A5054976169- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Genetic Syndromes and Imprinting
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- melanin and skin pigmentation
- Genetic factors in colorectal cancer
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
- Colorectal Cancer Treatments and Studies
- Prenatal Screening and Diagnostics
- Retinal Development and Disorders
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Travel-related health issues
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
Mount Allison University
2015-2025
Northern Arizona University
2025
Dalhousie University
2000-2008
Princeton University
2008
Simon Fraser University
1996-2007
Western Washington University
2007
University of Kentucky
2007
University of British Columbia
1989-2003
Daphnia offer a variety of benefits for the study epigenetics. Daphnia’s parthenogenetic life cycle allows epigenetic effects in absence confounding genetic differences. Sex determination and sexual reproduction are epigenetically determined as several other well-studied alternate phenotypes that arise response to environmental stressors. Additionally, there is large body ecological literature available, recently complemented by genome sequence one species transgenic technology. DNA...
SUMMARY Monoamines such as dopamine, histamine and serotonin (5-HT) are widely distributed throughout the brain of fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, where many their actions have been investigated. For example, is released from photoreceptor synapses in lamina neuropile visual system. Mutations genes white, an important eye pigmentation marker genetics that encodes ABC transporter, its binding partner brown, cause neural phenotypes not readily reconciled solely with pigmentation. We find...
The white gene of Drosophila melanogaster has been extensively studied, yet it is still not understood how its ectopic overexpression induces male-male courtship. To investigate the cellular basis this behavior, we examined sexual behavior several classes mutants. We find that courtship seen only in flies overexpressing gene, but also mutants expected to have mislocalized White protein. This finding confirms mislocalizing transporter cells which normally expressed will produce behaviors; an...
Biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex 1 (BLOC-1) is a protein formed by the products eight distinct genes. Loss-of-function mutations in two these genes, DTNBP1 and BLOC1S3, cause Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome, human disorder characterized defective biogenesis organelles. In addition, haplotype variants within same genes have been postulated to increase risk developing schizophrenia. However, molecular function BLOC-1 remains unknown. Here, we generated fly model deficiency. Mutant...
Lyme disease arises from infection with pathogenic Borrelia species. In Canada, current case definition for confirmed requires serological confirmation by both a positive first tier ELISA and confirmatory second immunoblot (western blot). For surveillance research initiatives, this requirement is intentionally conservative to exclude false results. Consequently, approach prone negative results that lead underestimation of the number people disease. The province New Brunswick (NB), can be...
Abstract Genomic imprinting is a phenomenon in which the expression of gene or chromosomal region depends on sex individual transmitting it. The term was first coined to describe parent-specific chromosome behavior dipteran insect Sciara and has since been described many organisms, including other insects, plants, fish, mammals. In this article we mini-X Drosophila melanogaster that shows genomic at least three closely linked genes. these genes observed as mosaic silencing when are...
Ixodes scapularis, a known vector of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (Bbss), is undergoing range expansion in many parts Canada. The province New Brunswick, which borders jurisdictions with established populations I. constitutes zone for this species. To better understand the current and potential future distribution tick under climate change projections, study applied occupancy modelling to distributional records adult ticks that successfully overwintered, obtained through passive...
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne in North America and Europe, on-going surveillance required to monitor spread of tick vectors as their populations expand under influence climate change. Active involves teams researchers collecting ticks from field locations with potential be sites establishing populations. This process labor- time-intensive, limiting number monitored frequency monitoring. Citizen science initiatives are ideally suited address this logistical problem generate...
Borrelia burgdorferi and miyamotoi are tick-vectored zoonotic pathogens maintained in wildlife species. Tick populations establishing new areas globally response to climate change other factors. New Brunswick is a Canadian maritime province at the advancing front of tick population establishment has seen increasing numbers ticks carrying B . , more recently Further, it part region Atlantic Canada with species composition differing from much continental North America little information exists...
Borrelia burgdorferi , a tick-vectored spirochete bacteria best known for causing Lyme disease, has been found to induce physiological and behavioural changes in its tick vector that can increase fitness ability transmit the bacteria. The mechanism by which this bacterium modulates these remains unknown. Epigenetics plays central role transducing external internal microbiome environmental influences organism, so we investigated DNA methylation expression of key histone modification enzyme...
Suppressors of position-effect variegation (Su(var)s) in Drosophila melanogaster are usually studied the presence chromosomal rearrangements, which exhibit variegated expression euchromatic genes moved near to, or heterochromatic away from, centromeric heterochromatin. However, effects Su(var) mutations on gene absence a variegating re-arrangement have not yet been defined. Here we present number results suggest that products can interact to affect light its normal location. We initially...
As the prevalence of Lyme disease increases across Canada, it is imperative that educational needs at-risk groups be identified. The current study compared level knowledge and about among individuals spend time outdoors for work recreational purposes. Between December 2018 February 2019, a survey was distributed to outdoor organizations New Brunswick, Canada. Within sample 137 individuals, 36% spent their occupation 64% activities. Results showed no significant difference between these with...
Abstract Characterization of a group dominant second chromosome suppressor position-effect variegation (PEV) (Su(var)) mutants has revealed variety interesting properties, including: maternal-effect suppression PEV, homozygous lethality or semilethality and male-specific hemizygous lethality, female infecundity, acute sensitivity to the amount heterochromatin in cell sodium butyrate. Deficiency/duplication mapping complementation tests have that eight define at least two genes section 31...
Ixodes scapularis Say, 1821 (the black-legged tick) is becoming established in Canada. The northwards expansion of I. leads to contact between and cookei Packard, 1869, a well-established tick species Eastern Examination collected from New Brunswick revealed ticks with ambiguous morphologies, either mixture or intermediate traits typical cookei, including characteristics typically used as identifiers. Genetic analysis determine if these represent hybrids that four had derived mitochondrial...
Objective: We aimed to describe the experiences of Canadians who seek diagnosis and treatment for Lyme disease outside conventional Canadian health-care system. Methods: Forty-five individuals had sought system were recruited from support advocacy groups across Canada answer open-ended questions about their experiences. Results: Respondents medical due extensive diagnostic procedures treatments that did not resolve symptoms. Escalating health concerns, lack effective treatment, stigma...
Daphnids are fresh water microcrustaceans, many of which follow a cyclically parthenogenetic life cycle. Daphnia species have been well studied in the context ecology, toxicology, and evolution, but their epigenetics remain largely unexamined even though sex determination, production sexual females males, distinct adult morphological phenotypes, determined epigenetically. Here, we report on characterization histone modifications Daphnia. We show that number H3 H4 present embryos dimethylated...