Hugh M. Robertson
A5049466852- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Diptera species taxonomy and behavior
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Phytoplasmas and Hemiptera pathogens
- Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Research on scale insects
- Agricultural pest management studies
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
University of Hull
2024-2025
University of California System
2024
University of California, San Diego
2024
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2014-2023
Goodwin College
1994-2022
University of the Witwatersrand
1982-2018
University of Illinois System
2009-2016
The Nature Conservancy
2010
Kunming Institute of Zoology
2009
Agricultural Research Service
1997-2006
Abstract A single P element insert in Drosophila melanogaster, called P[ry+ delta 2-3](99B), is described that caused mobilization of other elements at unusually high frequencies, yet itself remarkably stable. Its transposase activity higher than an entire strain, but it rarely undergoes internal deletion, excision or transposition. This was constructed by F. Laski, D. Rio and G. Rubin for purposes, we have found to be useful experiments involving elements. We demonstrate together with a...
We describe the draft genome of microcrustacean Daphnia pulex, which is only 200 megabases and contains at least 30,907 genes. The high gene count a consequence an elevated rate duplication resulting in tandem clusters. More than third Daphnia's genes have no detectable homologs any other available proteome, most amplified families are specific to lineage. coexpansion interacting within metabolic pathways suggests that maintenance duplicated not random, analysis expression under different...
Bacterial endosymbionts of insects have long been implicated in the phenomenon cytoplasmic incompatibility, which certain crosses between symbiont-infected individuals lead to embryonic death or sex ratio distortion. The taxonomic position these bacteria has, however, not known with any certainty. Similarly, relatedness infecting various insect hosts has unclear. inability grow on defined cell-free medium major factor underlying uncertainties. We circumvented this problem by selective PCR...
The insect chemoreceptor superfamily in Drosophila melanogaster is predicted to consist of 62 odorant receptor (Or) and 68 gustatory (Gr) proteins, encoded by families 60 Or Gr genes through alternative splicing. We include two previously undescribed genes; are shown be splice forms. Three polymorphic pseudogenes one highly defective pseudogene recognized. Phylogenetic analysis reveals deep branches connecting multiple divergent clades within the family, family appears a single expanded...
We used bioinformatic approaches to identify a total of 276 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) from the Anopheles gambiae genome. These include GPCRs that are likely play roles in pathways affecting almost every aspect mosquito's life cycle. Seventy-nine candidate odorant were characterized for tissue expression and, along with 76 putative gustatory receptors, their molecular evolution relative Drosophila melanogaster. Examples lineage-specific gene expansions observed as well single...
The honey bee genome sequence reveals a remarkable expansion of the insect odorant receptor (Or) family relative to repertoires flies Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae, which have 62 79 Ors respectively. A total 170 Or genes were annotated in bee, seven are pseudogenes. These constitute five bee-specific subfamilies an tree, one has expanded 157 encoding proteins with 15%-99% amino acid identity. Most tandem arrays, including 60 genes. This repertoire presumably underlies their...
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infect more than 400 million people each year with dangerous viral pathogens including dengue, yellow fever, Zika and chikungunya. Progress in understanding the biology of developing tools to fight them has been slowed by lack a high-quality genome assembly. Here we combine diverse technologies produce markedly improved, fully re-annotated AaegL5 assembly, demonstrate how it accelerates mosquito science. We anchored physical cytogenetic maps, doubled number...
As an obligatory parasite of humans, the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) is important vector for human diseases, including epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever. Here, we present genome sequences its primary bacterial endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola. The has smallest known insect genome, spanning 108 Mb. Despite status as obligate parasite, it retains a remarkably complete basal repertoire 10,773 protein-coding genes 57 microRNAs. Representing hemimetabolous...
Abstract Ticks transmit more pathogens to humans and animals than any other arthropod. We describe the 2.1 Gbp nuclear genome of tick, Ixodes scapularis (Say), which vectors that cause Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, babesiosis diseases. The large reflects accumulation repetitive DNA, new lineages retro-transposons, gene architecture patterns resembling ancient metazoans rather pancrustaceans. Annotation scaffolds representing ∼57% genome, reveals 20,486 protein-coding genes...
Abstract We describe here a family of P elements that we refer to as type I repressors. These are identified by their repressor functions and lack any deletion within the first two-thirds canonical sequence. Elements belonging this class were isolated from strains made in vitro. found could strongly repress both cytotype-dependent allele element mobility somatic germline tissues. effects very dependent on genomic position. Moreover, observed an element's ability one assay positively...
The first generation of genome sequence assemblies and annotations have had a significant impact upon our understanding the biology sequenced species, phylogenetic relationships among study populations within across informed humans. As only few Metazoan genomes are approaching finished quality (human, mouse, fly worm), there is room for improvement most assemblies. honey bee (Apis mellifera) genome, published in 2006, was noted its bimodal GC content distribution that affected assembly some...
The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed illuminate evolution highly insect societies. Bumblebees also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, there widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects bumblebee biology, including susceptibility implicated viability threats.We report high quality draft genome sequences...
Although eusociality evolved independently within several orders of insects, research into the molecular underpinnings transition towards social complexity has been confined primarily to Hymenoptera (for example, ants and bees). Here we sequence genome stage-specific transcriptomes dampwood termite Zootermopsis nevadensis (Blattodea) compare them with similar data for eusocial Hymenoptera, better identify commonalities differences in achieving this significant transition. We show an...
For bees, many roads lead to social harmony Eusociality, where workers sacrifice their reproductive rights support the colony, has evolved repeatedly and represents most form of evolution in insects. Kapheim et al. looked across genomes 10 bee species with varying degrees sociality determine underlying genomic contributions. No one path led eusociality, but similarities were seen features such as increases gene regulation methylation. It also seems that selection pressures relaxed after...
Insects and their arthropod relatives including mites, spiders, crustaceans play major roles in the world’s terrestrial, aquatic, marine ecosystems. Arthropods compete with humans for food transmit devastating diseases. They also comprise most diverse successful branch of metazoan evolution, millions extant species. Here, we describe an international effort to guide genomic efforts, from species prioritization methodology informatics. The 5000 genomes initiative (i5K) community met formally...
Hemipteroid insects (Paraneoptera), with over 10% of all known insect diversity, are a major component terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Previous phylogenetic analyses have not consistently resolved the relationships among hemipteroid lineages. We provide maximum likelihood-based phylogenomic taxonomically comprehensive dataset comprising sequences 2,395 single-copy, protein-coding genes for 193 samples outgroups. These yield well-supported phylogeny insects. Monophyly each three orders...
Rhodnius prolixus not only has served as a model organism for the study of insect physiology, but also is major vector Chagas disease, an illness that affects approximately seven million people worldwide. We sequenced genome R. prolixus, generated assembled sequences covering 95% (∼ 702 Mb), including 15,456 putative protein-coding genes, and completed comprehensive genomic analyses this obligate blood-feeding insect. Although immune-deficiency (IMD)-mediated immune responses were observed,...
DNA methylation systems are well characterized in vertebrates, but Drosophila melanogaster and other invertebrates remains controversial. Using the recently sequenced honey bee genome, we present a bioinformatic, molecular, biochemical characterization of functional system an insect. We report on catalytically active orthologs vertebrate methyltransferases Dnmt1 Dnmt3a b, two isoforms that contain methyl-DNA binding domain, genomic 5-methyl-deoxycytosine, CpG-methylated genes. The provides...
Myriapods (e.g., centipedes and millipedes) display a simple homonomous body plan relative to other arthropods. All members of the class are terrestrial, but they attained terrestriality independently insects. Myriapoda is only arthropod not represented by sequenced genome. We present an analysis genome centipede Strigamia maritima. It retains compact that has undergone less gene loss shuffling than previously arthropods, many orthologues genes conserved from bilaterian ancestor have been...
Adult house flies, Musca domestica L., are mechanical vectors of more than 100 devastating diseases that have severe consequences for human and animal health. House fly larvae play a vital role as decomposers wastes, thus live in intimate association with many pathogens. We sequenced analyzed the genome using DNA from female flies. The is 691 Mb. Compared Drosophila melanogaster, contains rich resource shared novel protein coding genes, significantly higher amount repetitive elements,...
Ants are some of the most abundant and familiar animals on Earth, they play vital roles in terrestrial ecosystems. Although all ants eusocial, display a variety complex fascinating behaviors, few genomic resources exist for them. Here, we report draft genome sequence particularly widespread well-studied species, invasive Argentine ant ( Linepithema humile ), which was accomplished using combination 454 (Roche) Illumina sequencing community-based funding rather than federal grant support....
Metazoan multicellularity is rooted in mechanisms of cell adhesion, signaling, and differentiation that first evolved the progenitors metazoans. To reconstruct genome composition metazoan ancestors, we sequenced transcriptome choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta, a close relative metazoans forms rosette-shaped colonies cells.A comparison 55 Mb S. rosetta with genomes from diverse opisthokonts suggests origin was preceded by period dynamic gene gain loss. The encodes homologs neuropeptide,...