I am in my first year with the Clayton-Bush lab. My research will be updated as it advances.
Symbionts of Lice Sodalis is a genus of bacteria that forms mutualistic relationships with their insect hosts. Our study system consists of Sodalis-allied symbionts found in Columbicola, which is a genus of feather lice found on pigeons and doves. With this study system, I will investigate competition between different symbionts in a single louse host, and I will study which bacterial traits influence the outcome of this competition. I will also be surveying different species of feather-lice to determine how widespread Sodalis and other bacterial symbionts are among them. Feather Microbiota of Birds Many microorganisms are found throughout the plumage of birds. Some of these microorganisms are beneficial, and some are not. Bacteria in the genus Bacillus produce keratinase enzymes that degrade feathers. I am interested in studying how widespread these feather-degrading bacteria are, and whether the costs of these bacterial pathogens vary with environmental conditions. Specifically, I will look for regional variations in bacterial strains that are associated with virulence (i.e. how quickly feathers are degraded). |