Individual Listing

Entomology
University of California
Riverside, CA 92521

Federici, Brian A

Distinguished Professor of Entomology

College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Entomology


Biography

Research Specialization - As an insect pathologist, the research in my laboratory focuses on (1) understanding the basic microbiology of pathogens that attack insects, and (2) the use of this knowledge to develop pathogens or their products to control insect pests. Currently, our major emphasis is on the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis. We are studying the molecular biology of insecticidal protein synthesis in this bacterium, and developing a variety of protein combinations for insect control to be used as bacterial insecticides or to construct insecticidal transgenic plants. These new types of control agents are more environmentally friendly than synthetic chemical insecticides. In addition to our studies on B. thuringiensis, we also have studies underway on insect baculoviruses and ascoviruses. The baculovirus studies are directed toward understanding baculovirus pathology, and then using this knowledge to make better recombinant baculovirus insecticides. Ascoviruses compose a newly discovered family of large double-stranded DNA viruses that attack lepidopteran insects. Our studies of this group are aimed at understanding their phylogenetic origin, pathogenesis, and molecular biology.

Degrees

BS Animal Science 1966

Rutgers University

MS Medical Entomology 1967

University of Florida

PhD Medical Entomology/Insect Pathology 1970

University of Florida

Awards

2009 Rutgers University, Cook College, Distinguished Alumnus Award
2009 Entomological Society of America, Fellow
2008 Entomological Society of America, C.W. Woodworth Award
2005 Academic Senate Faculty Research Lecturer Award
2004 Founder's Lecturer Award, Society for Invertebrate Pathology
2003 USDA Secretary's Individual Honor Award for Superior Service
1997 Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
1991 Entomological Society of America, National Distinguished Teaching Award
1983, 1990, 1991 Entomological Society of America, Pacific Branch, Distinguished Teaching Award:


Research Area

Insect pathology and microbial control with emphasis on viral and bacterial pathogens of medically or agriculturally important insects

Publications

Recent Publications

Kapranis, A., B. A. Federici, J. J. Johnson, and R. F. Luck. 2009. Cellular immune response of brown soft scale Coccus hesperidum L. (Hemiptera: Coccidae) to eggs of Metaphycus luteolus Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). Biological Control. In press.

Park, H.-W., M. Tang, Y. Sakano, and B. A. Federici. 2009. Insertion of a 1.1 kb downstream region from Bacillus sphaericus 2362 into B. sphaericus 2297 decreases Bin toxin synthesis and mosquitocidal activity. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. In press.

Tan, Y., T. Spears, D. K. Dideshi, R. Hice, Y. Bigot, and B. A. Federici. 2009. P64, a novel major virion structural protein is involved in condensing and packaging Spodoptera frugiperda ascovirus 1a genomic DNA. Journal of Virology. In press.

Sciocco, A. , D. K. Bideshi, J. J. Johnson, and B. A. Federici. 2009. Nucleo polyhedrovirus of the western avocado leafroller, Amorbia cuneana: Isolation and characterization of a potential biological control agent. Biological Control. In press.

Federici, B. A., Y. Bigot, D. K. Bideshi, Y. Tan, and T. Spears. 2009. Ascoviruses: superb manipulators of apoptosis for viral reproduction and transmission. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 328, 171-196.

Tan, Y., D. K. Bideshi, J. J. Johnson, Y. Bigot, and B. A. Federici. 2009. Proteomic analysis of the structural proteins in the Spodoptera frugiperda ascovirus 1a virion reveals 21 proteins. Journal of General Virology 90, 359-365.

Swiecicka, I., D. K. Bideshi, and B. A. Federici. 2008. Novel isolate of Bacillus thuringiensis that produces a large quasicuboidal inclusion of Cry1Ab21 highly toxic to Trichoplusia ni. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 74, 923-930.

Bigot, Y., S. Samain, C. Auge-Goulillou, and B. A. Federici. 2008. Molecular evidence for the evolution of ichnoviruses from ascoviruses by symbiogenesis. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8:253. Dol:10.1186/1471-2148-8-253.

Park, H.-W., D. K. Bideshi, and B. A. Federici. 2007. The 20-kDa protein of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis enhances Bs2362 Bin toxin synthesis. Current Microbiology 55, 119-124.

Wirth, M. C., Y. Yang, W. E. Walton, B. A. Federici, and C. Berry. 2007. Mtx toxins synergize Bacillus sphaericus and Cry11Aa against susceptible and insecticide resistant Culex Quinquefasciatus larvae. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73, 6066-6071.

Tang, M., D. K. Bideshi, H.-W. Park, and B. A. Federici. 2007. Iteron-binding ORF157 and Ftz-like ORF156 proteins encoded by pBtoxis play a role in its replication in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Journal of Bacteriology 189, 8053-8058.

Federici, B. A., H.-W. Park, D. K. Bideshi, M. C. Wirth, J. J. Johnson, Y. Sukano, and M. Tang. 2007. Developing recombinant bacteria for control of mosquito larvae. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 23, 164-176.

Bideshi, D.K., M.-V. Demattei, F. Rouleux-Bonnin, K. Stasiak, Y. Tan, S. Bigot, Y. Bigot, and B.A. Federici, 2006. Genomic sequence of Spodoptera frugiperda ascovirus 1a , an enveloped, double-stranded DNA insect virus that manipulates apoptosis for viral reproduction. Journal of Virology 80, 11791-11805.

Tang, M., D.K. Bideshi, H.-W. Park, and B. A. Federici. 2006. Minireplicon from pBtoxis of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 72, 6948-6954.

Federici, B.A. 2005. Insecticidal bacteria: An overwhelming success for Invertebrate Pathology 89, 30-38.

Bideshi, D.K., Y. Tan, Y. Bigot and B.A. Federici. 2005. A viral caspase contributes to modified apoptosis for virus transmission. Genes and Development 19, 1416-1421.

Park, H.-W., D.K. Bideshi, M.C. Wirth, J.J. Johnson, W.E. Walton and B.A. Federici. 2005. Recombinant larvicidal bacteria with markedly improved efficacy against Culex vectors of West Nile Virus. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 72, 732-738.

Wirth, M.C., J. Jiannino, B.A. Federici, and W.E. Walton. 2005. Evolution of resistance to Bacillus sphaericus in the presence or absence of Cyt1A using laboratory selected lines of the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 88, 154-162.

Park. H.-W., D.K. Bideshi, and B.A. Federici. 2005. Synthesis of additional endotoxins in Bacillus thuringiensissubsp. morrisoni (PG-14) and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan significantly improves their mosquitocidal efficacy. Journal of Medical Entomology 42, 337-341.

Renault, S., K. Stasiak, B. Federici and Y. Bigot. 2005. Commensal, and mutualistic relationships of reoviruses with their parasitoid hosts. Journal of Insect Physiology 51, 137-148.

Stasiak, K., S. Renault, B.A. Federici and Y. Bigot. 2005. Characteristics of pathogenic and symbiotic relationships of ascoviruses in field populations of parasitoid wasps. Journal of Insect Physiology 51, 103-115.

Hughes, P.A., M.M. Stevens, H.-W. Park, B.A. Federici, E.S. Dennis, and R. Akhurst. 2005. Response of larval Chironomus tepperii(Diptera: Chironomidae) to individual Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis toxins and toxin mixtures. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 88, 34-39.

Wirth, M.C., H.-W. Park, W.E. Walton and B.A. Federici. 2005. Cyt1Aa of Bacillus thuringiensis delays the evolution of resistance to Cry11A in the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 71, 185-189.

Park, H.-Y. and B. A. Federici. 2004. Effect of specific mutations in helix 7 of Domain I on the crystallization of Cry3A in Bacillus thuringiensis. Molecular Biotechnology 27, 89-100.

Zahiri, N. S., B. A. Federici, and M. S. Mulla. 2004. Laboratory and simulated field evaluation of a new recombinant of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis and Bacillus sphaericus against Culex mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology 41, 423-429.