President's Showcase

Shakthi Rajesh He/Him

Helen Louis Lee
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ORCID

Genomics of sex-based venom variation in the Florida bark scorpion
Supervising Professor: Dr. Darin Rokyta
Shakthi Rajesh is a junior majoring in computational biology. He was introduced to the world of research through the UROP program, where he joined the Rokyta lab and worked on a project characterizing the diet of the Hentz striped scorpion using DNA metabarcoding. He is continuing his research in the lab, focusing on the genetic mechanisms underlying venom variation. After graduating he hopes to continue his research career and pursue a PhD studying venom action and evolution using computational methods.

Abstract

Venomous organisms rely on complex biochemical mixtures, known as venom, to survive. Despite its importance, venom composition can vary significantly between populations and even sexes within the same species. The causes and control of this intersex variation is yet to be completely understood. Studying sex chromosomes and sex determination mechanisms can provide insights into venom evolution. Thus, revealing how genes linked to sex chromosomes influence venom composition and how evolutionary pressures shape these differences between the sexes. The Florida bark scorpion (Centruroides gracilis), a species found throughout southern Florida, belongs to a genus in which several species exhibit sex-based variation in venom composition. In this project, I aim to shed light on the underlying genetic mechanisms controlling venom variation by exploring the extent of venom differences between the sexes, sequencing the genomes of both a male and female, identifying associated venom genes, studying the differential expression of these venom genes, and determining if these variations lead to functional differences in toxicity. This project emphasizes the significance of understanding the causes of venom diversity and the factors that drive the evolution of these unique venom compositions.

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