MICHAEL E. SCHARF
EDUCATION
INTERESTS
My primary scientific interests
relate to characterizing biochemical and physiological adaptations in
insects that drive evolutionary divergence, particularly those with
"real-world" significance in pest management. Insect toxicology
represents the perfect platform for investigating such evolutionary
divergence, especially the topic of insecticide resistance. Other
parallel interests of mine relate to understanding long-standing
mysteries in insect physiology and biochemistry, such as (a) caste
differentiation in termites and (b) highly understudied insect
flavin-containing monooxygenase detoxification enzymes.
RESEARCH
PROGRAM
The overall goal of my research
program is to combine classical toxicology with molecular biology,
genomics, biochemistry and physiology in addressing topics with
real-world, pest management implications. Current research programs
encompass three broad areas:
- Toxicity, mode of action
and metabolism of two classes of low-molecular-weight insecticides
donated to the University of Florida by Procter & Gamble Inc.
- Genomic identification and
functional characterization of developmentally and toxicologically
relevant genes in lower termites.
- Evolution of insect
flavin-containing monooxygenases and functional characterization of
their roles in xenobiotic and endogenous substrate metabolism.
POSITIONS
HELD
|
July 2004-Present |
Research Assistant Professor, Insect Toxicology, Entomology and
Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville.
|
|
2001-2004 |
Research Specialist and Director of the Industrial Affiliates Program,
Center for Urban and Industrial Pest Management, Department of
Entomology, Purdue University. |
|
2000-2001 |
Research Associate, Insect Molecular Toxicology, Cornell University-New
York State Agriculture Experiment Station.
Advisor:
Professor
David M. Soderlund
|
|
1997-2000 |
Post-Doctoral Associate, Insect Toxicology, University of Nebraska,
Lincoln.
Advisor:
Professor
Blair D. Siegfried
|
|
1995 |
Visiting Scholar, Department of Pure and Applied Biology, The
University of Wales, Cardiff, UK (Spring Semester: January - May).
Advisor:
Professor
Janet Hemingway
|
|
1991-1997 |
Graduate Research Assistant (M.S., Ph.D.), Department of Entomology,
Purdue University.
Advisor:
Professor
Gary W. Bennett
|
COURSE
SYLLABUS
I teach a seminar course on
Pesticide Resistance (ENY 6934). The syllabus may be accessed here.
The lecture notes are here,
the lecture slides are here,
and the pesticide and resistance management resources are here.
PUBLICATIONS
REPRESENTATIVE
PUBLICATIONS IN INSECT TOXICOLOGY
- Festucci-Buselli, R.A., A.S.
Carvalho-Dias, M. Oliveira-Andrade, C. Caixeta-Nunes, H. Li, J.J.
Stuart, W. Muir, M.E. Scharf,
and B.R. Pittendrigh. 2005. Expression
of Cyp6g1 and Cyp12d1 in DDT resistant and susceptible strains of Drosophila
melanogaster.
Insect Molecular Biology 14 (1): 69-78.
- Pedra, J.H.F., R.A.
Festucci-Buselli, W. Sun, W. Muir, M.E.
Scharf, and B.R. Pittendrigh.
2005. Profiling
of abundant proteins associated with DDT resistance in Drosophila
melanogaster.
Proteomics 5 (1): 258-269.
- Pedra, J.H.F., L.M.
McIntyre, M.E. Scharf,
and B.R. Pittendrigh. 2004. Genome-wide
transcription profile of field- and laboratory-selected DDT-resistant
Drosophila. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Science of the USA 101 (18): 7034-7039.
- Brandt, A., M.E.
Scharf, J.H.F. Pedra, G. Holmes,
A. Dean, M. Kreitman, and B.R. Pittendrigh. 2002. Differential
expression and induction of two Drosophila cytochrome P450 genes near
the Rst(2)DDT locus. Insect
Molecular Biology 11 (4): 337-342.
- Scharf,
M.E., S. Parimi, B.D. Siegfried,
L.J. Meinke, and L.D. Chandler. 2001. Expression
and induction of three family 4 cytochrome P450 genes identified from
insecticide resistant and susceptible western corn rootworms.
Insect Molecular Biology 10 (2): 139-146.
- Scharf,
M.E., B.D. Siegfried, L.J.
Meinke, and L.D. Chandler. 2000. Fipronil
metabolism, oxidative sulfone formation and toxicity among
organophosphate resistant and susceptible western corn rootworm
populations. Pest Management
Science 56: 757-766.
- Scharf,
M.E., B.D. Siegfried, L.J.
Meinke, R.J. Wright, and L.D. Chandler. 2000. Cytochrome
P450 mediated N-demethylation activity and induction in
insecticide-resistant and susceptible western corn rootworm populations.
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 67: 137-143.
- Miota, F., B.D. Siegfried, M.E.
Scharf, and M.J. Lydy. 2000.
Induction of cytochrome P450 by the herbicide atrazine in Chironomus
tentans larvae. Chemosphere 40:
285-291.
- Scharf,
M.E., and B.D. Siegfried. 1999. Toxicity
and neurophysiological effects of fipronil and fipronil-sulfone on the
western corn rootworm. Archives
of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology 40: 150-156.
- Scharf,
M.E., L.J. Meinke, R.J. Wright,
L.D. Chandler, and B.D. Siegfried. 1999. Metabolism
of Carbaryl by insecticide resistant and susceptible western corn
rootworm populations. Pesticide
Biochemisty and Physiology 63: 85-96.
- Scharf,
M.E., J.J. Neal, C.B. Marcus,
and G.W. Bennett. 1998.
Cytochrome P450 purification and immunological detection in an
insecticide resistant strain of German cockroach.
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 28 (1): 1-9.
- Scharf,
M.E., J.J. Neal, and G.W.
Bennett. 1998. Changes of
insecticide resistance levels and detoxication enzymes following
insecticide selection in the German cockroach.
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 59: 67-79.
RECENT
PUBLICATIONS ON FLAVIN MONO-OXYGENASES
RECENT
PUBLICATIONS ON TERMITES
- Zhou, X.G., M.R. Tarver,
G.W. Bennett, F.M. Oi, and M.E.
Scharf. 2006. Two hexamerin
genes from the termite R.
flavipes: sequence, expression
and proposed functions in caste regulations. Gene (in press).
- Scharf,
M.E., X.G. Zhou, and G.W.
Bennett. 2005. The
application of molecular genomics in addressing long-standing questions
on termite biology. Proceedings
of the 5th International Conference on Urban Pests.
- Green, J.M., M.E.
Scharf, and G.W. Bennett. 2005. Impacts
of soil moisture level on consumption and distribution of three
sympatric subterranean termites in a laboratory assay.
Journal of Economic Entomology 98 (3): 933-937.
- Scharf,
M.E., C.R. Ratliff, D.
Wu-Scharf, X.G. Zhou, B.R. Pittendrigh, and G.W. Bennett. 2005. Effects of
juvenile hormone III on Reticulitermes
flavipes: changes in hemolymph
protein composition and gene expression.
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (in press).
- Scharf,
M.E., D.W. Scharf, X. Zhou, B.R.
Pittendrigh, and G.W. Bennett. 2004. Gene
expression profiles among immature and adult reproductive castes of the
termite R. flavipes.
Insect Molecular Biology 14 (1): 31-44.
- Scharf,
M.E., D.W. Scharf, G.W. Bennett,
and B.R. Pittendrigh. 2003. Caste
and development-associated gene expression in a lower termite.
Genome Biology 4 (10): R62 (http://genomebiology.com/2003/4/10/R62).
- Ye, W., C.Y. Lee, R.H.
Scheffrahn, J.M. Aleong, N.Y. Su, G.W. Bennett, and M.E.
Scharf. 2004. Phylogenetic
relationships of nearctic Reticulitermes
species with particular reference to R.
arenincola Goellner.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 30 (3): 815-822.
- Scharf,
M.E., C.R. Ratliff, J.R.
Hoteling, B.R. Pittendrigh, and G.W. Bennett. 2003. Caste
differentiation responses of two sympatric Reticulitermes
termite species to JH homologs and synthetic juvenoids in two
laboratory assays. Insectes
Sociaux 50 (4): 346-354.
- Wu-Scharf, D., M.E.
Scharf, B.R. Pittendrigh, and
G.W. Bennett. 2003. Expressed
sequence tags from a polyphenic Reticulitermes
flavipes cDNA library.
Sociobiology 41: 479-489.
INVITED
REVIEWS
- Scharf,
M.E. 2003. Neurological
effects of insecticides.
Encyclopedia of Pest Management (D. Pimental, Ed.), Marcel-Dekker, New
York.
- Siegfried, B.D., and M.E.
Scharf. 2001. Mechanisms of
organophosphate resistance in insects. pp. 269-272 in I. Ishaaya (Ed.),
Biochemical Sites of Insecticide Action and Resistance.
Springer-Verlag, New York.
- Siegfried, B.D., L.J.
Meinke, and M.E. Scharf.
1998. Resistance management concerns for areawide management programs.
Journal of Agricultural Entomology 15: 359-370.
- Scharf,
M.E., and G.W. Bennett. 1997.
Insecticide resistance in the German cockroach and current options for
its management. Recent Research Developments in Entomology 1: 23-35.
RECENT
PUBLICATIONS ON URBAN PESTS
- Buczkowski, G., M.E.
Scharf, C.R. Ratliff, and G.W.
Bennett. 2005. Efficacy
of simulated barrier treatments against laboratory colonies of the
pharaoh ant. Journal of Economic
Entomology 98 (2): 485-492.
- Wang, C., M.E.
Scharf, and G.W. Bennett. 2004. Behavioral
and physiological resistance of the German cockroach to gel baits.
Journal of Economic Entomology 97: 2067-2072.
- Scharf,
M.E., C.R. Ratliff, and G.W.
Bennett. 2004. Impacts
of residual insecticide barriers on perimeter-invading ants, with
particular reference to the odorous house ant, Tapinoma
sessile
Say. Journal of Economic Entomology 97 (2): 601-605.
- Scharf,
M.E., E.A. Buss, C.R. Ratliff,
D.J. Brad, and G.W. Bennett. 2002. Invertebrate taxa associated with
subterranean termite monitoring devices in the Eastern Midwest.
Sociobiology 39: 441-457.
