A5005161923- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Plant and animal studies
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Psychology, Coaching, and Therapy
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Studies on Chitinases and Chitosanases
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies
- Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
- Biomedical and Chemical Research
University of California, Davis
2015-2021
Rockefeller University
2021
Ruhr University Bochum
2012-2015
Goethe University Frankfurt
1929
The origin of the insect odorant receptor (OR) gene family has been hypothesized to have coincided with evolution terrestriality in insects. Missbach et al. (2014) suggested that ORs instead evolved an ancestral OR co-receptor (Orco) after and OR/Orco system is adaptation winged flight We investigated genomes Collembola, Diplura, Archaeognatha, Zygentoma, Odonata, Ephemeroptera, find present all but absent from lineages predating Orco only ancestrally wingless lineage Archaeognatha. Our new...
Insects rely on chemical information to locate food, choose mates, and detect potential predators. It has been hypothesized that adaptive changes in the olfactory system facilitated diversification of numerous insect lineages. For instance, evolutionary Odorant Receptor (OR) genes often occur parallel with modifications life history strategies. Corbiculate bees display a diverse array behaviors are controlled through olfaction, including varying degrees social organization, manifold...
Abstract Background Insects rely more on chemical signals (semiochemicals) than any other sensory modality to find, identify, and choose mates. In most insects, pheromone production is typically regulated through biosynthetic pathways, whereas detection controlled by the olfactory system. Orchid bees are exceptional in that their semiochemicals not produced metabolically, but instead male collect odoriferous compounds (perfumes) from environment store them specialized hind-leg pockets...
All behaviors of an organism are rooted in sensory processing signals from its environment, and natural selection shapes adaptations to ensure successful detection cues that maximize fitness. Sensory drive, or divergent for efficient signal transmission among heterogeneous environments, has been a useful hypothesis describing adaptations, but current scope primarily focused on visual acoustic modalities. Chemosensation, the most widespread modality animals includes senses smell taste, is...
Abstract Sexual signaling is an important reproductive barrier known to evolve early during the formation of new species, but genetic mechanisms that facilitate divergence sexual signals remain elusive. Here we isolate a gene linked rapid evolution trait in pair nascent neotropical orchid bee lineages, Euglossa dilemma and E. viridissima . Male bees acquire chemical compounds from their environment concoct species-specific perfumes later expose courtship. We find two lineages chemically...
Abstract Bees provide indispensable pollination services to both agricultural crops and wild plant populations, several species of bees have become important models for the study learning memory, plant–insect interactions, social behavior. Orchid (Apidae: Euglossini) are especially fields ecology, evolution, conservation. Here we report nuclear mitochondrial genome sequences orchid bee Euglossa dilemma Bembé & Eltz. E. was selected because it is widely distributed, highly abundant,...
In contrast to the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, other bee species have been largely neglected despite their importance and diversity. The genetic basis of evolutionary diversification bees remains unknown. Here, we provide a genome-wide comparison three species, each representing one subgenera bees, namely dwarf (Apis florea), giant (A. dorsata), cavity-nesting mellifera) with bumblebees as an outgroup. Our analyses resolve phylogeny diverging first. We find that evolution increased...
High throughput sequencing technologies are revolutionizing genetic research. With this "rise of the machines", genomic sequences can be obtained even for unknown genomes within a short time and reasonable costs. This has enabled evolutionary biologists studying genetically unexplored species to identify molecular markers or regions interest (e.g. micro- minisatellites, mitochondrial nuclear genes) by only fraction genome. However, when using such datasets from non-model species, it is...
The diversity of herbivorous insects is attributed to their propensity specialize on toxic plants. In an evolutionary twist, toxins betray the identity bearers when herbivores coopt them as cues for host-plant finding, but mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood. We focused Scaptomyza flava, drosophilid specialized isothiocyanate (ITC)-producing (Brassicales) plants, and identified Or67b paralogs that were triplicated mustard-specific herbivory evolved. Using in vivo...
The White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) is an important pathogen that infects a variety of decapod species and causes highly contagious disease in penaeid shrimps. Mass mortalities caused by WSSV have pronounced commercial impact on shrimp aquaculture. Until now the only known member virus family Nimaviridae, group with obscure phylogenetic affinities. Its isolated position makes studies challenging due to large number genes without homology other viruses or cellular organisms. Here we report...
Plant cell wall components are the most abundant macromolecules on Earth. The study of breakdown these molecules is thus a central question in biology. Surprisingly, plant by herbivores relatively poorly understood, as nearly all early work focused mechanisms used symbiotic microbes to walls insects such termites. Recently, however, it has been shown that many organisms make endogenous cellulases. Insects, and other arthropods, particular have express variety degrading enzymes gene families...
Insect mating behavior is controlled by a diverse array of sex-specific traits and strategies that evolved to maximize success. Orchid bees exhibit unique suite perfume-mediated behaviors. Male collect volatile compounds from their environment concoct species-specific perfume mixtures are presumably used attract conspecific females. Despite growing understanding the ecology evolution chemical signaling in orchid bees, many aspects functional adaptations involved, particular regarding sensory...
Speciation is facilitated by the evolution of reproductive barriers that prevent or reduce hybridization among diverging lineages. However, genetic mechanisms control remain elusive, particularly in natural populations. We identify a gene associated with divergence chemical courtship signaling pair nascent orchid bee Male bees collect perfume compounds from flowers and other sources to subsequently expose during display, thereby conveying information on species identity. show these two...
The mitochondrial genomes of the caddisfly species Sericostoma personatum and Thremma gallicum were sequenced on a 454 FLX Illumina MiSeq platform, respectively. Reads assembled de novo remaining gaps in S. mitogenome closed by Sanger sequencing. lengths mitogenomes 15,260 bp 15,343 for T. gallicum, Both contained all 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA 22 transfer control region. gene order both caddisflies is identical with typical insect order. These are third fourth published...
Abstract The sense of smell enables the detection and discrimination airborne chemicals via chemosensory receptors that have evolved independently multiple times throughout tree life. In insects, odorant receptor (OR) gene family is major involved in olfaction its origin has been hypothesized to coincide with evolution a terrestrial lifestyle hexapods. Missbach et al. (2014) challenged this view suggested ORs an ancestral OR co-receptor (Orco) after terrestriality, hypothesizing OR/Orco...
Abstract Insects rely on chemical information to locate food, choose mates, and detect potential predators. It has been hypothesized that adaptive changes in the olfactory system facilitated diversification of numerous insect lineages. For instance, evolutionary Odorant Receptor (OR) genes often occur parallel with modifications life history strategies. Corbiculate bees display a diverse array behaviors are controlled through olfaction, including varying degrees social organization, manifold...
ABSTRACT The diversity of herbivorous insects is attributed to their propensity specialize on toxic plants. In an evolutionary twist, toxins betray the identity bearers when herbivores co-opt them as cues for host-plant finding, but mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. We focused Scaptomyza flava , drosophilid specialized isothiocyanate (ITC)-producing (Brassicaceae) plants, and identified Or67b paralogs that were triplicated mustard-specific herbivory evolved. Using...
Abstract Bees provide indispensable pollination services to both agricultural crops and wild plant populations, several species of bees have become important models for the study learning memory, plant-insect interactions social behavior. Orchid (Apidae: Euglossini) are especially fields ecology, evolution, conservation. Here we report nuclear mitochondrial genome sequences orchid bee Euglossa dilemma Bembé & Eltz. was selected because it is widely distributed, highly abundant, recently...
Abstract Plant cell wall components are the most abundant macromolecules on Earth. The study of breakdown these molecules is thus a central question in biology. Surprisingly, plant by herbivores relatively poorly understood, as nearly all early work focused mechanisms used symbiotic microbes to walls insects such termites. Recently, however, it has been shown that many organisms make endogenous cellulases. Insects, and other arthropods, particular have express variety degrading enzymes gene...