As a postdoc in Hanna’s lab, Carrie investigated several facets of genome evolution in the fungal model Neurospora. Specifically, she studied evolution of the non-recombining region on the sex (mat) chromosomes in N. tetrasperma, the evolution of optimal codons in populations of N. crassa, and the evolution of proteins and gene expression across sexual and non-sexual tissues in the Neurospora genus. The research identified key shifts in selective pressures acting on proteins, synonymous codons, and expression within these fungal organisms, and revealed crucial factors shaping their short-term and long-term molecular evolution.
Johannesson Lab
at Stockholm University