David S. Durica
Professor Emeritus, School of Biological Sciences Richards Hall 300A & 216 405-325-1528 ddurica at ou dot edu https://duricalab.oucreate.com/ Ph.D., Cell Biology - University of Connecticut, 1977Research:
In crustaceans, steroid hormones termed ecdysteroids are tied to numerous physiological programs that must be integrated in the life history of these animals: among these are adult growth and molting, reproduction, and a specialized form of growth that is superimposed on the growth cycle, limb regeneration. Ecdysteroids differ in types and concentrations during the molt cycle, and it is presently unclear how distinct circulating ecdysteroids can differentially modulate different physiological actions in time and space. We have determined that unique structural variants (isoforms) for the ecdysteroid hormone receptor complex exist. We hypothesize that different distributions of receptor isoforms, in concert with differences in receptor isoform affinities for circulating hormones, transduce specific hormonal signals and implement distinct genetic programs. To explore this hypothesis, we are characterizing components of the ecdysteroid signaling pathway with regard to their physical properties and distribution, and identifying primary response gene networks subject to hormonal control.
Selected Publications:
Kozma, M. T., Pérez-Moreno, J. L., Gandhi, N. S, Hernandez Jeppesen, L., Durica, D. S., Ventura, T., and Mykles, D. L. (2024) In silico analysis of crustacean hyperglycemic hormone family G protein-coupled receptor candidates. Front. Endocrinol. 14 - 2023, doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1322800.
Pérez-Moreno, J. L., Kozma, M. T., DeLeo, D. M., Bracken-Grissom, H. D., Durica D. S., and Mykles, D. L. (2023) CrusTome: A transcriptome database resource for large-scale analyses across Crustacea. G3 Genes/Genomes/Genetics. 2023 May 2:jkad098.
Burnett K. G., Durica, D. S., Mykles, D. L., Stillman, J. H., and Schmidt, C. (2020) Recommendations for advancing genome to phenome research in non-model organisms. Integr. Comp. Biol. 60(2): 397-401.
Das, S. Martin, L. A., Zhou, W., Durica, D. S., and Mykles, D. L. (2018) Analysis of differentially expressed genes in the molting gland (Y-organ) of the blackback land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis, during molt-cycle stage transitions. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part D Genomics Proteomics 28: 37-53. doi: 10.1016/j.cbd.2018.06.001
Shyamal, S., Das, S., Guruacharya, A., Mykles, D. L., and Durica, D. S. (2018) A transcriptomic approach examining crustacean Y Organ molt cycle regulation via the mTOR signaling pathway. Scientific Reports 8: 7307. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-25368-x
Mykles, D. L., Burnett, K. G., Durica, D. S., Joyce, B. L., McCarthy, F. M., Schmidt, C. J. and Stillman, J. H. (2016) Resources and recommendations for using transcriptomics to address grand challenges in comparative biology. Integr. Comp. Biol. 56:1183-1191. doi:10.1093/icb/icw083.
Das, S., Shyamal, S. and Durica, D. S. (2016) Analysis of annotation and differential expression methods used in RNA-seq studies in crustacean systems. Integr. Comp. Biol. 56:1067-1079. doi: 10.1093/icb/icw117
Mykles, D. L., Burnett, K. G., Durica, D. S., Joyce, B. L., McCarthy, F. M., Schmidt, C. J. and Stillman, J. H. (2016) Resources and recommendations for using transcriptomics to address grand challenges in comparative biology. Integr. Comp. Biol. 56:1183-1191. doi: 10.1093/icb/icw083
Das S., Pitts N. L., Mudron M. R., Durica, D. S., and Mykles, D. L. (2016) Transcriptome analysis of the molting gland (Y-organ) from the blackback land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part D Genomics Proteomics. 17:26-40. doi: 10.1016/j.cbd.2015.11.003.
Shyamal, S., Anilkumar, G., Baskaran, R., Dos, G. P. and Durica, D. S. (2015) Significant fluctuations in ecdysteroid receptor gene (EcR) expression in relation to seasons of molt and reproduction in the grapsid crab, Metopograpsus messor (Brachyura: Decapoda). Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 211:39-51 doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.11.006