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Cornell University Department of Entomology

Brian Lazzaro


Brian Paul Lazzaro

Assistant Professor

Penn State University, 2002
Population genetics; Genetic variation in insect immune defenses

4138 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-2601
Phone: 607.255.3254
Fax: 607.255.0939
Email: bl89@cornell.edu
Website: http://www.entomology.cornell.edu/Lazzaro

Table of Contents

Professional Overview and Objectives

I study host-pathogen interactions with an emphasis on the evolutionary genetics of insect immunity.  I am broadly interested in topics such as the evolutionary pressures on insect immune systems, the quantitative genetic basis for individual variation in immune performance, and virulence mechanisms of bacteria that pathogenize insects.  Work in my lab is currently focused on three systems: antimicrobial defense in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), antimalarial defense in mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles, and entomopathogenic virulence of bacteria in the genus Providencia.  We have used population genetic and comparative genomic tests for natural selection to identify likely points of host-pathogen co-evolutionary “tension.”  We have also used quantitative genetic mapping to identify the basis for variation in D. melanogaster resistance to infection, although we have shown that resistance is also strongly determined by pathogen identity and abiotic environmental conditions.  We are actively studying the role that geographic and temporal variation in the epidemiology plays in the evolution of the immune system in both Drosophila and Anopheles.  This is likely to be exceptionally important in the mosquito system, where malaria transmission rates are strongly seasonal.  We have described two novel species of entomopathogenic bacteria in the genus Providencia, and are currently studying the genetic basis of virulence in these and other species.  We use Providencia as a model system for studying the evolution of entomopathogenic virulence in a microbe, but also as a potential biological control agent.

In addition to research, I teach an annual course in Ecological Genetics (Entom 470 / BioEE 480).   The aim of this course is to introduce students to population and evolutionary genetic concepts in experimentally applied frameworks.  The class has a lecture component as well as weekly meetings in small groups to discuss papers published in the primary research literature.  Ecological Genetics is intended for upper level undergraduates and beginning graduate students, and draws enrollment from a variety of majors and graduate fields.

 

Education

Year Degree Institution
2002 Ph.D.
 Pennsylvania State University
1995 B.S. University of California

Academic Ranks

Assistant Professor, 2003

Areas of Expertise

Population Genetics, Molecular Evolution, Genomics, Quantitative Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, Insect Immunity, Drosophila Genetics

Courses Taught

Entom 4700 Ecological Genetics
BioGD 4810 Population Genetics (co-taught with C. Aquadro, Mol. Biol. Genet.)

Publications

Peer Reviewed Research Publications

18) McKean, K.A., C.P. Yourth, B.P. Lazzaro and A.G. Clark. (2008) The evolutionary costs of immunological maintenance and deployment. BMC Evolutionary Biology, in press.

17) Lazzaro, B.P., H.A. Flores, J.G. Lorigan and C.P. Yourth. (2008) Genotype by environment interactions and adaptation to local temperature affect immunity and fecundity in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Pathogens, in press.

16) Sackton, T.B., B.P. Lazzaro, T.A. Schlenke, J.D. Evans, D. Hultmark and A.G. Clark. (2007) Dynamic evolution of the Drosophila innate immune system. Nature Genetics 39:1461-1468.

15) Drosophila Comparative Genome Sequencing and Analysis Consortium. (2007) Genomics on a phylogeny: evolution of genes and genomes in the genus Drosophila. Nature 450:203-218.

14) Lazzaro, B.P., T.B. Sackton and A.G. Clark. (2006) Genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster resistance to infection: a comparison across bacteria. Genetics 174:1539-1554.

13) Lazzaro, B.P. and P. Juneja. Polymorphism for virulence in the entomopathogenic bacteria of the genus Providencia. submitted.

12) Lazzaro, B.P., T.B. Sackton and A.G. Clark. Genetic Variation in Drosophila melanogaster Resistance to Infection: a comparison across bacteria. submitted.

11) Rinkevich, F.D., L. Zhang, R.L. Hamm, S.G. Brady, B.P. Lazzaro and J.G. Scott. Allele frequencies of Vssc1 and CYP6D1 in house flies from the eastern United States. Insect Mol. Biol., in press.

10) Vernick, K., F. Oduol, B.P. Lazzaro, J. Glazebrook, J. Xu, M. Riehle and J. Li. 2005. Molecular Genetics of Mosquito Resistance to Malaria Parasites. Curr. Topics. Microbiol. Immunol.: Malaria: drugs, disease and post-genomic biology. 295:383-415. [Review]

9) Braverman, J.M., B.P. Lazzaro, M. Aguadé, and C.H. Langley. 2005. DNA Sequence Polymorphism and Divergence at the erect wing and suppressor of sable loci of Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. Genetics 170:1153-65.

8) Lazzaro, B.P. 2005. Elevated Polymorphism and Divergence in the Class C Scavenger Receptors of Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. Genetics 169:2023-34.

7) Lazzaro, B.P., B.K. Sceurman and A.G. Clark. 2004.  Genetic basis of natural variation in D. melanogaster antibacterial immunity. Science 303:1873-6.

6) Lazzaro, B.P. and A.G. Clark. 2003.  Molecular population genetics of genes encoding inducible antibacterial peptides in Drosophila melanogaster.  Mol. Biol. Evol. 20:914-23.

 

5) Lazzaro, B.P., B.K. Sceurman, S.L. Carney and A.G. Clark. 2002.  fRFLP and fAFLP: Medium-throughput genotyping by fluorescently post-labeling restriction digestion.  Biotechniques 33:539-46.

 

4) Lazzaro, B. P. and A.G. Clark. 2001.  Evidence for recurrent paralogous gene conversion and exceptional allelic divergence in the Attacin genes of Drosophila melanogaster.  Genetics 159:659-71.

 

3) Langley, C.H., B.P. Lazzaro, W. Phillips, E. Heikkinen, and J. Braverman. 2000.  Linkage disequilibria and the site frequency spectra in the su(s) and su(wa) regions of the Drosophila melanogaster X chromosome.  Genetics 156:1837-52.

 

2) Carvalho, A.B, B.P. Lazzaro, and A.G. Clark. 2000.  Y-chromosomal fertility factors kl-2 and kl-3 of D. melanogaster encode dynein heavy chain polypeptides.  Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 97:13239-44.

 

1) Savolainen, O., C.H. Langley, B.P. Lazzaro, and H. Frèville. 2000.  Contrasting patterns of nucleotide polymorphism at the Alcohol Dehydrogenase locus in the outcrossing Arabidopsis lyrata and the selfing Arabidopsis thaliana.  Mol. Biol. Evol. 17:645-55.