Jamie Walters

Jamie Walters
  • Associate Professor
  • Principal Investigator

Contact Info

Office: Haworth Hall 6003
Lawrence

Personal Links

Biography —

My research focuses on evolutionary genomics in Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. I am particularly interested in the molecular evolution of sex chromosomes and reproductive traits.  My work makes extensive use of next-generation sequencing data (i.e. Illumina) for measuring gene expression and genetic variation genome-wide.  We also use shotgun proteomics to directly identify proteins found in complex biological samples, such as the saliva and also sperm of butterflies.

Research —

Research interests:

  • Genomics, Lepidoptera, Molecular Evolution

Teaching —

Teaching interests:

  • Programming, R, Genetics

Selected Publications —

  • Mora P, Hospodářská M, Voleníková AC, Koutecký P, Štundlová J, Dalíková M, Walters JR, Nguyen P (2024) Sex‐biased gene content is associated with sex chromosome turnover in Danaini butterflies. Molecular Ecology e17256.
  • Mongue AJ, Martin SH, Manweiler REV, Scullion H, Koehn JL, Roode JC de, Walters JR (2023) Genome sequence of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, an apicomplexan parasite of monarch butterflies: cryptic diversity and response to host-sequestered plant chemicals. BMC Genomics 24, 278.
  • Mongue AJ, Hansen ME, Walters JR (2022) Support for faster and more adaptive Z chromosome evolution in two divergent lepidopteran lineages. Evolution 76, 332–345.
  • Yang D, Xu J, Chen K, Liu Y, Yang X, Tang L, Luo X, Liu Z, Li M, Walters JR, Huang Y (2022) BmPMFBP1 regulates the development of eupyrene sperm in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. PLoS Genetics 18, e1010131.
  • Tan W, Talla V, Mongue AJ, Roode JC de, Gerardo NM, Walters JR (2021) Population genomics reveals variable patterns of immune gene evolution in monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). Molecular Ecology 30, 4381–4391.
  • Whittington, E., Karr, TL, Mongue, AJ, Dorus, S, and Walters, JR. 2019.  Evolutionary proteomics reveals distinct patterns of complexity and divergence between lepidopteran sperm morphs.  Genome Biology and Evolution 11(7): 1838-1846.
  • Mongue, A.J, Hensen, ME., Gu, L., Sorenson, CE, and Walters, JR.  2019.  Nonfertilizing sperm in Lepidoptera show little evidence for recurrent positive selection.  Molecular Ecology 18(2): 205-14.
  • Wan, F, Yin, C, Tang, R., (53 other co-authors), Xiong R., Walters, JR and Li, F. 2019.  A chromosome-level genome assembly of Cydia pomonella provides insights into chemical ecology and insecticide resistance.  Nature Communications 10:4237, 1-14.
  • Tan, WH., Acevedo, T. Harris, EV., Alcaide, TY, Walters, JR., Hunter, MD, Gerardo, NM, and deRoode, JC.  2019.  Transcriptomics of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) reveals that toxic host plants alter expression of detoxification genes and down-regulate a small number of immune genes.  Molecular Ecology 7(5): 651-59.
  • Li, F, Zhao X, Li M., He K, Huang, C. Zhou, Y. Li, Z., and Walters, JR.  2019.  Insect genomes: Progress and challenges.  Insect Molecular Biology, 120(7): 1077-20.
  • Yin, C., Li, M., Hu, J., Lang, K., Chen, Q., Liu, J., Guo, D., He, K., Dong, Y., Luo, J., Song, Z., Walters, J.R., Zhang, W., Lin, F., and Chen, F. 2018. The genomic features of parasitism, polyembryony and immune evasion in the endoparasitic wasp Macrocentrus cingulum.BMC Genomics. 19: 420.
  • Whittington E, Forsythe D, Borziak K, Karr T. L, and Walters J.R, Dorus S. 2017. Contrasting patterns of evolutionary constraint and novelty revealed by comparative sperm proteomic analysis in Lepidoptera. BMC Genomics 18(1): 931.Mongue AJ, Nguyen P, Volenikova A, and Walters J. R. 2017. Neo-sex Chromosomes in the Monarch Butterfly, Danaus plexippus 7(10): 3281–3294.
  • Mongue AJ, and Walters J. 2017. The Z chromosome is enriched for sperm proteins in two divergent species of Lepidoptera. Genome Sep:gen–0068
  • Gu L, and Walters J.R. 2017. Evolution of Sex Chromosome Dosage Compensation in Animals: A Beautiful Theory, Undermined by Facts and Bedeviled by Details. Genome Biology and Evolution 9(9): 2461–2476.
  • Gu L, Walters, J.R, and Knipple D.C. 2017. Conserved patterns of sex chromosome dosage compensation in the Lepidoptera (WZ/ZZ): insights from a moth neo-Z chromosome. Genome Biology and Evolution 9(3): 802–816.
  • Walters, J. R., et al. (Manudca sexta genome consortium). 2016. Multifaceted biological insights from a draft genome sequence of a lepidopteran insect, Manduca sexta. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 76: 118-147.
  • Walters JR, Hardcastle TJ, and Jiggins CD. 2015.  Sex chromosome dosage compensation in Heliconius butterflies: global yet still incomplete? Genome Biology & Evolution, 7, 2545–2559.
  • Karr, TL and Walters JR.  2015. Panning for sperm gold: Isolation and purification of apyrene and eupyrene sperm from lepidopterans.  Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 63, 152–158.
  • Harpel D, Cullen DA, Ott SR, Jiggins CD, Walters JR. 2015. Pollen feeding proteomics: salivary proteins of the passion flower butterfly, Heliconius melpomene. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 63:7-13.
  • Whittington E, Zhao Q, Borziak K, Walters JR, and Dorus S. 2015. Characterisation of the Manduca sexta sperm proteome: Genetic novelty underlying sperm composition in Lepidoptera. Insect biochemistry and molecular biology.  62:183-193.
  • Heliconius Genome Consortium*.  2012 . Butterfly genome reveals promiscuous exchange of mimicry adaptations among species. Nature, 487, 94–98. (*Dasmahapatra & Walters, co-first authors)
  • Walters JR, Stafford C, Hardcastle, TJ & Jiggins CD.  2012. Evaluating female remating rates in light of spermatophore degradation in Heliconius butterflies: pupal‐mating monandry versus adult‐mating polyandry. Ecological Entomology, 37, 257–268.
  • Walters JR & Hardcastle TJ.  2011. Getting a full dose? Reconsidering sex chromosome dosage compensation in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Genome Biology and Evolution, 3, 491–504.
  • Walters, JR & Harrison RG.  2011. Decoupling of rapid and adaptive evolution among seminal fluid proteins in heliconius butterflies with divergent mating systems. Evolution, 65, 2855–2871.

  • Walters JR & Harrison RG.  2010. Combined EST and proteomic analysis identifies rapidly evolving seminal fluid proteins in Heliconius butterflies. Mol Biol Evol. 27 (9):2000-13.

    Walters JR & Harrison RG. 2008.  EST analysis of male accessory glands from Heliconius butterflies with divergent mating systems.  BMC genomics, 9: 593.

     

Selected Presentations —

  • Walters, J. R. (11/23/2017). Getting a full dose? Sex chromosome dosage compensation in Lepidoptera. International conference on biological invations. Hangzhou, China
  • Walters, J. R. (7/4/2017). Lepidopteran Genomics: Sex chromosomes & Sperm proteomes. Internation conference of insect genomics. Hangzhou, China

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

Graduate Research Fellowship. National Science Foundation. (9/1/2002 - 9/30/2005). Federal. Status: Funded