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Field Work

Many genes that organisms use to regulate their mutualists are also used to defend against parasites and pathogens. The shared genetic control of beneficial and harmful symbioses raises the intriguing possibility that susceptibility to infection is a pleiotropic cost of mutualism. Our goal is to understand how a genetic tradeoff between attracting mutualists and repelling parasites has shaped the genomic architecture of traits mediating species interactions, and how ongoing conflict influences adaptation. 

Sea Anemone

Consequences of HD-ZIPIII dysregulation

How do organisms create such complex and beautiful shapes? And how do they do it so reproducibly? Plants are an excellent system to study these questions. For instance, the HD-ZIPIII family of transcription factors are >700 million years old and regulate nearly all aspects of plant development. Consequences of HD-ZIPIII dysregulation on plant morphology are severe (pictured here). Understanding how HD-ZIPIII proteins work is a central theme of the lab.

Bacterial Respiratory Complex

Structural model of a bacterial respiratory complex III: remember that when you respire, your complex III perspires to produce your body's energy.

Drosophila

Drosophila are small flies, typically pale yellow to reddish brown to black, with red eyes. Many species, including the noted Hawaiian picture-wings, have distinct black patterns on the wings. The plumose (feathery) arista, bristling of the head and thorax, and wing venation are characters used to diagnose the family.