Ignazio Carbone

•  Ph.D., University of Toronto, 2000

Carbone Lab Home Page

Research Interests

My research interests are in evolutionary biology, molecular population genetics and genomics. Research in my laboratory is interdisciplinary and combines sampling of genetic and phenotypic variation in natural fungal populations, in silico comparative analyses of fungal genomes, and the development of integrative evolutionary analysis tools. An important aspect of our work is developing new methodologies and tools to examine the influence of mutation, recombination, gene flow, selection and demography on the evolution of fungal genomes, populations and species. Our computational goal is to effectively manage and integrate the plethora of new approaches for making inferences on population processes from DNA sequence variation, bringing together simple summary-statistics, nonparametric methods and complex parameter-rich models.

Evolution of Fungal Secondary Metabolism

We are examining the evolution of fungal secondary metabolism focusing on the sterigmatocystin (ST), O-methylsterigmatocystin (OMST) and aflatoxin (AF) biosynthetic pathway in Aspergillus. The genes for ST, OMST, and AF are clustered and these compounds are synthesized as end products by numerous ascomycetes. Although all three metabolites (ST, OMST, and AF) are potent carcinogens in animals, the biological and evolutionary significance of these bioreactive compounds in fungi is unknown. We are combining inferences from macro- and micro-evolutionary analyses to understand the conservation of these metabolites among Aspergillus species and how diversity is generated and maintained within species over long periods of time.

Tools for Analyzing Population Genetic Data

A key aspect to managing and integrating DNA sequence-based variation with phenotypic data is to recognize the hierarchical nature of DNA sequence variation. This hierarchical organization implies a process driven system that is most accurately captured using evolutionary approaches. We have been developing new methodologies and tools for integrating genetic and phenotypic data within an evolutionary framework. Recently we released a flexible and scalable workbench tool that manages a series of population genetic programs. Our workbench provides a methodological framework for integrating several summary statistic and population genetic models to enhance inferences on population processes. We are currently integrating user-interactive tutorials in our workbench for teaching and training on these methods.

Teaching

• PP 707 Plant-Microbe Interactions
• PP 610A/810A An Applied Course on Evolutionary and Population    Genetic Data Analysis
  

Contact Information

Dr. Ignazio Carbone
Center for Integrated Fungal Research
Department of Plant Pathology
North Carolina State University
Campus Box 7244 - Partners III Building
Raleigh, NC 27695-7244

Phone: (919) 513-4866
Fax: (919) 513-0024
Email: ignazio_carbone@ncsu.edu