Drion G. Boucias

dgb@mail.ifas.ufl.edu

(90% Research, 10% Teaching)

Education

• B.S. in Biology, 1972, University of Maine
• M.S. 1974, University of Maine
• Ph.D. 1978, University of Kentucky

Employment (Since Ph.D.)

• University of Florida, Professor, 1992-present
• AgReseach Ltd, Fulbright Senior Research Scholar 1997
• University of Florida, Associate Professor, 1989-1992
• Pasteur Institute, Paris, France 1989 (sabbatical)
• University of Florida, Associate Professor, 1986-1989
• University of Florida, Research Associate, 1979-1980
• University of Florida, Assistant Professor, 1981-1986
• University of Maine, Assistant Professor, 1980-1981

Research Responsibilities

The overall objective of our research program is to elucidate the mechanisms regulating the development of invertebrate pathogens. This research, utilizing various pathogen-insect models, is directed at defining cellular/subcellular interactions which allow microbes to invade and to kill insect hosts. Additionally, our research is addressing those mechanisms that confer disease resistance to selected host insects. Our applied research program is directed at understanding how these pathogens operate to suppress host populations and to assist in the implementation of insect pathogens as microbial control agents. In addition , an active program designed to isolate novel metabolites from insect affiliated microbes has been established in collaboration with industrial partners.

Grants and Contracts:

• NSF Cell Biology; 1986-1989,
• NATO 1987-1990; NATO 1991-1993
• Co-PI - USDA CBAG 1988-1991.
• USDA Collaborative projects; 1988-1995
• NSF Cell Biology 1989-1991
• FMC 1989; USDA 1990-1995
• USDA NRICGP 1991-1995
• S.C. Johnson 1992-1993
• NSF Cell Biology 1992-1994
• Bayer Corporation 1994-1996
• Syngenta Corporation 1998-2004
• NSF Cell Biology 2002-2005
• USDA (special grants-Pierces Disease) 2002-2004

Teaching Responsibilities

My major teaching responsibility is to teach the undergraduate course Principles of Entomology. Secondly, our laboratory offers a graduate level course in Insect Pathology. Additionally, our laboratory staff provides training in insect pathology to various graduate and undergraduate students.

Accomplishments over the past 5 years have been:

1. Discovery and molecular analysis of Helicosporidia a unique clade of insect pathogenic algae.
2. Analysis of the population genetics of Nomuraea rileyi
3. Elucidation of the involvement of humoral lectins insect recognition of nonself.
4. Detection and analysis of novel fungal insecticidal toxins.
5. Development of insects as microbial miners of producing bioactive metabolites.
6. Cloning and sequencing of various fungal hydrolases, toxins, and cell-wall related synthases.

International Experience

• Consultant to EMBRAPA on IICA contract. Development of Anticarsia gemmatalis nuclear polyhedrosis virus as a biocontrol agent against soybean defoliators.
• Consultant to AID Project IPM in Honduras and Ecuador. Assisted in development of teaching module and in Microbial control of Insect Pests.
• Collaborative research with Pasteur Institute, Paris, France (NATO project), and the Comparative Pathology of Invertebrate Laboratory, St. Christol, France (NATO projects)
• Collaborative NSF project with EMBRAPA in Londrina and CENERGEN
• Collaborative program with AgResearch New Zealand on physiology of insect digestion
• Collaborative project with Mahidol University and Kasasart University Bangkok, Thailand Analysis of the Chitinase Gene of Nomuraea rileyi and HtA toxin in Hirsutella thompsonii
• Collaborative program with University of Colima "Pathology of Hirsutella thompsonii to Spider Mites"

Patents:

• Joint patent with Pasteur Institute entitled Fungal Exopolysaccharides Having Immunostimulatory Activity, Procedure for Production, Extraction and Evaluation.

Graduate Education:

• Served as chairperson for 12 students
• Served on 20 graduate student committees
• Teach undergraduate Principles of Entomology
• Teach graduate level courses in Insect Pathology and Insect Physiology

Other Activities:

• Chairperson - S-135 Regional USDA Project, Development of Microbial Agents for Use in Integrated Pest Management Systems
• Consultant - FMC Corp. Development of Fungal Toxins as Microbial Insecticides
• Co-organizer - NATO Workshop. Fungal Cell and Immune Response
• Editorial Board - Journal of Invertebrate Pathology (1989 to 1993)
• Peer Reviewer - USDA, EPA, NSF, Can. Res. Council, IFS and various journals.
• Fulbright review panel 2001-2003

Presentations:

• Over the past 21 years I have presented 40 symposia and over 75 papers at various scientific meetings.

Career Publications:

• Books 1; Books (co-editor) 1; chapters in books 7; scientific papers >90; miscellaneous publications: 6

Books:

• Boucias, D.G. and J.C. Pendland. 1998. Principles of Insect Pathology. Klewer Academic Publishers, Boston 537 p
• Latgé, J. P., and D. G. Boucias (co-editors). 1991. Fungal Cell Wall and Immune Response (NATO ASI Series), Springer-Verlag.

Career Publications

Publications (last 10 years)

• Hay-Roe, M.M., A. M. Shapiro, J. J.Becnel, and D.G. Boucias . 2003 Reflex bleeding, a transmission mechanism induced by baculovirus infection in the butterfly Heliconius himera (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae). J. Invertebr. Pathol. (submitted)
• Tartar, A., D. G. Boucias, B. J. Adams and J. J. Becnel: Comparison of plastid 16S rDNA (rrn16) genes from Helicosporidium spp.: evidence supporting the reclassification of Helicosporidia as green algae (Chlorophyta). International J. System. Evol. Microbiol. (accepted).
• Acevedo J., D. Boucias, R. Lezama and A. Pescador 2002. Novel Metabolites of Hirsutella thompsonii FISHER Inhibits Oviposition by the Two-Spotted Spider Mites Tetranychus urticae KOCH Applied and Experimental Acarology (in press)
• Kanga, L.H.B., James, R.R., and Boucias, D.G. 2002. Hirsutella thompsonii and Metarhizium anisopliae as potential microbial controls of Varroa destructor, a honey bee parasite. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 81:175-184.
• Maimala, S., Tartar, A., Boucias, D., and Chandrapatya, A. 2002. Detection of the toxin Hirsutellin A from Hirsutella thompsonii. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 80:112-126.
• Jackson, T.A., Boucias, D.G., and J-Olivier Thaler 2001. Pathobiology of amber disease caused by Serratia spp. in the New Zealand grass grub Costelytra zealandica J. Invertebr Pathol.48: 232-243.
• Tartar, A., Boucias, D., Adams, B. and Becnel, J. 2001. Phylogenetic analysis identifies the invertebrate pathogen Helicosporidium sp. as a green algae (Chlorophyta) Int. J. System. Evol. Microbiol. 52: 273-279.
• Boucias, D.B., Becnel, J.J., White, S.E., Bott, M. 2001. In vivo and in vitro development of the protist Helicosporidium sp. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 48:460–470.
• Boucias, D G., M S. Tigano, D R. Sosa-Gomez, T R. Glare, and P W. Inglis. 2000. Genotypic properties of the entomopathogenic fungus Nomuraea rileyi. Biological Control 19:124-138.
• Boucias, D., Stokes, C., Suazo, A. and Funderburk J. 2000. AFLP analysis of the entomopathogen Nomuraea rileyi. Mycologia 92: 638-648.
• Pendland, J.C. and Boucias, D.G. 2000 Comparative analysis of the binding of antibodies prepared against the insect Spodoptera exigua and against the mycopathogen Nomuraea rileyi. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 75:107-116.
• Pendland, J.C. and D.G. Boucias. 1998. Characterization of monoclonal antibodies against cell wall epitope of the insect fungus Nomuraea rileyi: differential binding to fungal surfaces and cross reactivity with host hemocyte and basement membrane components. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 75:118-127.
• Boucias, D.G., W.G. Farmerie, and J.C. Pendland. 1998. Cloning and sequencing the cDNA of the insecticidal toxin, Hirsutellin A. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 72:258-261.
• Sosa-Gomez, D.R., D.G. Boucias, and J.L. Nation. 1997. Attachment of Metarhizium anisopliae to the Southern Green Stink Bug Nezara viridula cuticle and fungistatic effect of cuticular lipids. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 69:31-39.
• Pendland, J.C. and D.G. Boucias. 1997. In vitro growth of the entomopathogenic hyphomycete Nomuraea rileyi. Mycologia 89:66-71.
• Boucias, D.G., C. Stokes, G. Storey, and J. Pendland. 1996. Effect of imidacloprid on both the termite, Reticulitermes flavipes and its interaction with insect pathogens. Pfanzenshutz-Natrichten Bayer 49:103-144.
• Pendland, J.C. and D.G. Boucias. 1996. Phagocytosis of lectin-opsonized fungal cells and endocytosis of the ligand by insect Spodoptera exigua granular hemocytes: An ultrastructural and immunocytochemical study. Cell Tissue Res. 285:57-67.
• Liu, J. C., D. G. Boucias, J. C. Pendland, W. Z. Liu, and J. Maruniak. 1996. The mode of action of hirsutellin A on eucaryotic cells. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 67:224-228.
• Hung, S.Y. and D.G. Boucias. 1996. Phenoloxidase activity in hemolymph of naïve and Beauveria bassiana-infected Spodoptera exigua larvae. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 67:35-40.
• Mazet, I. and D.G. Boucias. 1996. Effects of the fungal pathogen, Beauveria bassiana on protein biosynthesis of infected Spodoptera exigua larvae. J. Insect. Physiol. 42(2):91-99.
• Liu, W., D.G. Boucias, and C.W. McCoy. 1995. Analysis of the production of the insecticidal mycotoxin hirsutellin A under submerged fermentation conditions. Exp. Mycology. 19:254-262.
• Sarfati, J. D.G. Boucias, and J.P Latge. 1995. Antigens of Aspergillus fumigatus produced in vivo. J. Med. Vet. Mycol. 33:9-14.
• Debeaupuis, J.P., J. Sarfati, N. Kobayashi, D.G. Boucias, P. Gumowski, A. Beauvais, S. Paris, M. Monod, and J.P. Latge. 1995. Antigens of Aspergillus fumigatus expressed during infection. Can. J. Botany. 73:(Suppl. 1) S1087-S1091.
• Pendland, J.C., S.Y. Hung and D.G Boucias. 1995. In vivo development of Paecilomyces farinosus in Spodoptera exigua (beet armyworm) larvae. Mycopathologia. 130:151-158.
• Boucias, D.G., I. Mazet, J. Pendland, and S.Y. Hung. 1995. Comparative analysis of the in vivo and in vitro metabolites by the entomopathogen, Beauveria bassiana. Can. J. Botany. 73:(Suppl. 1)S1095-S1099.
• Lopez-Lastra, C.C., D.G. Boucias, and G. Soares. 1995. The effects of a Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin on larval Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera frugiperda infected with baculoviruses. Environ. Entomol. 24:239-242.
• Liu, W.Z., D.G. Boucias, and C.W. McCoy. 1995. Extraction and characterization of the insecticidal toxin Hirsutellin A produced by Hirsutella thompsonii var. thompsonii. Exp. Mycology. 19:254-262.
• Mazet, I., J.C. Pendland and D.G. Boucias. 1994. Comparative analysis of phagocytosis of fungal cells by insect hemocytes verses horse neutrophils. Develop. Comp. Immunol. 18:455-466.
• Mazet, I., S.Y. Hung, and D.G. Boucias. 1994. Detection of toxic metabolites in the hemolymph of Beauveria bassiana infected Spodoptera exigua larvae. Experientia. 40:385-391
• Boucias, D.G., S.Y. Hung, I. Mazet, and J. Azbell. 1994. Effect of the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana, on the lysozyme activity in Spodoptera exigua larvae. Experientia. 50:142-147.
• Pendland, J.C., C. Lopez-Lastra, and D.G. Boucias. 1994. Laminin binding sites on the cell walls of the entomopathogen Nomuraea rileyi associated with growth and adherence to host tissue. Mycologia 86(3):327-335.
• Lopez-Lastra, C., and D.G. Boucias. 1994. Studies on the cellular reactions of Spodoptera exigua larvae infected with the fungus Nomuraea rileyi. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 63:101-102.
• Coler, R., D. Boucias, H. Frank, J. Maruniak, and J. Pendland. 1993. A new double stranded DNA virus detected in salivary glands of the house fly Musca domestica. J. Med. Vet. Entomol. 7:275-282.
• Pendland, J.C., S.Y. Hung, and D.G. Boucias. 1993. Evasion of host defense by in vivo produced protoplast like cells of the insect mycopathogen Beauveria bassiana. J. Bacteriol. 175(18):5962-5969.
• Pendland, J.C., and D.G. Boucias. 1993. Variations in the ability of galactose and mannose specific lectins to bind to cell wall surfaces during growth of the insect pathogenic fungus Paecilomyces farinosus. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 60:322-330.
• Boucias, D.G., and J.C. Pendland. 1993. The galactose binding lectin from the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua:Distribution and site of synthesis. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol. 23:233-242.
• Hung, S., D.G. Boucias, and A.J. Vey. 1993. Effect of Beauveria bassiana and Candida albicans on the cellular defense of Spodoptera exigua. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 61:179-187.

Revised March 2003