to represent key adaptations to life in a constant dark environment. In this project we plan to focus attention on one cavefish species: the cyprinid P.andruzzii that presents extreme adaptations to its subterranean habitat but for which no molecular tools are available. The aim of this project will be to provide the first clues as to the consequences of evolution in the absence of light for the circadian clock light input pathway. The results obtained will provide an essential framework for future studies in this cavefish. Moreover, comparison of our results with those obtained using other subterranean species could help us to arrive at a general understand of the origin, evolution and functioning of light-dependent complex behaviour.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
