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Vicoso Group

Sex-Chromosome Biology and Evolution

Sex chromosomes, such as the X and Y of mammals, are involved in sex-determination in many animal and plant species. Their sex specificity leads them to evolve differently from other chromosomes, and acquire distinctive biological properties. The Vicoso group investigates how sex chromosomes evolve over time, and what biological forces are driving their patterns of differentiation.

The Vicoso group is interested in understanding several aspects of the biology of sex chromosomes, and the evolutionary processes that shape their peculiar features. By combining the use of next-generation sequencing technologies with studies in several model and non-model organisms, they can address a variety of standing questions, such as: Why do some Y chromosomes degenerate while others remain homomorphic, and how does this relate to the extent of sexual dimorphism of the species? What forces drive some species to acquire global dosage compensation of the X, while others only compensate specific genes? What are the frequency and molecular dynamics of sex-chromosome turnover?


On this site:


Team

Image of Carolina Barata

Carolina Barata

Postdoc

Image of Vincent Bett

Vincent Bett

PhD Student

Image of Julia Cihak

Julia Cihak

Research Technician


Image of Marwan Elkrewi

Marwan Elkrewi

PhD Student

Image of Réka Kelemen

Réka Kelemen

PhD Student

Image of Clementine Lasne

Clementine Lasne

Postdoc


Image of Lorena Layana

Lorena Layana

PhD Student

Image of Ariana Macon

Ariana Macon

Research Technician

Image of Andrea Mrnjavac

Andrea Mrnjavac

PhD Student


Image of Gemma Puixeu Sala

Gemma Puixeu Sala

PhD Student

Image of Julia Raices

Julia Raices

PhD Student


Current Projects

Sex chromosome turnover and conservation | Dosage compensation in female-heterogametic species | Gene expression evolution in sexual and asexual species


Publications

De Jode A, Le Moan A, Johannesson K, Faria R, Stankowski S, Westram AM, Butlin RK, Rafajlović M, Fraisse C. 2023. Ten years of demographic modelling of divergence and speciation in the sea. Evolutionary Applications. 16(2), 542–559. View

Mrnjavac A, Khudiakova K, Barton NH, Vicoso B. 2023. Slower-X: Reduced efficiency of selection in the early stages of X chromosome evolution. Evolution Letters., qrac004. View

Elkrewi MN, Khauratovich U, Toups MA, Bett VK, Mrnjavac A, Macon A, Fraisse C, Sax L, Huylmans AK, Hontoria F, Vicoso B. 2022. ZW sex-chromosome evolution and contagious parthenogenesis in Artemia brine shrimp. Genetics. 222(2), iyac123. View

Westram AM, Faria R, Johannesson K, Butlin R, Barton NH. 2022. Inversions and parallel evolution. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 377(1856), 20210203. View

Toups MA, Vicoso B, Pannell JR. 2022. Dioecy and chromosomal sex determination are maintained through allopolyploid speciation in the plant genus Mercurialis. PLoS Genetics. 18(7), e1010226. View

View All Publications

ReX-Link: Beatriz Vicoso


Career

since 2015 Assistant Professor, Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA)
2009 – 2014 Postdoc, University of California, Berkeley, USA
2010 PhD, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK


Selected Distinctions

2017 Member of the Young Academy of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
2016 ERC Starting Grant
2016 FWF Standalone Grant
2011 DeLill Nasser Travel Award from the Genetics Society of America


Additional Information

Download CV
Open Vicoso lab website



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