Missions

Maternally inherited symbionts that manipulate host reproduction are common in arthropods. By altering reproductive success and compatibility among maternal lineages, these symbionts can reshape population dynamics and rapidly modify gene flow between populations, thereby affecting host mitochondrial diversity and potentially contributing to reproductive isolation. In this project, the postdoc will investigate the impacts of these symbionts on tick population genetics. First, she/he will test whether maternally inherited symbionts influence mitochondrial diversity in ticks through indirect selective sweeps (cytoplasmic hitchhiking), applying mitophylogenomics within a robust statistical framework. Second, she/he will assess the effects of these symbionts on nuclear genetic differentiation among tick populations using microsatellite markers and population genetics approaches. The postdoc will benefit from an already substantial dataset (DNA banks and microsatellite data are readily available). Her/his main task will be to generate the mitogenomic data and, then, to integrate and analyze all datasets.

Activities

-- Generation of mitogenomic data (high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic analyses)
-- Phylogenetic and statistical analyses
-- Writing of scientific articles
-- Presentation of results at conferences and seminars

Skills

-- PhD in population genetics
-- Expertise in phylogenetics, high-throughput sequencing, and bioinformatic analyses
-- Ability to write scientific articles and present results

Work Context

The work will be carried out within the EVCO team of the MIVEGEC laboratory in Montpellier (France).

The position is located in a sector under the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST), and therefore requires, in accordance with the regulations, that your arrival is authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.