Turk Rhen, Ph.D., Professor (Not hosting REU participants Summer 2023)
Project: Genetics and epigenetics of temperature-dependent sex determination
Mentor: Turk Rhen, Ph.D., Professor (Not hosting REU participants Summer 2024)
Location: Department of Biology, Starcher Hall
Description: Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) was first reported 50 years ago in a lizard. TSD has since been shown to occur in many reptiles as well as some fish and amphibians. Yet, the molecular mechanism underlying TSD is unknown. My lab has established the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, as a model for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying TSD. We are using an integrative approach that combines classical genetics, genome-wide association studies, population genomics, ChIP-Seq, RNA-Seq, and experimental manipulation of gene expression to elucidate gene regulatory networks involved in TSD. Our genetic studies and gene expression analyses have identified numerous candidate genes that may play a role in transducing temperature into a biological signal for the embryonic gonads to develop into ovaries or testes. Among the candidates are genes that regulate epigenetic modifications like histone methylation. Students will help characterize the role of various candidate genes in TSD.
