A5025076468- Echinoderm biology and ecology
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Trypanosoma species research and implications
College of Marin
2023-2025
University of South Florida St. Petersburg
2023-2024
University of South Florida
2023
Vanderbilt University
2022
Vanderbilt Health
2022
Inherited microorganisms can selfishly manipulate host reproduction to drive through populations. In Drosophila melanogaster , germline expression of the native Wolbachia prophage WO proteins CifA and CifB cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in which embryos from infected males uninfected females suffer catastrophic mitotic defects lethality; however, females, rescues embryonic lethality thus imparts a fitness advantage maternally transmitted . Despite widespread relevance sex...
Echinoderm mass mortality events shape marine ecosystems by altering the dynamics among major benthic groups. The sea urchin Diadema antillarum, virtually extirpated in Caribbean early 1980s an unknown cause, recently experienced another beginning January 2022. We investigated cause of this event through combined molecular biological and veterinary pathologic approaches comparing grossly normal abnormal animals collected from 23 sites, representing locations that were either affected or...
Abstract Mass mortality of the dominant coral reef herbivore Diadema antillarum in Caribbean early 1980s contributed to a persistent phase shift from coral- algal-dominated reefs. In 2022, scuticociliate most closely related Philaster apodigitiformis caused further mass D. across Caribbean, leading >95% at affected sites. Mortality was also reported species setosum Mediterranean though causative agent outbreak has not yet been determined. April 2023, occurred along Sultanate Oman's...
ABSTRACT Mass mortality of Diadematidae urchins, caused by the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade (DScPc) , affected Caribbean in spring 2022 and subsequently spread to eastern Mediterranean, Red Sea, western Indian Ocean. A key question around (DSc), disease scuticociliate, is whether urchin microbiome varies between scuticociliatosis-affected grossly normal urchins. Tissue samples from both abnormal were collected field during initial assessment DSc causative agent an...
Abstract Inherited microorganisms can selfishly manipulate host reproduction to drive through populations. In Drosophila melanogaster , germline expression of the native Wolbachia prophage WO proteins CifA and CifB cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in which embryos from infected males uninfected females suffer catastrophic mitotic defects lethality; however, females, rescues embryonic lethality thus imparts a fitness advantage maternally-transmitted . Despite widespread relevance sex...
<h2>Summary</h2> Environmental stressors can impact the basic biology and applications of host-microbe symbioses. For example, <i>Wolbachia</i> symbiont densities cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) levels decline in response to extreme temperatures host aging. To investigate whether transgenic expression CI-causing <i>cif</i> genes overcomes environmental sensitivity CI, we exposed male flies low high as well aging treatments. Our results indicate that induces nearly complete CI regardless...
Abstract Mass mortality of the dominant coral reef herbivore Diadema antillarum in Caribbean early 1980s led to a persistent phase shift from coral-to algal-dominated reefs. In 2022, scuticociliate most closely related Philaster apodigitiformis caused further mass D. across Caribbean, leading >95% at affected sites. Mortality was also reported species setosum Mediterranean where urchins experienced gross signs compatible with scuticociliatosis. However, causative agent outbreak has not...