Current Projects
This space is being updated regularly...
Coral Immune mechanisms
The Mydlarz lab has worked to identify mechanisms that are important to corals to fight disease. Recently, we have identified the Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein pathway as a mechanism to help corals fight disease and recover form temperature stress (Dimos et al. 2018).
Coral Immune mechanisms
The Mydlarz lab has worked to identify mechanisms that are important to corals to fight disease. Recently, we have identified the Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein pathway as a mechanism to help corals fight disease and recover form temperature stress (Dimos et al. 2018).
Other immune mechanisms we have looked at include the Nod-like receptors and prediction of inflammosome formation downstream of NLR activation (Dimos et al. 2019).
This work contunies our investigations of apoptosis pathways and activation of apotosis in disease suceptible corals (Fuess et al. 2017).
This work contunies our investigations of apoptosis pathways and activation of apotosis in disease suceptible corals (Fuess et al. 2017).
Coral Diseases
The Mydlarz Lab uses several disease models in the lab to investigate immune responses to active disease. We have used: Eunicea Black Disease, White PLague and Scleractinian/Stoney coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD).
Eunicea Black Disease: Species of Eunicea gorgonian corals are susceptibel to an unkown disease that causes melanization and black banding.
White Plague: We have experimentally transmitted White Plague disease to 7 reef-building species in the Caribbean. We are currently analyzing the immune proteins and transcriptomes of each coral and relating it to the susceptibility of the species and tissue loss due to the disease. We are working in collaboration with Dr. Marilyn Brandt and Dr. Erinn Muller and looking at how immunocompetence varies between species with different morphology, growth rates, reproduction and susceptibility to disease.
SCTLD: We have also experimentally transmitted Scleractinian Coral Tissue Loss Disease to 6 different species of coral. We are analyzing transcriptomes of each coral and relating it to the susceptibility of each species.
Symbiodinium recognition and coral immunity
Corals rely on a symbiotic relationship with an immotile dinoflagellate known as Symbiodinium. Using Symbiodinium cultures we are comparing the response of several types of Symbiodinium to temperature stress. We are measuring growth rates, production and release of reactive oxygen and antioxidants as well as proteomics to look at responses. The main paper from this work by Ricci et al. shows a significant change in cell surface proteins when Symbiodinium are heat stressed.
Corals rely on a symbiotic relationship with an immotile dinoflagellate known as Symbiodinium. Using Symbiodinium cultures we are comparing the response of several types of Symbiodinium to temperature stress. We are measuring growth rates, production and release of reactive oxygen and antioxidants as well as proteomics to look at responses. The main paper from this work by Ricci et al. shows a significant change in cell surface proteins when Symbiodinium are heat stressed.
