Postdoctoral Fellow

Numt variation in metazoan genomes: gain, loss, duplication and possible function

PI(s): Einat Hazkani-Covo
Start Date: 1-Jun-2006
End Date: 31-May-2009
Keywords: genomics, comparative methods, gene structure and function

Transposition of mitochondrial DNA into the nuclear genomes gives rise to the socalled nuclear pseudogenes of mitochondrial origin (numts). Numts have been recognized in different quantities in more than 50 genomes. This difference is part of the C-value paradox – the lack of correlation between genome size and organism complexity. The differences in numt quantities can be related to dissimilar rates of numt gain, numt loss, and numt post-insertion duplication in different genomes. I have previously shown that in primate lineage most numts are the results of duplications rather than of new insertions. I intend to pursue the research of numt evolution in mammals. More information: http://www.duke.edu/~einat/Einat_Hazkani-Covo/About_Me.html

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PublicationsPresentations
  • Hazkani-Covo E and Covo S. What evolution can teach us about double strand break repair: comparative genome analysis of numt loci enables detection of double strand break repair events at a molecular level. Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE), Halifax, Canada. July 2007.