Terry Snell, Professor and Chair; Elizabeth Smithgall Watts Chair in Animal Behavior and Conservation
Ph.D., Population Biology, University of South Florida
Email:
Phone: 404-894-8906
Fax: 404-385-4440
Office: Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) 2240
Research Interest
Chemical ecology of zooplankton; mate recognition; evolutionary ecology; aquatic toxicology; gene expression in response to environmental stress; aquaculture.Terry
Current Research
Professor Terry Snell and his laboratory team are investigating mate recognition in zooplankton and the response of aquatic animals to anthropogenic stress. Research efforts focus on identifying genes that are involved in chemical communication between male and female rotifers and genes that are differentially expressed in aquatic invertebrates upon toxicant exposure. A glycoprotein on the surface of female rotifers has been isolated and characterized as a mating pheromone detected by male receptors. In a second project, several genes in stony corals have been identified that are up-regulated upon toxicant exposure. These genes provide information about whether corals have been exposed to toxicants, the level of stress imposed, and the type of stressor present. Professor Snell's laboratory is also examining how pollutants interfere with chemical communication in aquatic animals.
|
|
Left: Control female, first exposed to biotinylated pre-immune serum (rabbit never exposed to gp29), and then to avidin-fluorescein beads. Right: Female exposed to biotinylated post-immune serum containing gp29, and then to avidin-fluorescein beads. |
News Articles
Signals in the SeaAvoiding Costly Mistakes
Reefing the Benefits
The Quest for Drug Discovery
Fijian Coral Reef Conservation - In Brief
Recent Publications
Edge, SE, TL Shearer, MB Morgan, TW Snell. 2013. Sub-lethal coral stress: Detecting molecular responses of coral populations to environmental conditions over space and time. Aquatic Toxicology 128-129:135-146.
Rico-Martinez, R., TW Snell, TL Shearer. 2013. Synergistic toxicity of Macondo crude oil and dispersant Corexit 9500A® to the Brachionus plicatilis species complex (Rotifera). Environmental Pollution, 173:5-10.
Snell, TW, AM Fields, and RK Johntson. 2012. Antioxidants can extend lifespan of Brachionus manjavacas (Rotifera), but only in a few combinations. Biogerontology, DOI 10.1007/s10522-012-9371-x
Smith, H.A., A.S. Burns, T.L. Shearer, and T.W. Snell. 2012. Three heat shock proteins are essential for rotifer thermotolerance. Journal Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology 413:1-6.
Shearer, TL, DB Rasher, TW Snell, ME Hay. 2012. Gene expression patterns of the coral Acropora millepora in response to contact with macroalgae. Coral Reefs, doi 10.1007/s00338-012-0943-7.
Smith, HA, TW Snell 2012. Rapid evolution of sex frequency and dormancy as hydroperiod adaptations. Journal Evolutionary Biology, doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2012.02614.x.
Gribble, K. E., T. W. Snell and D. B. Mark Welch. 2011. Gene and protein structure of the mate recognition protein gene family in Brachionus manjavacas (Rotifera). Hydrobiologia 662:35-42.
Smith, H.A., D.B. Mark Welch, and T.W. Snell. 2011. Molecular evolution of the membrane associated progesterone receptor within the Brachionus plicatilis (Rotifera) cryptic species complex. Hydrobiologia 662:99-106.
Snell, T.W. 2011. A review of the molecular mechanisms of rotifer reproduction. Hydrobiologia, 662:89-97.
Serra, M., H.A. Smith, J.S. Weitz, and T.W. Snell. 2011. Analyzing threshold effects in the sexual dynamics of cyclically parthenogenetic rotifer populations. Hydrobiologia, 662:121-130.