Ph.D. 1971 University of Illinois
Research Interests:
The focus of my laboratory is the regulation of insect diapause, temperature tolerance and reproduction. Our interest in diapause ranges from its environmental and hormonal regulation to molecular studies examining diapause-specific gene expression. Our results indicate that a unique set of genes is expressed during diapause, and such genes offer interesting potential as regulators of the diapause response. Current models used in our diapause and cold hardiness experiments include flesh flies (Sarcophaga species), mosquitoes (Culex pipiens), and members of Heliothis/Helicoverpa complex. Experiments with temperature tolerance examine insects' responses to both high and low temperatures. Of special interest are the physiological adjustments that prevent cold shock and heat shock injury. Over the last few years, we have also been investigating the physiological and molecular adaptations enabling a midge to survive the harsh environmental stresses encountered in Antarctica. We have also maintained a long-term interest in regulation of reproduction in the tsetse fly, vector of African sleeping sickness.
Laboratory Members:
- Josh Benoit
- Mijung Kim
- Giancarlo Lopez-Martinez
- Megan Meuti
- Rob Michaud
- Justin Peyton
- Julie Reynolds
- Cheolho Sim
- Nicholas Teets
- QiRui Zhang
Key Publications:
Denlinger, D. L., G. D. Yocum and J. P. Rinehart. 2005. Hormonal control of diapause. In: Comprehensive Insect Molecular Science, Ed. L. I. Gilbert, K. Iatrou and S. Gill, Vol. 3, pp. 615-650, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Rinehart, J.P., S.A.L. Hayward, M.A. Elnitsky, L.H. Sandro, R.E. Lee, Jr., and D.L. Denlinger. 2006. Continuous up-regulation of heat shock proteins in larvae, but not adults, of a polar insect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 103:14223-14227.
Rinehart, J. P., A. Li, G. D. Yocum, R.M. Robich, S.A.L. Hayward and D. L. Denlinger. 2007. Up-regulation of heat shock proteins is essential for cold survival during insect diapause. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 104:11130-11137.
Fujiwara, Y. and D. L. Denlinger. 2007. p38 MAP kinase is a likely component of the signal transduction pathway triggering rapid cold hardening in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis. Journal of Experimental Biology 210:3295-3300.
Sim, C. and D.L. Denlinger. 2008. Insulin signaling and FOXO regulate the overwintering diapause of the mosquito Culex pipiens. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 105:6777-6781.
Zhang, Q., R.J. Nachman, P. Zubrzak and D.L. Denlinger. 2009. Conformational aspects and hyperpotent agonists of diapause hormone for termination of pupal diapause in the corn earworm. Peptides 30:596-602.
