A5089682736- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Malaria Research and Control
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Parasites and Host Interactions
- Dengue and Mosquito Control Research
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Nematode management and characterization studies
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Plant and animal studies
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2013-2025
University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2022-2025
University of California, Davis
2017-2020
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre
2013-2020
Vector (United States)
2019-2020
University Hospital Münster
2019
Senckenberg Society for Nature Research
2013
Goethe University Frankfurt
2013
Federal Office for Food and Agriculture
1979
Aedes aegypti is the principal mosquito vector for many arboviruses that increasingly infect millions of people every year. With an escalating burden infections and relative failure traditional control methods, development innovative measures has become paramount importance. The use gene drives sparked significant enthusiasm genetic mosquitoes; however, no such system been developed in Ae. aegypti. To fill this void, here we develop several CRISPR-based split vector. cleavage rates up to...
A Cas9/guide RNA-based gene drive strain, AgNosCd-1, was developed to deliver antiparasite effector molecules the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae The system targets cardinal ortholog producing a red-eye phenotype. Drive can achieve 98 100% in both sexes and full introduction observed small cage trials within 6 10 generations following single release of gene-drive males. No genetic load resulting from integrated transgenes impaired performance trials. Potential drive-resistant...
Molluscs are the second most species-rich phylum in animal kingdom, yet only 11 genomes of this group have been published so far. Here, we present draft genome sequence pulmonate freshwater snail Radix auricularia. Six whole shotgun libraries with different layouts were sequenced. The resulting assembly comprises 4,823 scaffolds a cumulative length 910 Mb and an overall read coverage 72×. contains 94.6% metazoan core gene collection, indicating almost complete coding fraction. discrepancy...
Abstract The gradual heterogeneity of climatic factors poses varying selection pressures across geographic distances that leave signatures clinal variation in the genome. Separating adaptation from other evolutionary forces, such as demographic processes, genetic drift and adaptation, to nonclinal conditions immediate local environment is a major challenge. Here, we examine climate five natural populations harlequin fly Chironomus riparius sampled along gradient Europe. Our study integrates...
In the summer of 2013, Aedes aegypti Linnaeus was first detected in three cities central California (Clovis, Madera and Menlo Park). It has now been multiple locations southern CA as far south San Diego Imperial Counties. A number published reports suggest that populations have established from independent introductions.Here we report population genomics analyses Ae. based on individual, field collected whole genome sequences. We analyzed 46 genomes to establish genetic relationships among...
Abstract The blind subterranean mole rat Spalax shows a remarkable tolerance to hypoxia, cancer-resistance and longevity. Unravelling the genomic basis of these adaptations will be important for biomedical applications. RNA-Seq gene expression data were obtained from normoxic hypoxic liver tissue. Hypoxic broadly downregulates genes major function pathways. This energy-saving response is likely crucial adaptation low oxygen levels. In contrast, hypoxia-sensitive massive upregulation energy...
Abstract A number of recent papers report that standing genetic variation in natural populations includes ubiquitous polymorphisms within target sites for Cas9-based gene drive (CGD) and these “drive resistant alleles” (DRA) preclude the successful application CGD managing populations. Here we results a survey 1280 genomes mosquitoes Anopheles gambiae , An. coluzzii Aedes aegypti which determine ~90% all protein-encoding genes include at least one site with no DRAs frequency ≥1.0%. We...
Immunocompromised patients struggle to adequately clear viral infections, offering the virus opportunity adapt immune system in host. Here we present a case study of patient undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with 521-day follow-up SARS-CoV-2 infection BF.7.21 variant. Virus samples from five time points were submitted whole genome sequencing. Between first detection and its clearance, patient's population acquired 34 amino acid substitutions 8 deletions coding...
Infection of cells with the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) triggers expression interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). ISGs encode proteins antiviral functions, such as inhibiting viral replication, promoting cell death infected and enhancing immune responses. HCMV has evolved mechanisms to evade effects ISGs. The encoded by US7, US8, US9 have been shown interfere interferon induction. US7 are embedded in a cluster genes, termed US2 US11. individual members this gene family on multiple levels...
Abstract Chironomus riparius is of great importance as a study species in various fields like ecotoxicology, molecular genetics, developmental biology and ecology. However, only fragmented draft genome exists to date, hindering the recent rush population genomic studies this species. Making use 50 NGS datasets, we present hybrid assembly from short long sequence reads that make C. riparius’ one most contiguous Dipteran genomes published, first complete mitochondrial species, respective...
Abstract Animal species are able to acquire new genetic material via hybridization and subsequent introgression. However, little is known about how foreign genomic incorporated into a population over time what genes susceptible Here, we follow the closely related mosquito sister Anopheles coluzzii gambiae in sympatric natural Mali at multiple points spanning period of 25 years. During this period, observed temporary breakdown mating barriers, which allowed us explore fate alleles that...
Hypoxia has gained ecological importance during the last decades, and it is most dramatically increasing environmental factor in coastal areas estuaries. The gills of fish are prime target hypoxia other stresses. Here we have studied impact exposure to (1.5 mg O2/l for 48 h) on protein expression two estuarine species, ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua) European flounder (Platichthys flesus). First, obtained transcriptomes mixed tissues (gills, heart brain) from both species by Illumina...
C4 photosynthesis is a carbon-concentrating mechanism that evolved independently more than 60 times in wide range of angiosperm lineages. Among other alterations, the evolution from ancestral C3 requires changes expression vast number genes. Differential gene analyses between closely related and species have significantly increased our understanding functioning evolution. In Chenopodiaceae, family rich origins photosynthetic types, anatomy, physiology phylogeny C4, C2 Salsoleae has been...
In 2022, a series of human monkeypox cases in multiple countries led to the largest and most widespread outbreak outside known endemic areas. Setup proper genomic surveillance is utmost importance control such outbreaks. To this end, we performed Nanopore (PromethION P24) Illumina (NextSeq. 2000) Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) sample. Adaptive sampling was applied for silico depletion host genome, allowing enrichment low abundance viral DNA without priori knowledge sample composition....
Active transposable elements (TEs) may result in divergent genomic insertion and abundance patterns among conspecific populations. Upon secondary contact, such genetic backgrounds can theoretically give rise to classical Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities (DMI), thus contributing the evolution of endogenous barriers eventually causing population divergence. We investigated differential TE populations nonbiting midge Chironomus riparius evaluated their potential role between these focussed...
There is a lack of understanding the evolutionary forces driving niche segregation closely related organisms. In addition, pinpointing genes ecological divergence key goal in molecular ecology. Here, larval transcriptome sequences obtained by next-generation-sequencing are used to address these issues morphologically cryptic sister species pair non-biting midges (Chironomus riparius and C. piger).More than eight thousand orthologous open reading frames were screened for interspecific...
Abstract The mosquito Anopheles gambiae s.s . is distributed across most of sub-Saharan Africa and major scientific public health interest for being an African malaria vector. Here we present population genomic analyses 111 specimens sampled from west to east Africa, including the first whole genome sequences oceanic islands, Comoros. Genetic distances between populations A. are discordant with geographic but consistent a stepwise migration scenario in which species increases its range...
Abstract The basal splits within Syndermata probably date back hundreds of millions years, and extant syndermatans greatly differ in reproduction modes (parthenogenesis, metagenesis, heterosexuality) lifestyles (free-living, epizoic, endoparasitic). Against this background, the present investigation aims to reconstruct genome transcriptome metrics last common ancestor (LCA) Syndermata. We especially annotated nuclear assemblies one representative, each, monogononts ( Brachionus plicatilis ),...
The success of social insects is largely intertwined with their highly advanced chemical communication system that facilitates recognition and discrimination species nest-mates, recruitment, division labor. Hydrocarbons, which cover the cuticle insects, not only serve as waterproofing agents but also constitute a major component this system. Two cryptic Crematogaster species, share nest Camponotus ants, show striking diversity in cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile. This mutualistic...
During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, dominant viral variants were repeatedly replaced by new with altered properties, frequently changing dynamics of infection event, as well effectiveness vaccines and therapeutics. variant monitoring whole genome sequencing was established at University Medical Center Mainz, Germany to support patient management during pandemic. RNA samples from analysed weekly sequencing. The sequences obtained aligned public databases perform assignment. For classification...
Abstract Figure Graphical abstract During the last 800 million years of evolution animals radiated into a vast range diversity species and disparity forms lifestyles. The process involved near hierarchical increase in complexity from life with few cell types to organisms many hundreds cell-types. However, neither genome size nor number protein-coding genes can explain these differences their biological basis remains elusive. Yet, recent studies have suggested that is closely linked...
The Aedes aegypti mitogenome (Mt) sequences of field isolates from California and South Africa revealed a deletion between position 14,522 14,659 the Mt contig AaegL5 reference genome. length isolate was 16,659 bp had 99.0% similarity with contig. African sequence 16,600 long 97.9% reference. region 1496 1664 is similar to nuclear pseudogene that might be copy portion mitochondrial