A5012167070- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Plant and animal studies
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
- Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Immune cells in cancer
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Silk-based biomaterials and applications
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- melanin and skin pigmentation
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Immune responses and vaccinations
- Genetic and Kidney Cyst Diseases
Syracuse University
2020-2024
Cornell University
2016-2020
University of Iowa
2012-2019
University of Rochester
2012-2017
For more than 100 years, the fruit fly
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a significant public health threat, as it the main vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Disease control efforts could be enhanced through reproductive manipulation these vectors. Previous work has revealed relationship between male seminal fluid proteins transferred to females during mating female post-mating physiology behavior. To better understand this interplay, we used short-read RNA sequencing identify gene expression changes in lower tract response...
The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, transmits several viruses causative of serious diseases, including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Some proposed efforts to control this vector involve manipulating reproduction suppress wild populations or replace them with disease-resistant mosquitoes. design such strategies requires an intimate knowledge reproductive processes, yet our basic understanding genetics in remains largely incomplete. To accelerate future investigations, we have...
Abstract Postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) is a potent evolutionary force that can drive rapid changes of reproductive genes within species, and thus has the potential to generate incompatibilities between species. Male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) are major players in postmating interactions, important targets PCSS males. The virilis subgroup Drosophila exhibits strong interspecific gametic incompatibilities, serve as model study genetic basis isolation. However, this group have not...
Abstract Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the primary vectors of numerous viruses that impact human health. As manipulation reproduction has been proposed to suppress mosquito populations, elucidation biological processes enable males and females successfully reproduce is necessary. One essential process female sperm storage in specialized structures called spermathecae. typically mate once, requiring them maintain viably fertilize eggs they lay over their lifetime. Spermathecal gene products...
Abstract In many animal species, females undergo physiological and behavioral changes after mating. Some of these are driven by male-derived seminal fluid proteins critical for fertilization success. Unfortunately, our understanding the molecular interplay between female male reproductive remains inadequate. Here, we analyze postmating response in a Drosophila species that has evolved strong gametic incompatibility with its sister species; novamexicana produce only ∼1% fertilized eggs...
Abstract Understanding the genetic basis of speciation is a central problem in evolutionary biology. Studies reproductive isolation have provided several insights into causes speciation, especially taxa that lend themselves to detailed scrutiny. Reproductive barriers usually been divided those occur before zygote formation (prezygotic) and after (postzygotic), with latter receiving great deal attention over decades. mating but [postmating prezygotic (PMPZ)] are understudied at level. Here, I...
The virilis group of Drosophila represents a relatively unexplored but potentially useful model to investigate the genetics speciation. Good resolution phylogenetic relationships and ability obtain fertile hybrid offspring make especially promising for analysis genetic changes underlying reproductive isolation separate from sterility inviability. Phylogenetic analyses reveal close relationship between sister species, americana D. novamexicana , yet excepting their contemporary allopatric...
Abstract The genetic basis of species differences remains understudied. Studies in insects have contributed significantly to our understanding morphological evolution. Pigmentation traits particular received a great deal attention and several genes the insect pigmentation pathway been implicated inter- intraspecific differences. Nonetheless, much unknown about many this their potential role understudied taxa. Here we genetically analyze puparium color difference between members virilis group...
In almost all animals studied to date, the crucial process of egg activation, by which an arrested mature oocyte transitions into actively developing embryo, initiates with increase in Ca
Abstract Drosophila melanogaster females undergo a variety of post-mating changes that influence their activity, feeding behavior, metabolism, egg production and gene expression. These are induced either by mating itself or sperm seminal fluid proteins. In addition, studies have shown axenic females—those lacking microbiome—have altered fecundity compared to with microbiome, the microbiome female’s mate can reproductive success. However, extent which in transcript abundance affected state is...
Abstract Background Mating induces behavioral and physiological changes in the arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti , including stimulation of egg development oviposition, increased survival, reluctance to re-mate with subsequent males. Transferred seminal fluid proteins peptides derived from male accessory glands induce these changes, though mechanism by which they do this is not known. Results To determine transcriptome induced proteins, we injected extract vesicles (MAG extract) into females...
Abstract A vast diversity of karyotypes exists within and between species, yet the mechanisms that shape this are poorly understood. Here we investigate role biased meiotic segregation—i.e., drive—in karyotype evolution. The closely related Drosophila americana D. novamexicana , provide an ideal system to karyotypic diversification. Since their recent divergence, has evolved two centromeric fusions: one 2nd 3rd chromosomes, another X 4th chromosomes. 2-3 fusion is fixed in but X-4...
Abstract Seminal fluid protein composition is complex and commonly assumed to be rapidly divergent due functional interactions with both sperm the female reproductive tract (FRT), of which evolve rapidly. In addition sperm, seminal may contain structures, such as mating plugs spermatophores. Here, we investigate evolutionary diversification a lesser‐known ejaculate structure: spermatostyle, has independently arisen in several families beetles true bugs. We characterized spermatostyle...
Reproductive traits often evolve rapidly between species. Understanding the causes and consequences of this rapid divergence requires characterization female male reproductive proteins their effect on fertilization success. Species in Drosophila virilis clade exhibit rampant interspecific incompatibilities, making them ideal for studies diversification role speciation. Importantly, intraejaculate protein abundance allocation is poorly understood. Here, we identify quantify transferred...
Abstract Terminal nucleotidyltransferases add nucleotides to the 3′ end of RNA modify their stability and function. In Caenorhabditis elegans, terminal uridyltransferases/poly(U) polymerases PUP-1 (aka CID-1, CDE-1), PUP-2, PUP-3 affect germline identity, survival, development. Here, we identify small (sRNA) mRNA targets these PUPs a fourth predicted poly(U) polymerase, F43E2.1/PUP-4. Using genetic sequencing approaches, each PUP U-tail frequency length those targets. At whole organism...
Abstract The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, transmits several viruses, including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Some proposed efforts to control this vector involve manipulating reproduction suppress wild populations or replacing them with disease-resistant mosquitoes. design of such strategies requires an intimate knowledge reproductive processes, yet our basic understanding genetics in remains largely incomplete. To accelerate future investigations, we have comprehensively...
Capturing and sequencing small RNAs is standard practice; however, identification of a group these RNAs-small interfering (siRNAs)-has been more difficult. We present smalldisco, command-line tool for RNA discovery annotation from RNA-seq datasets. smalldisco can distinguish short reads that map antisense to an annotated genomic feature (e.g. exons or mRNAs), annotate siRNAs, quantify their abundance. also uses the program Tailor 3' nontemplated nucleotides siRNAs any species. supporting...
Abstract The genetic basis of species differences remains understudied. Studies in insects have contributed significantly to our understanding morphological evolution. Pigmentation traits particular received a great deal attention and several genes the insect pigmentation pathway been implicated inter- intraspecific differences. Nonetheless, much unknown about many this their potential role understudied taxa. Here we genetically analyze puparium color difference between members Virilis group...
High-quality genome assemblies across a range of nontraditional model organisms can accelerate the discovery novel aspects evolution. The Drosophila virilis group has several attributes that distinguish it from more highly studied species in genus, such as an unusual abundance repetitive elements and extensive karyotype evolution, addition to being attractive for speciation genetics. Here, we used long-read sequencing assemble five genomes three characterized sequence structural divergence...
Abstract In many animal species, females undergo physiological and behavioral changes after mating. Some of these are driven by male-derived seminal fluid proteins, critical for fertilization success. Unfortunately, our understanding the molecular interplay between female male reproductive proteins remains superficial. Here we analyze post-mating response in a Drosophila species that has evolved strong gametic incompatibility with its sister species; D. novamexicana produce only 1%...
Abstract Postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) is a potent evolutionary force that can drive rapid changes of reproductive genes within species, and thus has the potential to generate incompatibilities between species. Male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) are major players in postmating interactions, likely main targets PCSS males. The virilis subgroup Drosophila exhibits strong interspecific gametic incompatibilities, serve as model study genetic basis isolation. However, this group have not...
Abstract Drosophila melanogaster females undergo a variety of post-mating changes that influence their activity, feeding behavior, metabolism, egg production and gene expression. These are induced either by mating itself or sperm seminal fluid proteins. In addition, studies have shown axenic females—those lacking microbiome—have altered fecundity compared to with microbiome, the microbiome female’s mate can reproductive success. However, extent which in transcript abundance affected state is...