Squalomix: Genomic Decoding of the Underwater Life of Sharks and Rays

Join us for this month’s ERGA Plenary meeting!

On Monday, May 18, at 15:00 CEST, we will welcome Prof. Shigehiro Kuraku, leader of Squalomix. Prof. Kuraku specializes in molecular evolution, genomics, and developmental biology. After independent roles at the University of Konstanz and RIKEN, he joined the National Institute of Genetics (NIG) in 2021. His work combines DNA sequence analysis and benchwork to investigate the mechanisms of vertebrate evolution.

Abstract

Cartilaginous fishes (sharks, rays, chimaeras) charted an evolutionary trajectory distinct from other lineages. Not simply generalized as "fish," these species require dedicated research frameworks to decode their lives. Since 2020, the consortium Squalomix has met this need sustainably, which will be briefly introduced in this oppotunity. Partnering with public aquariums, marine stations, and allied consortia, we study diverse species —from migratory pelagic sharks to our core focus, Japanese coastal biodiversity. We integrate molecular data with rigorous cellular-level analysis expertise. To navigate the highly variable genome sizes across cartilaginous fishes, we anchor our sequencing output in empirical cytology, enabling karyotyping and nuclear DNA content measurement. This foundation yields tangible insights, including unveiling the evolutionary organization of their sex chromosomes, now recognized as the oldest among vertebrates. Furthermore, we move beyond sequencing and computation. Informatically derived evolutionary hypotheses are reconstructively verified via experiments. Our in vitro systems embody this approach, enabling the exploration of unique adaptations, as demonstrated in our research on whale shark deep-sea vision. Our scope spans from contributing to pelagic population monitoring to deeply decoding their unique lifestyles. By uncovering genomic grammar that links information in DNA to cellular traits and an organism's pace of life, we seek to elucidate the fundamental principles driving the vertebrate tree of life.

Want to know more? https://squalomix.github.io/