Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP170101147 [ 2017-01-01 - 2021-12-31 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Janine Deakin (Chief Investigator) Prof Arthur Georges (Chief Investigator) A/Prof Lisa Schwanz (Chief Investigator) A/Prof Paul Waters (Chief Investigator) Dr Clare Holleley (Partner Investigator)

Brief description Sex determination in dragons: Genetics, epigenetics and environment. This project aims to discover the master sex-determining gene in a reptile, how that gene is differentially regulated in males and females and by temperature, and to identify evolutionary drivers of transitions between genetic and environmental sex determination. In many reptiles, like mammals, chromosomes determine sex. In others, the temperature at which their eggs are incubated determines sex. This project will study how temperature reverses chromosomal sex determination in dragon lizards. This could show how climatic extremes affect the biology of climate sensitive reptiles, and understand their vulnerability to climate change.

Funding Amount $1,006,500

Funding Scheme Discovery Projects

View this grant in the ARC Data Portal