Thinking of doing a PhD at the interface of
Molecular & Evolutionary Biology?
The Research Training Group 2526 "Gene Regulation in Evolution“ (GenEvo), which is funded by the DFG (German Research Foundation), is offering projects on all levels of organismic complexity, from changes in genes and proteins to the evolution of symbiotic and parasitic behaviour. As a GenEvo PhD student, you will join a community of passionate scientists who are applying a broad spectrum of methods on model and non-model organisms.
PhD position: Adaptation to environmental perturbations using natural C. elegans isolates (f/m/d)
Activities and responsibilities
PhD project: In the PhD Programme “Gene Regulation in Evolution”, Jan Padeken and Katharina Papsdorf offer the following PhD project:
Adaptation to environmental perturbations using natural C. elegans isolates Background: How do environmental stresses shape the epigenome? Nematode worms and
C. elegans in particular are well established model organisms for molecular biology, extensively studied under laboratory conditions. In the wild, however,
C. elegans have been isolated from very diverse habitats that expose them to several -sometimes -extreme- environmental perturbations. These include different diets, temperatures, and UV radiation. For example,
C. elegans has been isolated from habitats with drastically different temperatures such as Kenya and Switzerland, or food sources like nuts and shellfish. Classically adaptation to these perturbations has been studied in the context of DNA mutations. Gene expression however can also be adapted by changes in the chromatin signature. Importantly chromatin marks are directly connected with nutrient availability via shared cofactors from metabolic pathways. For example, acetyl-CoA, which is a degradation product of fatty acid oxidation is used by histone acetyltransferases as a cofactor to add acetyl groups to lysine residues on histones. In addition, histone methyl transferases use the metabolite S-Adenosyl methionine (SAM) as a methyl donor. This allows the organism to directly integrate signals from nutrients into their gene expression. In the case of temperature stress, we recently showed that the enzymes catalyzing heterochromatin transiently disperse during heat stress, resulting in a widespread activation of genes, essential for the resistance to heat exposure. However, whether and how this interplay between nutrient availability and temperature stress with epigenetic changes contributes to the long-term adaptation of an organism is unclear.
PhD project description: Our project addresses two primary questions. First, we will exploit the rapid generation time of laboratory cultured
C. elegans wild-type and chromatin mutant strains under conditions of nutritious stress (low and high fat diet) and temperature stress (low and high). At regular intervals, we will perform established assays to assess the resilience of these continuously ongoing cultures to increased stress levels. We will focus on starvation-resistance, acute heat-shock response, lifespan, and organismal fitness, including developmental timing and brood size. Concurrently, we will collect samples to analyze chromatin modifications (using CUT&Run and ATAC-seq), transcriptional changes (via RNA-seq), and metabolite levels with a direct link to histone modifications (including lipids, Acetyl-CoA, and SAM). This approach allows us to track the molecular adaptation processes over time and correlate the changes with phenotypic variations and overall fitness.
In a complementary strategy, we will utilize the extensive collection of natural
C. elegans isolates maintained by the research community (
https://caendr.org/). These nematodes have been collected from diverse climatic regions worldwide. We have selected natural isolates from habitats with a wide range of ambient temperatures and food sources, such as Kenya, southern Spain, the coasts of Australia, Switzerland, Peru, and Washington State (USA). By profiling chromatin marks, organismal fitness, and stress responses in these isolates, analogous to our first approach, we aim to determine which aspects of laboratory-controlled adaptation are reflected in natural environments.
Together, these two approaches will elucidate the role of the epigenome in an organism's adaptation to environmental stresses and provide insights into the interplay between metabolic and epigenetic homeostasis.
We are looking for a highly motivated team player, interested in combining genomics with evolutionary aspects in a project that has the potential to address a fundamental question in the epigenetics field and bring a new aspect to evolutionary biology.
Qualification profile
Are you an ambitious, young scientist looking to
push the boundaries of research while interacting with colleagues from
multiple disciplines and cultures? Then joining GenEvo is your opportunity to give
your scientific career a flying start!
All you need is:
- Master or equivalent
- Motivation to contribute to the forefront of science in molecular and evolutionary biology
- Interactive personality & good command of English
- 2 letters of reference
The deadline for applications is 15 July 2024. Interviews will take place on 9-10 September 2024. Starting date will be 1 January 2025.
For more details on the projects offered and how to apply via our online form, please visit
https://www.genevo-rtg.de/applicationWe offer
- Exciting, interdisciplinary projects in a vividly international environment, with English as our working language
- Advanced training in scientific techniques and professional skills
- Access to state-of-the-art Core Facilities and their technical expertise
- 14 funded PhD positions (employment contract)
- A lively community of 34 PhD students supported by 28 Principal Investigators
- Collaboration with the International PhD Programme (IPP) at IMB with more than 200 PhD students from 40 different countries
Within the programme the Faculty of Biology of Mainz University (JGU) and the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) collaborate - both
modern research institutions located on the bustling campus of Mainz University in Germany. With a population of 210,000, of which about 40,000 are students, the city of
Mainz is
charming and
open-minded and within easy reach of cosmopolitan
Frankfurt and its international airport, the Rhine valley region with its
castles, vineyards, and nature reserves, and the equally picturesque cities of Wiesbaden and Heidelberg.