Alessio IannucciUniversity of Florence | UNIFI · Dipartimento di Biologia
Alessio Iannucci
PhD
About
25
Publications
6,740
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203
Citations
Introduction
I am currently working on molecular ecology and evolution of non-model animal species.
Additional affiliations
January 2020 - present
Position
- PostDoc Position
Description
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution of non-model animal species.
July 2018 - August 2018
Position
- Visiting student
Description
- Comparative genomics of Squamata and Testudines species.
October 2017 - October 2017
Position
- Visiting student
Description
- Optimizing chromosome visualization methods in Decapoda Brachyura to of six mangrove crab species.
Education
November 2016 - November 2019
University of Ferrara
Field of study
- Vertebrates molecular Ecology and Evolution
October 2013 - June 2015
October 2010 - July 2013
Publications
Publications (25)
Crustaceans are characterized by some of the most variable genome sizes among animals. Significant relationships between genome size and specific eco-physiological and morphological features have been described in many crustacean taxa, such as Amphipoda, Ostracoda, Cladocera, and Copepoda. A consistent pattern of genome size variation is yet to be...
Insights into the evolution of non-model organisms are often limited by the lack of reference genomes. As part of the Vertebrate Genomes Project, we present a new reference genome and a pangenome produced with High-Fidelity long reads for the barn swallow Hirundo rustica. We then generated a reference-free multialignment with other bird genomes to...
Genetic variation, which is generated by mutation, recombination and gene flow, can reduce the mean fitness of a population, both now and in the future. This ‘genetic load’ has been estimated in a wide range of animal taxa using various approaches. Advances in genome sequencing and computational techniques now enable us to estimate the genetic load...
Background
Mangroves are tropical and subtropical intertidal forests colonising sheltered coasts across the world. They host a unique faunal community, dominated by brachyuran crabs and gastropods. These invertebrates strongly contribute to the functionality of the entire forest. The reliable assessment of mangrove faunal diversity is, thus, a cruc...
Population and conservation genetics studies have greatly benefited from the development of new techniques and bioinformatic tools associated with next‐generation sequencing. Analysis of extensive datasets from whole‐genome sequencing of even a few individuals allows the detection of patterns of fine‐scale population structure and detailed reconstr...
Lipocalins represent one of the most successful superfamilies of proteins. Most of them are extracellular carriers for hydrophobic ligands across aqueous media, but other functions have been reported. They are present in most living organisms including bacteria. In animals they have been identified in mammals, molluscs and arthropods; sequences hav...
Among invasive squirrels in Europe, the Siberian chipmunk Eutamias sibiricus, native to NorthEast Asia, shows the highest number of free-ranging populations in European countries, due to the intense pet trade it underwent between the 1960s and the 1980s. We describe 628-bp cytochrome b sequences from the Netherlands (N = 3), Belgium (N = 4) and Swi...
The transition to terrestrial environments has occurred repeatedly and at different geological times in arthropods, but almost no information is available about the role of symbiotic microbiota in such process. Here we investigated the associated microbiota of a terrestrial brachyuran crab, Chiromantes haematocheir, using a targeted metagenomic app...
The study of vertebrate genome evolution is currently facing a revolution, brought about by next generation sequencing technologies that allow researchers to produce nearly complete and error-free genome assemblies. Novel approaches however do not always provide a direct link with information on vertebrate genome evolution gained from cytogenetic a...
The transition to terrestrial environments by formerly aquatic species has occurred repeatedly in many animal phyla and lead to the vast diversity of extant terrestrial species. The differences between aquatic and terrestrial habitats are enormous and involved remarkable morphological and physiological changes. Convergent evolution of various trait...
Background: Studies on marine community dynamics and population structures are limited by the lack of exhaustive knowledge on the larval dispersal component of connectivity. Genetic data represents a powerful tool in understanding such processes in the marine realm. When dealing with dispersion and connectivity in marine ecosystems, many evidences...
Brachyura is one of the most specious infra-order belonging to Decapoda
and it plays a central role from an ecological and economic point of view. Despite its
importance, cytogenetic studies on Brachyura (Decapoda) are extremely limited due
to the difficulties in obtaining chromosome preparations of good quality. Molecular
cytogenetic have proven t...
Biological invasions are a growing threat to biodiversity. The black rat, one of the worst pest in the world, is responsible for extensive population decline of many autochthonous and endemic species, particularly in island ecosystems. A number of rat eradication campaigns have been conducted, however, such endeavors do not always result in a compl...
Non-synonymous mutations in the gene encoding vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1) are responsible for resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides in rodents. Detection of resistant individuals is crucial to implement effective management plans and guarantee the success of eradication campaigns. Resistant individuals of the house mouse Mus musculus ha...
Monitor lizards are unique among ectothermic reptiles in that they have high aerobic capacity and distinctive cardiovascular physiology resembling that of endothermic mammals. Here, we sequence the genome of the Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis, the largest extant monitor lizard, and generate a high-resolution de novo chromosome-assigned genome as...
Monitor lizards are unique among ectothermic reptiles in that they have a high aerobic capacity and distinctive cardiovascular physiology which resembles that of endothermic mammals. We have sequenced the genome of the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), the largest extant monitor lizard, and present a high resolution de novo chromosome-assigned g...
Despite their long history with the basal split dating back to the Eocene, all species of monitor lizards (family Varanidae) studied so far share the same chromosome number of 2n = 40. However, there are differences in the morphology of the macrochromosome pairs 5–8. Further, sex determination, which revealed ZZ/ZW sex microchromosomes, was studied...
We developed new tools to build a high-quality chromosomal map of the Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis ) available for cross-species phylogenomic analyses. First, we isolated chromosomes by flow sorting and determined the chromosome content of each flow karyotype peak by FISH. We then isolated additional Komodo dragon chromosomes by microdissect...
Our knowledge of Testudines evolution is limited by the lack of modern cytogenetic data. Compared to other reptiles, there is little information even on chromosome banding, let alone molecular cytogenetic data. Here, we provide detailed information on the karyotype of the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis , a model Emydidae, employing both chro...
Invasive species are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, and rodents in particular are regarded as a real threat worldwide, especially to island ecosystems. The Tuscan Archipelago National Park is the largest in the Mediterranean basin, it harbours a large number of autochthonous endemic species, mostly reptiles and insects, and hosts many...
The introduction of allochthonous species represents a serious threat for the native gene pools and ecosystem biodiversity. The effect is particularly disastrous for insular biocoenoses, such as in the Tuscan archipelago, one of the most important biodiversity hotspot in the Mediterranean area. The EU tool LIFE + has funded an eradication project i...
Ammonia pollution is a critical issue in Europe, since more than half of the European freshwater bodies
actually fail to meet EU quality standards for this chemical. In this study, the response of stress-related genes to a
sublethal ammonia concentration has been investigated in the adults of the freshwater cyclopoid Eucyclops
serrulatus. Two short...
This article documents the public availability of (i) RAD sequencing data and validated SNPs for the American mink Neovison vison and (ii) Transcriptome resources for two nonmodel freshwater crustacean species, the copepod Eucyclops serrulatus and the amphipod Echinogammarus veneris.
Widespread pollution from agriculture is one of the major causes of the poor freshwater quality currently observed across Europe. Several studies have addressed the direct impact of agricultural pollutants on freshwater biota by means of laboratory bioassays; however, as far as copepod crustaceans
are concerned, the ecotoxicological research is sca...
Projects
Projects (2)
Small, declining populations are prone to extinction due to inbreeding, genetic drift and reduced evolutionary potential (extinction vortex). This phenomenon is particularly threatening for endemic species, which represent a unique, unrepeatable biological heritage. Italy is a biodiversity hotspot hosting 35% of the species included in the European IUCN Red List and is particularly rich of such endangered endemics. Extinction risk can be reduced by developing conservation strategies that prevent genetic erosion; this approach requires a detailed knowledge of genetic variation and its consequences. To this aim, we focus on five iconic Italian endemics that are endangered and require urgent actions according to the IUCN: the Apennine brown bear, Aeolian wall lizard, Apennine yellow-bellied toad, Adriatic sturgeon and Ponza grayling. In each of these species, we explore evolutionary dynamics in two populations of different sizes through advanced population genomic approaches. Whole genome (re)sequencing data is used to estimate their demographic histories, genomic diversity, genomic susceptibility to extinction due to mutation load and eligibility for genetic rescue. The effect of fixed deleterious mutations on cellular functions and individual fitness are analyzed using breeding and in vitro functional studies. Our insights will aid a proper management and conservation of these and other endangered species by informing effective interventions to face the ongoing biodiversity crisis. Furthermore, they expand our knowledge of evolutionary dynamics in small populations and, more broadly, the processes underlying biodiversity and adaptation.
