RESEARCH
Genetic and genomic data from single or multiple individuals contains a lot of useful information to reconstruct the past and predict the future evolution of species or populations. Selection events at specific genes, changes in population size during environmental change, fragmentation and reduction of gene flow, accumulation of deleterious mutation, are all example of processes that we try to reconstruct to better understand what happened in the past, what is the impact of human-altered environments on the evolution and survival of a species, what is genomic architecture of specific adaptations. In few words, we are fascinated by the genetics consequences of evolution and by the use of genetic polymorphisms to reconstruct the past and to possibly prevent the extinction of endangered species, lineages, and traits.
Key words of our research are evolution, population genetics/genomics, conservation genetics/genomics, bioinformatics, genetic/genomic variation, genetic drift, selection, adaptation.
Some examples of our more or less recent work (published, in preparation, or just in our heads for the moment) are reported below. Some references are provided. Complete lists of papers can be found in any of the too many public databases unfortunately used to classify the quality of our work. The image above is courtesy of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (photo by Valentino Mastrella).
Conservation genomics of 5 Italian endemic species: reference genomes, variation at >100 whole genomes, and in vivo experiments to study the relationships between genomic load and extinction risks.
See the project web site: www.endemixit.com.
Brown bear complete genomes to study the divergence of the Italian population, the demography, the genomic load, the risk of extinction, the possible interventions
15 ancient beans (500-2500 years old) sequenced at 5 to 20X to reconstruct the domestication dynamic. Diversity is retained in early phases when selection was stronger.
Yellow-bellied toad is declining, but the genetic impact (as measured by microsatellites) is not noticeable yet (though genetic variation suggests a demographic decline in the more ancient past.
See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10592-016-0818-5
mtDNA, microsatellites, RADtags, SNPs panels and Nanopore sequencing: a long term project that is following the development of genotyping technologies to understand the genetic structure of wild Hermann tortoises, and to identify the geographic origin of confiscated animals available for reintroductions.
See https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/105/1/70/857728
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1872497320302192?via%3Dihub
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eva.13431
Testing with Approximate Bayesian Computation natural and artificial colonization models in the Australian lungfish using simultaneously RADtag and STR data. (Manuscript under revision).
Relaxation of natural selection in the evolution of the giant lungfish genomes
Nonadaptive hypotheses on the evolution of eukaryotic genome size predict an expansion when purifying selection is weaker. By studying lungfish genomes and transcriptomes we identified signature of relaxation of selection, and we propose that the largest known animal genomes evolved in a nearly neutral scenario whereby genome expansion is less efficiently constrained. (Manuscript under revision)
Sea turtle hybridization: using whole genomes and RADtags to understand the causes and consequences of hybridization between two endangered sea turtle species. Work in progress.
More information: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/844756
Investigating chamois evolutionary history: analyse 100 years old specimens and evaluate how past bottleneck and subsequent translocations or restocking events may have impacted the current genetic structure of the chamois. In collaboration with Fondazione Edmund Mach. Work in progress.