How do changing environmental variables influence reproductive signaling at the molecular level?
During my PhD, my research focused on determining how environmental variables cue reproductive events in cnidarians (corals and sea anemones) and the molecular mechanisms associated with gametogenesis and reproduction in these ancestral animals. Through RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) approaches in the brooding coral Pocillopora damicornis I examined global gene expression changes associated with reproductive timing and documented the breakdown of gene expression profiles when corals were exposed to increases in sea-surface temperature. I also identified cell-signaling pathways differentially expressed during reproduction to decipher molecular signaling associated with reproduction for the first time in a brooding coral species. Through this work, I discovered three major findings: 1) A 5°C increase in sea water temperature resulted in a 5-day shift in the timing of reproduction (Crowder et al. 2014) 2) global patterns of gene expression correlated with moonlight exposure and reproductive timing were broken down in elevated temperature treatments and 3) cell signaling events, with calcium a central mediator, acting through G-protein coupled receptors are associated with coral reproductive events (Crowder et al. 2017).
Development of transcriptomic resources for studies in ecologically important corals and sea anemones
During my PhD, in Virginia Weis' lab at OSU, I collaborated with other researchers to create additional genomic resources, such as developing de novo transcriptomes for ecologically important corals and sea anemones (Kitchen and Crowder et al. 2015). For example, during this project we developed transcriptomic resources for work involving the northern pacific anemone Anthopleura elegantissima, a species commonly found on the Washington and Oregon coast. I also collaborated with researchers at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Biosciences to examine global gene expression associated with light induction of gametogenesis in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a species found in salt marshes along the northern Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the United States. Lastly, I worked with Simon Davy's lab in Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand to complete RNA-Sequencing and metabolomic analysis to decipher cell-signaling mechanisms associated with the symbiont-host interactions using the laboratory model Aiptasia pallida (Matthews and Crowder et al. 2018). Having developed these large datasets, I now have many different genes of interest available to examine further for student projects to examine gene function associated with reproduction, development, and symbiosis.
Student mentoring
During my PhD, I had the opportunity to work with multiple undergraduates on projects relating to my research. Examples of these projects include: 1) identifying localized expression of gonadotropin receptors in a sea anemone using in situ hybridization and 2) measuring gene expression, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), of genes associated with reproduction in corals and 3) using RNA sequencing to decipher molecular mechanisms of host-symbiont interactions. Future studies utilizing these kinds of molecular approaches to examine genes associated with gonad development and symbiosis would work well for student projects in my lab.
Utilizing an affordable, easy to manage, laboratory cnidarian model (the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis) I examined reproductive signaling, gonad development and function. Using histological and in situ hybridization studies, I am examined somatic and germ cell signaling in the gonad to determine mechanisms of germ-cell fate and gonad development. I also aim to examine if sex determination mechanisms are conserved between these ancestral invertebrates and vertebrate systems by utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 technology to knockout genes associated with sex determination. Lastly, I would like to utilize transgenic approaches to label primordial-germ cells and examine cell-fate mechanisms and migration of germ-cell lineages. For studies involving symbiosis, field work with Anthopleura elegatissima, a local sea anemone that is naturally found in symbiotic and aposymbiotic states would provide an opportunity for laboratory/field courses and student projects.
During my PhD, my research focused on determining how environmental variables cue reproductive events in cnidarians (corals and sea anemones) and the molecular mechanisms associated with gametogenesis and reproduction in these ancestral animals. Through RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) approaches in the brooding coral Pocillopora damicornis I examined global gene expression changes associated with reproductive timing and documented the breakdown of gene expression profiles when corals were exposed to increases in sea-surface temperature. I also identified cell-signaling pathways differentially expressed during reproduction to decipher molecular signaling associated with reproduction for the first time in a brooding coral species. Through this work, I discovered three major findings: 1) A 5°C increase in sea water temperature resulted in a 5-day shift in the timing of reproduction (Crowder et al. 2014) 2) global patterns of gene expression correlated with moonlight exposure and reproductive timing were broken down in elevated temperature treatments and 3) cell signaling events, with calcium a central mediator, acting through G-protein coupled receptors are associated with coral reproductive events (Crowder et al. 2017).
Development of transcriptomic resources for studies in ecologically important corals and sea anemones
During my PhD, in Virginia Weis' lab at OSU, I collaborated with other researchers to create additional genomic resources, such as developing de novo transcriptomes for ecologically important corals and sea anemones (Kitchen and Crowder et al. 2015). For example, during this project we developed transcriptomic resources for work involving the northern pacific anemone Anthopleura elegantissima, a species commonly found on the Washington and Oregon coast. I also collaborated with researchers at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Biosciences to examine global gene expression associated with light induction of gametogenesis in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a species found in salt marshes along the northern Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the United States. Lastly, I worked with Simon Davy's lab in Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand to complete RNA-Sequencing and metabolomic analysis to decipher cell-signaling mechanisms associated with the symbiont-host interactions using the laboratory model Aiptasia pallida (Matthews and Crowder et al. 2018). Having developed these large datasets, I now have many different genes of interest available to examine further for student projects to examine gene function associated with reproduction, development, and symbiosis.
Student mentoring
During my PhD, I had the opportunity to work with multiple undergraduates on projects relating to my research. Examples of these projects include: 1) identifying localized expression of gonadotropin receptors in a sea anemone using in situ hybridization and 2) measuring gene expression, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), of genes associated with reproduction in corals and 3) using RNA sequencing to decipher molecular mechanisms of host-symbiont interactions. Future studies utilizing these kinds of molecular approaches to examine genes associated with gonad development and symbiosis would work well for student projects in my lab.
Utilizing an affordable, easy to manage, laboratory cnidarian model (the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis) I examined reproductive signaling, gonad development and function. Using histological and in situ hybridization studies, I am examined somatic and germ cell signaling in the gonad to determine mechanisms of germ-cell fate and gonad development. I also aim to examine if sex determination mechanisms are conserved between these ancestral invertebrates and vertebrate systems by utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 technology to knockout genes associated with sex determination. Lastly, I would like to utilize transgenic approaches to label primordial-germ cells and examine cell-fate mechanisms and migration of germ-cell lineages. For studies involving symbiosis, field work with Anthopleura elegatissima, a local sea anemone that is naturally found in symbiotic and aposymbiotic states would provide an opportunity for laboratory/field courses and student projects.
