Comparative genomics & trait evolution
Genome characterization and comparative genomics provide insights to the genetic makeup of organismal traits and help in deciphering the patterns of trait evolution across studied taxa. With the help of high-throughput genome sequencing data, currently, I characterize the genome of a beetle species Zygogramma bicolorata. The project aims to delineate the genomic regions relevant to the species’ evolutionary history and its ecological interactions in diverse climatic conditions.
Host-Wolbachia interaction
The intriguing biology of Wolbachia fascinates me. Through a diverse array of mechanisms, Wolbachia manipulates host reproductive behaviour, sex-detrmining system and developmental cascades to gain fitness benefit for itself. Apart from these parasitic-mode of interaction, Wolbachia also exhibits mutualistic relationship with certain host classes. Understanding the mechanisms of host-Wolbachia interaction has enabled us to harness these ecological interactions for controlling insect populations when required. Currently, using laboratory experiments and population genomic approach, I aim to understand the potential interactions between Wolbachia and its beetle host Z. bicolorata, and its consequences on the beetle population structure.
Evolution in bottleneck population
Fate of a bottleneck population is a paradox. On one hand, demographic bottleneck turns the resulting population vulnerable to extinction, while on the other hand, such vulnerability depends on species’ natural history and contemporary environmental stressors. At certain instances, bottleneck can be proved as a panacea when it purges deleterious variants from the population. Using high-throughput genomic scan, under the framework of comparative genomics, I investigate the populations of a beetle species Z. bicolorata in India - that has experienced demographic bottleneck during the introduction to the country - to understand the role of habitat heterogeneity and local environmental stressors in modulating the population-level genomic variability, its causes and consequences.