Mots-Clés

Comparative genomics Gene family expansion Gene content Gene order Selection

Description

Context: Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods that represent a significant health concern for humans and domestic animals due to the potential transmission of bacterial pathogens and parasites. Emerging knowledge on tick genomics (Gulia-Nuss et al. 2016, Nat. Comm., Jia et al. 2022, Cell) is beginning to help understand the specifics of tick genomes and the genetic basis for some of the unique history traits of ticks. In this context, our group (INRAE, Nantes, France), through a partnership with the Genoscope (CEA, Evry, France) has sequenced the genomes of four species of the genus Ixodes, including Ixodes ricinus, which is a widespread, wide host range, and potentially problematic species, being the vector of Lyme disease in Europe.

Missions:  The post-doc will lead the comparative genomics studies of the four genomes produced by our collaboration with Genoscope (the four annotated genomes are already available), and also publicly available genomes produced by other research groups. Its main mission will be to study the evolutionary dynamics of tick genomes, with a focus on the genus Ixodes: identification of gene expansions/contractions and association with specific functions, patterns of gene order conservation, detection of events of horizontal gene transfers, evaluation of evolutionary rates and atypical patterns (positive selection).

In addition, depending on skills and time, a populational study of genetic variation, at the genome (or exome) level, can be considered.

Location: the position is available for 18 months starting from September 2022, at the BIOEPAR lab in Nantes, in the TIBODI group, a team of 5 searchers and 3 technicians working on ticks and tick-borne diseases. Nantes is a vibrant city on the French west coast, known for its quality of life. The post-doctoral searcher will work closely with Claude Rispe (PI), while interactions will be pursued with the Genoscope and with bioinformaticians of BIPAA (a platform that manages arthropod genomes of agronomical importance, in Rennes).

Requirements:

- PhD or previous post-doc in the field of comparative/evolutionary genomics,

- Skills/experience in phylogenetic analyses, evolutionary rates, evolution of gene repertoires,

- Skills in bioinformatics tools and scripting (bash, R, python or perl),

- Excellent abilities in data analyses, writing of scientific papers, communication, teamwork.