Faculty
Staff
Faculty Openings

Dr. Katharina Dittmar

Assistant Professor

Dittmar Lab Website

109 Cooke Hall
Tel: 716 645 2363 ext. 215

kd52@buffalo.edu

Research Summary

The central and most challenging question in evolutionary biology is understanding
the connection between the molecular and the phenotypic world.  In order to grasp in both specific and general ways the synergy between gene, protein structure, and organismal phenotype, model systems to explore sequence-function relationships are needed. Such models are for instance bloodsucking parasites, because adaptation not only occurs (often convergently) to their respective hosts, but also related to their function as a vector of certain pathogens. This is why I currently concentrate on studies of two phylogenetically unrelated groups, - the Siphonaptera (fleas), and the bat flies (Nycteribiidae and Streblidae).

Specific ongoing projects:

1. Phylogenetics and systematics of Siphonaptera, Streblidae, and Nycteribiidae [sponsored by NSF]
2. Evolution of protein kinases and opsin genes [in collaboration with NIH, and UMBC researchers]

Other projects related to my major research focus:

3. Timeframes of cave adaptation [collaborative project- UMBC]
4. Paleoparasitology [collaborators: UNL and FIOCRUZ, Brazil]

Selected Publications

Raoult D, Reed DL, Dittmar K, Kirchman JJ, Rolain JM, Guillen S, Light JE. Molecular identification of lice from pre-Columbian mummies. 2007. In press: Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Patterson BD, Dick CW and Dittmar K. 2007. Roosting habits of bats affect their parasitism by bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae). Journal of Tropical Ecology, 23: 177-189

Roth C, Rastogi S, Arvestad L, Dittmar K, Light S, Ekman D, Liberles DA. 2007. Evolution after gene duplication: models, mechanisms, sequences, systems, and organisms. J Exp Zoolog B Mol Dev Evol. 308(1):58-73.

Bittencourt D, Souto BM, Verza NC, Vinecky F, Dittmar K, Silva PI Jr, Andrade AC, da Silva FR, Lewis RV, Rech EL. 2007. Spidroins from the Brazilian spider Nephilengys cruentata (Araneae: Nephilidae). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol. 147(4):597-606.

Bitam I, Parola P, Dittmar K, Matsumoto K, Baziz B, Rolain JM, Belkaid M, and Raoult D. 2006. First molecular detection of Rickettsia felis in fleas from Algeria. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 74(4): 532-535.

Dittmar K, Porter ML, Murray S, Whiting MF. 2006. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of nycteribiid and streblid bat flies (Diptera: Brachycera, Calyptratae): implications for host associations and phylogeographic origins. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 38(1):155-70.

Otto H, Reche PA, Bazan F, Dittmar K, Haag F, Koch-Nolte F. 2005. In silico characterization of the family of PARP-like poly(ADP-ribosyl)transferases (pARTs). BMC Genomics. 6:139.

Rothenburg S; Deigendesch N; Dittmar K; Koch-Nolte F; Haag F; Lowenhaupt; and Rich A. 2005. A PKR-like eukaryotic initiation factor 2(alpha) kinase from zebrafish contains Z-DNA binding domains instead of dsRNA binding domains. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102(5): 1602-1607.