Speakers

Biography

Sara Laura Šarančić is a dedicated researcher and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, with a solid foundation in Biology and Chemistry, holding a master’s degree in biology and chemistry education. Currently, I am actively contributing to the project 'Amethyst Meadow Squill (Chouardia litardierei, Hyacinthaceae): A Study System for Ecological Divergence,' funded by the Croatian Science Foundation, where my research revolves around the fascinating realms of adaptation genomics, population genetics, GWAS (Genome-Wide Association Studies) and GEA (Genome-Environment Association Studies). As a quick learner, I am actively expanding my skills in the dynamic bioinformatics field. I believe in the power of data-driven insights to propel scientific discoveries.

Abstract

By imposing different selection pressures on populations occupying contrasting habitats, environmental heterogeneity drives the process of lineage diversification that can lead to the emergence of new ecotypes and, ultimately, species. Through various mechanisms, natural selection purges the genes maladapted to different environmental conditions and supports the ones that will positively influence the adaptation of generations to come in specific surroundings. Chouardia litardierei (Hyacinthaceae) is a bulbous perennial monocot species that occupies highly contrasting habitats in different climate zones. From wet meadows in coastal areas of the eastern Adriatic, through periodically flooded karst poljes at higher altitudes across the Dinaric Alps, and finally to rocky, exposed, and arid slopes of limestone and dolomite mountains in southern parts of its distribution range, different groups of C. litardierei populations are adapted to highly contrasting environmental conditions. We performed a comprehensive genome-environment association analysis to investigate the genomic background of local adaptation and characterize regions of the genome strongly associated with specific environmental variables. After sequencing 129 samples from 33 selected populations of C. litardierei across its distribution range, we tested for association between 8537 obtained SNPs and available bioclimatic variables. Different analytical approaches aimed at recognizing loci underlying local adaptation were implemented. Finally, we annotated the recognized loci against the available species’ draft genome, and the results are being discussed.