:: Current research project

Neuroendocrine mechanisms of reproductive polyphenisms in the blenny Salaria pavo

In the same animal, different traits can be under the control of common hormonal mechanisms. Modifying target tissue sensitivity to hormones, changing hormone receptors density, or promoting the local conversion of circulating hormones through specific biosynthetic pathways are possible mechanisms to regulate hormonal effects at a tissue level. Male polymorphism offers an excellent framework to study how animals independently regulate the expression of traits that are under the control of the same hormonal mechanism.

The main goal of this study is to test the hypothesis of hormonal compartmentalization effects at tissue level in a species with alternative reproductive tactics, Salaria pavo. Understanding how alternative reproductive male morphs independently regulate the effects of circulating hormones in different target tissues is a key step in the integrated study of proximate mechanisms of sexual plasticity.

Currently the necessary genetic and cellular tools are being developed and optimized in the lab.

:: Selected publicationspublications

- Carvalho, M., Ribeiro T., Viegas W., Morais-Cecílio L. & Rocheta M. Presence of env-like sequences in Quercus suber retrotransposons. Journal of Plant Research (in press).