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Beckie Symula

Instructional Associate Professor of Biology

Dr. Symula is an evolutionary biologist who coordinates and teaches the Introductory Biology lecture series.

Research Interests

Dr. Symula's research interests include:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Phylogenetics
  • Color pattern evolution
  • Frogs
  • Mimicry
  • Speciation

Publications

Alam, U., Hyseni, C., Symula, R., Brelsfoard, C., Wu, Y., Kruglov, O., Okedi, L., Caccone, G., Aksoy, S. Microfauna-host interactions: implications for trypanosome transmission dynamics in Glossina fuscipes fuscipes in Uganda. In Review Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are vectors for African trypanosomes (Euglenozoa: kinetoplastida), protozoan parasites that cause African trypanosomiasis in humans (HAT) and nagana in livestock. In addition to trypanosomes, two symbiotic bacteria (Wigglesworthia glossinidia and Sodalis glossinidius) and two parasitic microbes, Wolbachia and a salivary gland hypertrophy virus (SGHV), have been described in tsetse. Here we determined the prevalence of and coinfection dynamics between Wolbachia, trypanosomes, and SGHV in Glossina fuscipes fuscipes in Uganda over a large geographical scale spanning the range of host genetic and spatial diversity. Using a multivariate analysis approach, we uncovered complex coinfection dynamics between the pathogens and statistically significant associations between host genetic groups and pathogen prevalence. It is important to note that these coinfection dynamics and associations with the host were not apparent by univariate analysis. These associations between host genotype and pathogen are particularly evident for Wolbachia and SGHV where host groups are inversely correlated for Wolbachia and SGHV prevalence. On the other hand, trypanosome infection prevalence is more complex and covaries with the presence of the other two pathogens, highlighting the importance of examining multiple pathogens simultaneously before making generalizations about infection and spatial patterns. It is imperative to note that these novel findings would have been missed if we had employed the standard univariate analysis used in previous studies. Our results are discussed in the context of disease epidemiology and vector control.

Rio, R.*, Symula, R*., Wang, J., Lohs, C., Wu, Y., Snyder, A., Bjornson, R. Oshima, K., Biehl, B., Perna, N., Hattori, M., Aksoy, S. Insight into transmission biology and species-specific functional capabilities of tsetse’s obligate symbiont Wigglesworthia. In Press mBio.

Symula, R., Aksoy, S., Caccone, A. 2011. Phylogeographic examination of geographically isolated populations of W. g. fuscipes reveals strict vertical transmission of symbionts and correlation with patterns identified in host populations. In Press Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77:8400-8408.

Symula, R., Keogh, J.S., Cannatella, D.C. 2008. Ancient phylogeographic divergence in southeastern Australia among populations of the widespread common froglet, Crinia signifera. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 47:569-580.

Symula, R., Schulte, R. and Summers, K. 2003. Molecular systematics and phylogeography of Amazonian poison frogs of the genus Dendrobates. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 26: 452-475.

Symula, R., Schulte, R. and Summers, K. 2001. Molecular phylogenetic evidence for a mimetic radiation in Peruvian poison frogs supports Müllerian mimicry hypothesis. Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B, 268:2415-2421.

Courses Taught

Education

Ph.D. Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Texas at Austin (2009)