Universitą degli studi di Pavia
Contenuto della pagina
Falchetto research activity
Microsatellites
The work done during my first year of PhD focused on populations of Glossina pallidipes captured in different areas of Kenya. To improve the effectiveness of control programs and eradication of this pest species, it is necessary to know the dynamics of population and reproductive behavior of the species. For genotyping of males and females were used microsatellites (Single Sequence Repeats, SSRs loci), polymorphic markers that allow to draw a profile of the populations in analysis:
- By genotyping of DNA from the legs of females and males of different populations can identify polymorphisms at the level of microsatellite length and define the dynamics and structure of these populations;
- By genotyping DNA derived from sperm of the female’s spermathecae may underestimate the number of times a female mates in nature (remating) to explain how sexual behavior can affect the stability and size of populations.
Endosymbiotics relationships
To verify the presence and relationships that establish Wolbachia (Rickettsiae) and Sodalis glossinidius with the insect host, analysis was performed on individuals of G. pallidipes and G. morsitans morsitans captured in Kenya:
- PCR screening through the use of their sequences belonging to endosymbionts;
- FISH (Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation) on Glossina morsitans morsitans’ mitotic chromosomes in order to investigate the horizontal transfer of Wolbachia sequences in the genome of Glossina.
Glossina genome Annotation
The work done during my first year of PhD focused on populations of Glossina pallidipes captured in different areas of Kenya. To improve the effectiveness of control programs and eradication of this pest species, it is necessary to know the dynamics of population and reproductive behavior of the species. For genotyping of males and females were used microsatellites (Single Sequence Repeats, SSRs loci), polymorphic markers that allow to draw a profile of the populations in analysis:
- By genotyping of DNA from the legs of females and males of different populations can identify polymorphisms at the level of microsatellite length and define the dynamics and structure of these populations;
- By genotyping DNA derived from sperm of the female’s spermathecae may underestimate the number of times a female mates in nature (remating) to explain how sexual behavior can affect the stability and size of populations.
Endosymbiotics relationships
To verify the presence and relationships that establish Wolbachia (Rickettsiae) and Sodalis glossinidius with the insect host, analysis was performed on individuals of G. pallidipes and G. morsitans morsitans captured in Kenya:
- PCR screening through the use of their sequences belonging to endosymbionts;
- FISH (Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation) on Glossina morsitans morsitans’ mitotic chromosomes in order to investigate the horizontal transfer of Wolbachia sequences in the genome of Glossina.
Glossina genome Annotation
