Life Sciences Commons^™

Obituary And Bibliography Of Norm Penny (1946-2016), An “Entomologist’S Entomologist”, Robert L. Zuparko, Brett C. Ratcliffe

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The section “Remembrances of Norm Penny” was authored by BCR, and the remaining sections by RLZ. Fabio Penny and Rachel Diaz-Bastin made valuable additions to the text.

Norman Dale Penny, collection manager emeritus in the Department of Entomology at the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, and past president of the Pacifi c Coast Entomological Society, died of a stroke on July 10, 2016. That weekend he and his wife were near Quincy, in Plumas County, California, collecting Mecoptera for DNA retrieval to help elucidate the phylogeny of the group. After collecting his targeted species, he suffered a severe …

Using Publicly Available Data To Quantify Plant–Pollinator Interactions And Evaluate Conservation Seeding Mixes In The Northern Great Plains, Clint R.V. Otto, S. O'Dell, R. B. Bryant, N. H. Euliss Jr., R. M. Bush, Matthew D. Smart

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Concern over declining pollinators has led to multiple conservation initiatives for improving forage for bees in agroecosystems. Using data available through the Pollinator Library (npwrc.usgs.gov/pollinator/), we summarize plant–pollinator interaction data collected from 2012–2015 on lands managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and private lands enrolled in U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs in eastern North Dakota (ND). Furthermore, we demonstrate how plant–pollinator interaction data from the Pollinator Library and seed cost information can be used to evaluate hypothetical seeding mixes for pollinator habitat enhancements. We summarize records of 314 wild bee and 849 honey bee (Apis mellifera …

Thiamethoxam Toxicity And Effects On Consumption Behavior In Orius Insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) On Soybean, Carolina Camargo, Thomas Hunt, Loren J. Giesler, Blair D. Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Neonicotinoid residues can be present in soybean vegetative tissue, prey insects, and flower tissues, possibly making them toxic to pollinators and natural enemies. Baseline information on the toxicity of neonicotinoids to beneficial insects other than pollinators through multiple routes of insecticide exposure is limited. The objectives of this study were 1) to evaluate the toxicity of thiamethoxam to the hemipteran predator, Orius insidiosus Say, exposed to residues through treated vegetative tissue and insect prey, and 2) to evaluate the effect of thiamethoxam on the abundance of this predator species in soybean fields. Predators were exposed to thiamethoxam in soybean leaves …

Atp-Sensitive Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Channel Modulators Alter Cardiac Function In Honey Bees, Scott T. O'Neal, Daniel R. Swale, Jeffrey R. Bloomquist, Troy D. Anderson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

ATP-sensitive inwardly rectifying potassium (KATP) channels couple cellular metabolism to the membrane potential of the cell and play an important role in a variety of tissue types, including the insect dorsal vessel, making them a subject of interest not only for understanding invertebrate physiology, but also as a potential target for novel insecticides. Most of what is known about these ion channels is the result of work performed in mammalian systems, with insect studies being limited to only a few species and physiological systems. The goal of this study was to investigate the role that K_ATP channels play in …

Atp-Sensitive Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Channel Regulation Of Viral Infections In Honey Bees, Scott T. O'Neal, Daniel R. Swale, Troy D. Anderson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Honey bees are economically important pollinators of a wide variety of crops that have attracted the attention of both researchers and the public alike due to unusual declines in the numbers of managed colonies in some parts of the world. Viral infections are thought to be a significant factor contributing to these declines, but viruses have proven a challenging pathogen to study in a bee model and interactions between viruses and the bee antiviral immune response remain poorly understood. In the work described here, we have demonstrated the use of flock house virus (FHV) as a model system for virus …

Weight Of Evidence Evaluation Of A Network Of Adverse Outcome Pathways Linking Activation Of The Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor In Honey Bees To Colony Death, Carlie A. Lalone, Daniel L. Villeneuve, Judy Wu-Smart, Rebecca Y. Milsk, Keith Sappington, Kristina V. Garber, Justin Housenger, Gerald T. Ankley

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Ongoing honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony losses are of significant international concern because of the essential role these insects play in pollinating crops. Both chemical and non-chemical stressors have been implicated as possible contributors to colony failure; however, the potential role(s) of commonly-used neonicotinoid insecticides has emerged as particularly concerning. Neonicotinoids act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the central nervous system to eliminate pest insects. However, mounting evidence indicates that neonicotinoids also may adversely affect beneficial pollinators, such as the honey bee, via impairments on learning and memory, and ultimately foraging success. The specific mechanisms linking …

Agronomic Potential Of Using Precipitated Calcium Carbonate On Early Plant Growth And Soil Quality In The Intermountain West - Greenhouse Studies, Gary W. Hergert, Murali K. Darapuneni, Abdullah M. Aqeel, Robert G. Wilson, Robert M. Harveson, Jeff D. Bradshaw, Rex A. Nielsen

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Storage and management of large piles of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) from sugarbeet processing are a challenge in the western US. Potential uses of this product on surrounding agricultural lands in western NE, eastern WY and northeast CO requires an evaluation of chemical and agronomic impacts of PCC on soils and crop growth. A preliminary greenhouse study was conducted in Scottsbluff, NE using 10 soils from the 3 states. Soils were mixed with 11, 22, 33 and 44 Mg ha^-1 rates of PCC to test the early plant growth of sugarbeet, corn, and dry bean in addition to determining …

Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Coat Protein Is A Determinant For Vector Transmission By The Wheat Curl Mite, Satyanarayana Tatineni, Anthony J. Mcmechan, Gary L. Hein

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV; genus Tritimovirus; family Potyviridae), is transmitted by the wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella Keifer). The requirement of coat protein (CP) for WSMV transmission by the wheat curl mite was examined using a series of viable deletion and point mutations. Mite transmission of WSMV was completely abolished with deletions comprising CP amino acids 58–100. In contrast, the amino-proximal (amino acids 6–27 and 36–57) and carboxy-terminal (14 amino acids) regions of CP were expendable for mite transmission. Mutation of aspartic acid residues at amino acid positions 289 or 326 (D289A or D326A) at the …

Acute-Contact And Chronic-Systemic In Vivo Bioassays: Regional Monitoring Of Susceptibility To Thiamethoxam In Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Populations From The North Central United States, Matheus G.P.M. Ribeiro, Thomas E. Hunt, Blair Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The risks associated with soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), in the North Central soybean systems has fostered the adoption of prophylactic chemical control practices, such as planting seeds treated with neonicotinoid insecticides, especially thiamethoxam. Consequently, there is a concern that increased selection pressure imposed on the arthropod–pest complex by this insecticide may lead to resistance. Therefore, in vivo bioassays were conducted to determine the susceptibility of soybean aphid to thiamethoxam among North Central U.S. populations. Concentration-mortality data were collected using contact glass-vial and detached-leaf systemic bioassays. The results of these experiments indicate that both bioassays were reliable to …

A New Species Of Golofa Hope, 1837 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) From Peru, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Stéphane Le Tirant

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A new species of Golofa Hope is described from Peru along with supporting illustrations and a diagnosis.

Se describe una nueva especie de Golofa Hope de Peru soportado por ilustraciones y diagnosis.

Sublethal Effects Of Vatpase-A And Snf7 Dsrnas On Biology Of Southern Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica Undecimpunctata Howardi Barber, Adriano E. Pereira, Ana María Vélez, Lance J. Meinke, Blair D. Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

RNA interference is a powerful tool against corn rootworm. Adults and neonates of southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), were exposed to the LC₅₀ of vATPase-A and Snf7 double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), and the effects on female fecundity, egg viability, male fitness as measured by sperm viability and mating capacity, larval recovery along with dry weight, and instar determination 10 d after exposure to dsRNA, were determined. Significant reductions were observed for a number of parameters in dsRNA-exposed rootworms relative to control treatments. Female fecundity and larval recovery were significantly reduced after exposure to both dsRNAs. In …

Evaluation Of Smartstax And Smartstax Pro Maize Against Western Corn Rootworm And Northern Corn Rootworm: Efficacy And Resistance Management, Graham P. Head, Matthew W. Carroll, Sean P. Evans, Dwain M. Rule, Alan R. Willse, Thomas L. Clark, Nicholas P. Storer, Ronald D. Flannagan, Luke W. Samuel, Lance Meinke

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: Cases of western corn rootworm (WCR) field-evolved resistance to Cry3Bb1 and other corn rootworm (CRW) control traits have been reported. Pyramid products expressing multiple CRW traits can delay resistance compared to single trait products. We used field studies to assess the pyramid CRW corn products, SmartStax (expressing Cry3Bb1 and Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1) and SmartStax PRO (expressing Cry3Bb1, Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 and DvSnf7), at locations with high WCR densities and possible Cry3Bb1 resistance, and to assess the reduction in adult emergence attributable to DvSnf7 and other traits. Insect resistance models were used to assess durability of SmartStax and SmartStax PRO to WCR resistance.

Results: …

Identification, Biology, Impacts, And Management Of Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) Of Soybean And Corn In The Midwestern United States, Robert L. Koch, Daniela T. Pezzini, Andrew P. Michel, Thomas Hunt

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) are an emerging threat to soybean and corn production in the midwestern United States. An invasive species, the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Sta° l), is spreading through the region. However, little is known about the complex of stink bug species associated with corn and soybean in the midwestern United States. In this region, particularly in the more northern states, stink bugs have historically caused only infrequent impacts to these crops. To prepare growers and agricultural professionals to contend with this new threat, we provide a review of stink bugs associated with soybean and …

Evaluation Of Foliar Insecticides For The Control Of Western Bean Cutworm In Field Corn, 2015, Débora G. Montezano, Kayla A. Mollet, Grace E. Hirzel, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western bean cutworm (WBC) is an important pest of corn and dry beans. This study was conducted within the historic range of WBC in western Nebraska; however, it has undergone a rapid range expansion into the eastern Corn Belt within the last 16 years. This field trial was established to evaluate the efficacy of a single application of foliar insecticides against this pest to prevent feeding damage to non-Bt corn ears. The trial was located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s West Central Water Resources Field Laboratory in Keith County, Nebraska, USA (41.160246° N, –102.035695° W). A RCB design with …

Evaluation Of Foliar Insecticides For The Control Of Western Bean Cutworm In Field Corn, 2016, Débora G. Montezano, Kayla A. Mollet, Grace E. Hirzel, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western bean cutworm (WBC) is an important pest of corn and dry beans. In addition to yield loss due to direct feeding on developing kernels in the ear, WBC infestation can also lead to secondary fungal infections. This study was conducted within the historic range of WBC in western Nebraska; however, it has undergone a rapid range expansion into the eastern Corn Belt within the last 16 years. This field trial was established to evaluate the efficacy of a single application of foliar insecticides against this pest to prevent feeding damage to non-Bt corn ears. The trial was located …

Resistant Starch Can Improve Insulin Sensitivity Independently Of The Gut Microbiota, Laure B. Bindels, Rafael R. Segura Munoz, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Valentin Mutemberezi, Inés Martínez, Nuria Salazar, Elizabeth A. Cody, Maria I. Quintero-Villegas, Hatem Kittana, Clara G De Los Reyes-Gavilán, Robert J. Schmaltz, Giulio G. Muccioli, Jens Walter, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Obesity-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, have reached epidemic proportions in industrialized nations, and dietary interventions for their prevention are therefore important. Resistant starches (RS) improve insulin sensitivity in clinical trials, but the mechanisms underlying this health benefit remain poorly understood. Because RS fermentation by the gut microbiota results in the formation of physiologically active metabolites, we chose to specifically determine the role of the gut microbiota in mediating the metabolic benefits of RS. To achieve this goal, we determined the effects of RS when added to a Western diet on host metabolism in mice with …

Negative Binomial Mixed Models For Analyzing Microbiome Count Data, Xinyan Zhang, Himel Mallick, Zaixiang Tang, Lei Zhang, Xiangqin Cui, Andrew K. Benson, Nengjun Yi

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology enable researchers to collect a large volume of metagenomic sequencing data. These data provide valuable resources for investigating interactions between the microbiome and host environmental/clinical factors. In addition to the well-known properties of microbiome count measurements, for example, varied total sequence reads across samples, over-dispersion and zero-inflation, microbiome studies usually collect samples with hierarchical structures, which introduce correlation among the samples and thus further complicate the analysis and interpretation of microbiome count data.

Results: In this article, we propose negative binomial mixed models (NBMMs) for detecting the association between the microbiome and …

Profile Of Polyphenol Compounds Of Five Muscadine Grapes Cultivated In The United States And In Newly Adapted Locations In China, Zheng Wei, Jianming Luo, Yu Huang, Wenfeng Guo, Yali Zhang, Huan Guan, Changmou Xu, Jiang Lu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Polyphenol compositions and concentrations in skins and seeds of five muscadine grapes (cv. “Noble”, “Alachua”, “Carlos”, “Fry”, and “Granny Val”) cultivated in the United States (Tallahassee-Florida, TA-FL) and South China (Nanning-Guangxi, NN-GX and Pu’er-Yunnan, PE-YN) were investigated, using ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC Triple TOF MS/MS). Fourteen ellagitannins were newly identified in these muscadine grapes. The grapes grown in NN-GX accumulated higher levels of ellagic acid, methyl brevifolin carboxylate, and ellagic acid glucoside in skins, and penta-O-galloyl-glucose in seeds. In PE-YN, more flavonols were detected in skins, and higher contents of flavan-3-ols, ellagic acid, …

A Critical Assessment Of The “Sterile Womb” And “In Utero Colonization” Hypotheses: Implications For Research On The Pioneer Infant Microbiome, Maria Elisa Perez-Muñoz, Marie-Claire Arrieta, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

After more than a century of active research, the notion that the human fetal environment is sterile and that the neonate’s microbiome is acquired during and after birth was an accepted dogma. However, recent studies using molecular techniques suggest bacterial communities in the placenta, amniotic fluid, and meconium from healthy pregnancies. These findings have led many scientists to challenge the “sterile womb paradigm” and propose that microbiome acquisition instead begins in utero, an idea that would fundamentally change our understanding of gut microbiota acquisition and its role in human development. In this review, we provide a critical assessment of the …

The International Scientific Association For Probiotics And Prebiotics (Isapp) Consensus Statement On The Definition And Scope Of Prebiotics, Glenn R. Gibson, Robert W. Hutkins, Mary Ellen Sanders, Susan L. Prescott, Raylene A. Reimer, Seppo J. Salminen, Karen Scott, Catherine Stanton, Kelly S. Swanson, Patrice D. Cani, Kristin Verbeke, Gregor Reid

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

In December 2016, a panel of experts in microbiology, nutrition and clinical research was convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics to review the definition and scope of prebiotics. Consistent with the original embodiment of prebiotics, but aware of the latest scientific and clinical developments, the panel updated the definition of a prebiotic: a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit. This definition expands the concept of prebiotics to possibly include non-carbohydrate substances, applications to body sites other than the gastrointestinal tract, and diverse categories other than food. The requirement for selective …

Epidemiological Investigation Of Candida Species Causing Bloodstream Infection In Pediatric Small Bowel Transplant Recipients, Mallory J. Suhr, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Nabaraj Banjara, Diana F. Florescu, David F. Mercer, Peter C. Iwen, Heather E. Hallen-Adams

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Small bowel transplantation (SBT) can be a life-saving medical procedure. However, these recipients experience high risk of bloodstream infections caused by Candida. This research aims to characterize the SBT recipient gut microbiota over time following transplantation and investigate the epidemiology of candidemia in seven pediatric patients. Candida species from the recipients’ ileum and bloodstream were identified by internal transcribed spacer sequence and distinguished to strain by multilocus sequence typing and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA. Antifungal susceptibility of bloodstream isolates was determined against nine antifungals. Twenty-two ileostomy samples harbored at least one Candida species. Fungemia were caused by Candida parapsilosis …

Subgingival Microbiome Colonization And Cytokine Production During Early Dental Implant Healing, Jeffrey B. Payne, Paul G. Johnson, Car Reen Kok, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Amanda Ramer-Tait, Marian J. Schmid, Robert W. Hutkins

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Little is known about longitudinal development of the peri-implant subgingival microbiome and cytokine production as a new sulcus forms after dental implant placement. Therefore, the purpose of this observational study was to evaluate simultaneous longitudinal changes in the oral microbiome and cytokine production in the developing peri-implant sulcus compared to control natural teeth. Four and 12 weeks after implant placement and abutment connection, a dental implant and a natural tooth were sampled in 25 patients for subgingival plaque and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF [around teeth] and peri-implant crevicular fluid [PICF] around implants). DNA from plaque samples was extracted and sequenced …

The Impact Of The Bovine Faecal Microbiome On Escherichia Coli O157:H7 Prevalence And Enumeration In Naturally Infected Cattle, M. Kim, L. A. Kuehn, J. L. Bono, E. D. Berry, N. Kalchayanand, H. C. Freetly, A. K. Benson, J. E. Wells

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Aims: The objective of this study was to determine if the faecal microbiome has an association with Escherichia coli O157:H7 prevalence and enumeration.

Methods and Results: Pyrosequencing analysis of faecal microbiome was performed from feedlot cattle fed one of three diets: (i) 94 heifers fed low concentrate (LC) diet, (ii) 142 steers fed moderate concentrate (MC) diet, and (iii) 132 steers fed high concentrate (HC) diet. A total of 322 585 OTUs were calculated from 2,411,122 high-quality sequences obtained from 368 faecal samples. In the LC diet group, OTUs assigned to the orders Clostridiales and RF39 (placed within …

Evaluating Potential Risks Of Food Allergy And Toxicity Of Soy Leghemoglobin Expressed In Pichia Pastoris, Yuan Jin, Xiaoyun He, Kwame Andoh-Kumi, Rachel Z. Fraser, Mei Lu, Richard E. Goodman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Scope: The Soybean (Glycine max) leghemoglobin c2 (LegHb) gene was introduced into Pichia pastoris yeast for sustainable production of a heme-carrying protein, for organoleptic use in plant-based meat. The potential allergenicity and toxicity of LegHb and 17 Pichia host-proteins each representing ≥ 1% of total protein in production batches are evaluated by literature review, bioinformatics sequence comparisons to known allergens or toxins, and in vitro pepsin digestion.

Methods and results: Literature searches found no evidence of allergenicity or toxicity for these proteins. There are no significant sequence matches of LegHb to known allergens or toxins. Eleven Pichia proteins have modest …

Review Of Nutraceuticals And Functional Properties Of Whole Wheat, Rachana Poudel, Madhav Bhatta

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most commonly cultivated and consumed cereals throughout the world. Though phytochemicals and antioxidants in the cereal grains have not been studied as in fruits and vegetables, given the role of wheat in our diet plate, it is a given of primary importance to understand the chemistry of our major food, wheat. The presence of diverse polyphenols and their action against leading cause of death, including heart diseases, cancer, obesity, and diabetes, widens the scope of wheat. Phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols, flavonoids, phytosterols, and carotenoids are present in whole wheat. …

Influence Of Foliar Fungicide Treatment On Lipolytic Enzyme Activity Of Whole Wheat, Rachana Poudel, Madhav Bhatta, Teshome Regassa, Devin J. Rose

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Lipolytic enzymes play a key role in the deterioration of whole wheat flour upon storage but may also be involved in plant disease and stress tolerance while the crop is in the field. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of foliar fungicide treatment on lipolytic activity in wheat. A significant cultivar × fungicide × year interaction for esterase (p-nitrophenyl butyrate as substrate [EA-B]) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities was observed; however, a large portion of the variability was owing to year (environment). Fungicide influenced lipase (olive oil as substrate [LA-O]), EA-B, and LOX activities. …

Next-Generation Probiotics Targeting Clostridium Difficile Through Precursor- Directed Antimicrobial Biosynthesis, Jennifer K. Spinler, Jennifer Auchtung, Aaron Brown, Prapaporn Boonma, Numan Oezguen, Cana L. Ross, Ruth Ann Luna, Jessica Runge, James Versalovic, Alex Peniche, Sara M. Dann, Robert A. Britton, Anthony Haag, Tor C. Savidge

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Integration of antibiotic and probiotic therapy has the potential to lessen the public health burden of antimicrobial-associated diseases. Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) represents an important example where the rational design of next-generation probiotics is being actively pursued to prevent disease recurrence. Because intrinsic resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics used to treat CDI (vancomycin, metronidazole, and fidaxomicin) is a desired trait in such probiotic species, we screened several bacteria and identified Lactobacillus reuteri to be a promising candidate for adjunct therapy. Human-derived L. reuteri bacteria convert glycerol to the broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound reuterin. When supplemented with glycerol, strains carrying the pocR …

The Gut Mycobiome Of The Human Microbiome Project Healthy Cohort, Andrea K. Nash, Thomas A. Auchtung, Matthew C. Wong, Daniel P. Smith, Jonathan R. Gesell, Matthew C. Ross, Christopher J. Stewart, Ginger A. Metcalf, Donna M. Muzny, Richard A. Gibbs, Nadim J. Ajami, Joseph F. Petrosino

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Most studies describing the human gut microbiome in healthy and diseased states have emphasized the bacterial component, but the fungal microbiome (i.e., the mycobiome) is beginning to gain recognition as a fundamental part of our microbiome. To date, human gut mycobiome studies have primarily been disease centric or in small cohorts of healthy individuals. To contribute to existing knowledge of the human mycobiome, we investigated the gut mycobiome of the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) cohort by sequencing the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) region as well as the 18S rRNA gene.

Results: Three hundred seventeen HMP stool samples were …

Lifestyle And Horizontal Gene Transfer- Mediated Evolution Of Mucispirillum Schaedleri, A Core Member Of The Murine Gut Microbiota, Alexander Loy, Carina Pfann, Michaela Steinberger, Buck Hanson, Simone Herp, Sandrine Brugiroux, João Carlos Gomes Neto, Mark V. Boekschoten, Clarissa Schwab, Tim Urich, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Thomas Rattei, Bärbel Stecher, David Berry

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Mucispirillum schaedleri is an abundant inhabitant of the intestinal mucus layer of rodents and other animals and has been suggested to be a pathobiont, a commensal that plays a role in disease. In order to gain insights into its lifestyle, we analyzed the genome and transcriptome of M. schaedleri ASF 457 and performed physiological experiments to test traits predicted by its genome. Although described as a mucus inhabitant, M. schaedleri has limited capacity for degrading host-derived mucosal glycans and other complex polysaccharides. Additionally, M. schaedleri reduces nitrate and expresses systems for scavenging oxygen and reactive oxygen species in vivo, …

Genes Linked To Production Of Secondary Metabolites In Talaromyces Atroroseus Revealed Using Crispr-Cas9, Maria Lund Nielsen, Thomas Isbrandt, Kasper Bøwig Rasmussen, Ulf Thrane, Jakob Blæsbjerg Hoof, Thomas Ostenfeld Larsen, Uffe Hasbro Mortensen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The full potential of fungal secondary metabolism has until recently been impeded by the lack of universal genetic tools for most species. However, the emergence of several CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing systems adapted for several genera of filamentous fungi have now opened the doors for future efforts in discovery of novel natural products and elucidation and engineering of their biosynthetic pathways in fungi where no genetic tools are in place. So far, most studies have focused on demonstrating the performance of CRISPR-Cas9 in various fungal model species, and recently we presented a versatile CRISPR-Cas9 system that can be successfully applied in …