Animal immune systems tightly co-evolve with microbiota colonising host tissues. Our previous research has shown that receptor systems involved in avian inflammation exhibit high levels of putatively functional genetic polymorphism. In humans host genetic variation has been shown to influence gut microbiota and its interactions with immunity. Parrots represent the most common bird pets kept by humans. Compared to mammals, strikingly little attention has been paid to parrot microbiological and immunological research. Understanding the relationships between immune-related genotypes and co-evolving microbial community structures is crucial for identification of general mechanisms forming interspecific and intraspecific variation in microbial effects on host health. In practical terms, this insight is needed for targeted therapy in parrots. The aim of this PhD project is to investigate genetic variation in candidate immune-related genes essential for microbial detection and signalling (e.g. MHC class II, bacterial-sensing TLRs, cytokines) in parrots. Using sequences obtained by transcriptomic analysis and targeted sequencing a selection analysis and structural modelling will be performed to identify positions candidate for functional effects on host-microbiota interactions. Finally, an association study linking this predicted functional variation to microbial data obtained from captive parrots will be performed. The topic is ambitious, novel and relevant in international context.
Świderská Z., Šmídová A., Buchtová L., Bryjová A., Fabiánová A., Munclinger P. & Vinkler M. (2018): Avian Toll-like receptor diversity far exceeds human polymorphism: an insight from domestic chickens. Major revision in Scientific Reports 8: 17878; DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36226-1
Bílková B., Świderská Z., Zita L., Laloë D., Charles M., Beneš V., Stopka P. & Vinkler M. (2018): Domestic fowl breed variation in egg white protein expression: application of proteomics and transcriptomics. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 66 (44), 11854-11863. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b03099
Velová H., Gutowska-Ding M. W., Burt D. W. & Vinkler M. (2018): Toll-like receptor evolution in birds: gene duplication, pseudogenisation and diversifying selection. Molecular Biology and Evolution 35(9): 2170–2184. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy119
Králová T., Albrecht T., Bryja J., Hořák D., Johnsen A., Lifjeld J.T., Novotný M., Sedláček O., Velová H. & Vinkler M. (2018): Signatures of diversifying selection and convergence acting on passerine Toll-like receptor 4 in an evolutionary context. Molecular Ecology 27: 2871-2883. DOI: 10.1111/mec.14724
Vinkler M., Leon A. E., Kirkpatrick L., Dalloul R. A. & Hawley D. M. (2018): Differing house finch cytokine expression responses to original and evolved isolates of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Frontiers in Immunology 9: 13. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00013
2019-2021 Vinkler M.: Effects of microbiota composition on inflammatory immunity and clinical symptom occurrence in socioeconomically-relevant parrots. The Czech Science Foundation, grant No. P502/19-20152Y, total budget 7 475 000 CZK
2018-2020 Vinkler M.: Impact of neuroinflammation on brain development and learning in cognitively advanced birds, Charles University, grant No. PRIMUS/17/SCI/12, total budget 8 988 00 CZK
2018-2020 Vinkler M.: Mapping of diversity in avian genomic resources available in the Czech Republic. Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, grant No. INTER-COST LTC18060, total budget 1 922 000 CZK
2018-2020 Krajzingrová T. (guarantor: Vinkler M.): Geographic variability of heavy metal contamination and its effects on health and aging in the great tit (Parus major), The Charles University Grant Agency, grant No. 1626218, total budget 700 000 CZK
2017-2019 Těšický M. (guarantor: Vinkler M.): Microbiome of bird egg in early and late embryogenesis: impact of experimental in ovo probiotics administration on establishment of microbiota and gene expression of immune genes in birds, The Charles University Grant Agency, grant No. 1158217, total budget 750 000 CZK
grant No. GAČR P502/19-20152Y
Deadline is closed