A5022775509- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Hippo pathway signaling and YAP/TAZ
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Animal Genetics and Reproduction
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Marine Toxins and Detection Methods
- Erythrocyte Function and Pathophysiology
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Echinoderm biology and ecology
- Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Gene Regulatory Network Analysis
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
University of California, Davis
2016-2025
Brown University
2006-2016
Yale University
2010-2014
Yale Cancer Center
2010-2014
Baylor College of Medicine
2006
California Institute of Technology
2006
National Institutes of Health
2006
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
2006
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
2006
University of California, San Diego
2002-2004
The adult
Zebrafish are an established research organism that has made many contributions to our understanding of vertebrate tissue and organ development, yet there still significant gaps in the genes regulate gonad sex, reproduction. Unlike development organs, such as brain heart form during first few days zebrafish gonads do not begin until larval stage (≥5 post-fertilization). Thus, forward genetic screens have identified very required for development. In addition, bulk RNA-sequencing studies...
The germline of multicellular animals is segregated from somatic tissues, which an essential developmental process for the next generation. Although certain ecdysozoans and chordates segregate their during embryogenesis, other taxa after embryogenesis multipotent progenitor cells. An overlapping set genes, including vasa, nanos piwi, operate in both precursors germline. As we propose here, this conservation implies existence underlying multipotency program these cell types that has a...
PIWI proteins and their bound PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are found in animal germlines essential for fertility, but functions outside of the gonad not well understood. The cnidarian Hydra is a simple metazoan with well-characterized stem/progenitor cells that provides unique model analysis function. Here we report has two proteins, (Hywi) PIWI-like (Hyli), both which expressed all cells, terminally differentiated cells. We identified ∼15 million piRNAs associated Hywi and/or Hyli they...
Plant xylem cells conduct water and mineral nutrients. Although most plant are totipotent, unusual undergo terminal differentiation. Many genes regulating this process well characterized, including the Vascular-related NAC Domain 7 (VND7), MYB46, MYB83 transcription factors, which proposed to act in interconnected feedforward loops (FFLs). Less is known regarding molecular mechanisms underlying transition cell Here, we generate whole-root single-cell data, demonstrate that VND7 initiates...
The epithelial and interstitial stem cells of the freshwater polyp
The catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAPK) is susceptible to inactivation by a number thiol-modifying reagents. Inactivation occurs through modification cysteine 199, which located near the active site. Because 199 reactive at physiological pH, and this site inhibits activity, we hypothesized that cAPK likely target for regulation an oxidative mechanism, specifically glutathionylation. In vitro studies demonstrated susceptibility activity sulfhydryl oxidant diamide,...
When do germ cells establish their separate, independent identity during animal development?
Intratumoral heterogeneity is associated with aggressive tumor behavior, therapy resistance, and poor patient outcomes. Such thought to be dynamic, shifting over periods of minutes hours in response signaling inputs from the microenvironment. However, models this process have been inferred indirect or post-hoc measurements cell state, leaving temporal details signaling-driven undefined. Here, we developed a live-cell model system which microenvironment-driven dynamics can directly observed...
During whole-body regeneration, a bisection injury can trigger two different types of regeneration. To understand the transcriptional regulation underlying this adaptive response, we characterized transcript abundance and chromatin accessibility during oral aboral regeneration in cnidarian Hydra vulgaris . We found that initial response to amputation at both wound sites is identical includes widespread apoptosis activation oral-specifying Wnt signaling pathway. By 8 hr post amputation,...
The small freshwater cnidarian polyp
is an emerging model organism for neuroscience due to its small size, transparency, genetic tractability, and regenerative nervous system; however, fundamental properties of sensorimotor behaviors remain unknown. Here, we use microfluidic devices combined with fluorescent calcium imaging surgical resectioning study how the diffuse system coordinates
The regenerative potential of animals varies widely, even among closely-related species. In a comparative study regeneration across the Hydra genus, we found that while most species exhibit robust whole-body regeneration, oligactis and other members Oligactis clade consistently fail to regenerate their feet. To investigate mechanisms underlying this deficiency, analyzed transcriptional responses during head foot in H. . Our analysis revealed general injury response lacks activation Wnt...
As a member of the phylum Cnidaria, sister group to all bilaterians, Hydra can shed light on fundamental biological processes shared among multicellular animals. is used as model for study regeneration, pattern formation, and stem cells. However, research efforts have been hampered by lack reliable method gene perturbations molecular function. The development transgenic methods has revitalized biology1. Transgenic allow tracking live cells, sorting yield pure cell populations biochemical...
Transposable elements (TEs) can damage genomes, thus organisms use a variety of mechanisms to repress TE expression. The PIWI–piRNA pathway is small RNA that represses expression in the germline animals. Here we explore function somatic stem cells Hydra , long-lived freshwater cnidarian. have three cell populations, all which express PIWI proteins; endodermal and ectodermal epithelial (ESCs) are somatic, whereas interstitial competence. To study pathway, isolated piRNAs from lack lineage...