# Integrating theory, genomics, and comparative approaches to break barriers to the understanding of genome structure and sex chromosome evolution.

> **NIH NIH R35** · TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $351,410

## Abstract

Project summary
Genome structure, at a fundamental level, can be described by the division of the genome into
autosomes and sex chromosomes. Meiotic drive, segregation mechanisms, sexual antagonism,
epistasis, benefits of higher or lower recombination, and drift have all been implicated in
changes in chromosome number as well as the proportion of the genome contained within sex
chromosomes. However, despite over a century of work, none of these factors can adequately
explain the striking variation in genome organization across species. The long-term goals of our
research program are: (1) to develop new and robust models to better explain the forces that
lead to changes in the number of chromosomes and the proportion of the genome contained in
sex chromosomes, and (2) to understand how these characteristics impact the evolution of
other traits including common chromosomal disorders like Klinefelter syndrome and Turner
syndrome. This will be achieved by implementing a three-pronged approach combining
comparative, genomic, and theoretical methods to gain new insight into genome evolution. First,
comparative phylogenetic methods will be applied to genomic and phenotypic data spanning
long evolutionary time scales to estimate the rates of evolution of sex chromosomes and
chromosome number and link variation in these rates with life-history or other traits. Over
shorter time periods genetic and genomic studies are used within and among species to
understand the nature of segregating variation in genome structure and genetic variation that is
sexually antagonistic. Finally, these approaches are supplemented with theoretical work to test
and develop hypotheses inspired by results or to aid in experimental design for genetic and
genomic studies. Together, the results of this work will be an unprecedented understanding of
the evolutionary forces that have shaped the large-scale structure of genome across the tree of
life and continue to impact our genomes today

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10424490
- **Project number:** 5R35GM138098-03
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Heath Blackmon
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $351,410
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10424490

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10424490, Integrating theory, genomics, and comparative approaches to break barriers to the understanding of genome structure and sex chromosome evolution. (5R35GM138098-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10424490. Licensed CC0.

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