Iron Biomineralization in Chitons
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Chitons (Polyplacophora) are unusual among molluscs in dentition. They coat their teeth with iron in the form of magnetite, imparting tremendous strength. Chitons feed by scraping up algae on the rocky shoreline, leaving tooth marks on the rocks in their wakes. But how exactly chitons manage to sequester so much iron, and deposit it so precisely, is unknown. We recently completed sequencing of the first complete chiton genome. I also completed some physiology work, looking at the chemical environment of the radula to further learn how chitons are wielding multiple mineralization pathways. Now transcriptomes are being sequenced from regions of the radula corresponding with increased iron deposition. Together, this work will allow us to understand how chitons are using so much iron to make amazing teeth!
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Other Projects
A very small dragon:
While at Friday Harbor Labs in the summer of 2017, I met Kinorhynchs, tiny mud dragons that live between sand grains and have one of the world's strangest faces. While searching through them, we found a couple that turned out to be a new species. I spent some spare time learning to key out kinorhynchs so we could describe it. And in June 2019, Echinoderes kohni officially became the first kinorhynch ever described alongside its entire transcriptome!
Heterobranch phylogenetics:
In collaboration with several other scientists, we are working on a mitogenome-based phylogeny of heterobranch molluscs. Spoiler alert: molluscan phylogeny is a complex thing!
Shark ageing:
Working with collaborators from California, I've applied the knowledge I gained about telomeres during my Masters to a completely different group of animals, asking if telomeres change as expected during growth.
Fungus-eating fly genomes:
With collaborator Clare Scott-Chialvo, now a professor at Appalachian State, I have been helping to sequence several genomes from fruit flies that eat Death Cap Mushrooms! We're hoping that some genomes will help us understand how the ability to survive eating Death Cap toxin arose in flies!
Phage Genomics for Education:
Our amazing faculty member Asma Hatoum-Aslan runs the Phage Discovery course here, an immersive undergraduate research experience. Together with John Sutton, we implemented Oxford Nanopore sequencing for the phages, allowing students to SEE the data being sequenced and get their assembled genomes back in 48 hours or so. It's been fun to see how the use of a new technology can improve our students' experiences.
While at Friday Harbor Labs in the summer of 2017, I met Kinorhynchs, tiny mud dragons that live between sand grains and have one of the world's strangest faces. While searching through them, we found a couple that turned out to be a new species. I spent some spare time learning to key out kinorhynchs so we could describe it. And in June 2019, Echinoderes kohni officially became the first kinorhynch ever described alongside its entire transcriptome!
Heterobranch phylogenetics:
In collaboration with several other scientists, we are working on a mitogenome-based phylogeny of heterobranch molluscs. Spoiler alert: molluscan phylogeny is a complex thing!
Shark ageing:
Working with collaborators from California, I've applied the knowledge I gained about telomeres during my Masters to a completely different group of animals, asking if telomeres change as expected during growth.
Fungus-eating fly genomes:
With collaborator Clare Scott-Chialvo, now a professor at Appalachian State, I have been helping to sequence several genomes from fruit flies that eat Death Cap Mushrooms! We're hoping that some genomes will help us understand how the ability to survive eating Death Cap toxin arose in flies!
Phage Genomics for Education:
Our amazing faculty member Asma Hatoum-Aslan runs the Phage Discovery course here, an immersive undergraduate research experience. Together with John Sutton, we implemented Oxford Nanopore sequencing for the phages, allowing students to SEE the data being sequenced and get their assembled genomes back in 48 hours or so. It's been fun to see how the use of a new technology can improve our students' experiences.
