Christina Zakas

Works (25)

Updated: March 9th, 2026 09:41

2025 article

RNAi Gene knockdown of R-opsin and F-actin in the marine annelid Streblospio benedicti by delivering dsRNA

Aguilar-Camacho, J. M., & Zakas, C. (2025, September 22).

By: J. Aguilar-Camacho  n & C. Zakas n 

topics (OpenAlex): Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques; RNA Interference and Gene Delivery; Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
Source: ORCID
Added: September 22, 2025

2024 article

Comparative Hox genes expression within the dimorphic annelid Streblospio benedicti reveals patterning variation during development

Aguilar-Camacho, J. M., Harry, N. D., & Zakas, C. (2024, September 27). EvoDevo, Vol. 15.

By: J. Aguilar-Camacho n, N. Harry n & C. Zakas* 

author keywords: Hox genes; Life-history; Marine larvae; Annelid development
topics (OpenAlex): Physiological and biochemical adaptations; Parasite Biology and Host Interactions; Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (Web of Science)
Sources: Web Of Science, NC State University Libraries
Added: October 14, 2024

2024 article

The role of heterochronic gene expression and regulatory architecture in early developmental divergence

Harry, N. D., & Zakas, C. (2024, January 19). ELife.

By: N. Harry  n & C. Zakas n 

topics (OpenAlex): Physiological and biochemical adaptations; Fish Ecology and Management Studies; Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
Source: ORCID
Added: January 28, 2024

2024 article

The role of heterochronic gene expression and regulatory architecture in early developmental divergence

Harry, N. D., & Zakas, C. (2024, July 25).

By: N. Harry  n & C. Zakas n 

topics (OpenAlex): Physiological and biochemical adaptations; Fish Ecology and Management Studies; Animal Behavior and Reproduction
Source: ORCID
Added: August 1, 2024

2024 article

The role of heterochronic gene expression and regulatory architecture in early developmental divergence

Harry, N. D., & Zakas, C. (2024, August 23). ELife.

By: N. Harry  n & C. Zakas n 

topics (OpenAlex): Animal Genetics and Reproduction; Physiological and biochemical adaptations; Animal Behavior and Reproduction; Fish Ecology and Management Studies
Source: ORCID
Added: September 1, 2024

2024 article

The role of heterochronic gene expression and regulatory architecture in early developmental divergence

Harry, N. D., & Zakas, C. (2024, January 19). ELife, Vol. 13.

By: N. Harry n & C. Zakas n 

author keywords: Streblospio benedicti; regulatory evolution; gene expression; EvoDevo; Other
MeSH headings : Animals; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Larva / genetics; Larva / growth & development; Female; Biological Evolution; Male
topics (OpenAlex): Animal Genetics and Reproduction; RNA Research and Splicing; Physiological and biochemical adaptations; Animal Behavior and Reproduction; Fish Ecology and Management Studies
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (Web of Science)
Sources: Web Of Science, NC State University Libraries
Added: October 14, 2024

2023 article

Assortative mating and mate‐choice contributes to the maintenance of a developmental dimorphism in Streblospio benedicti

Ruskie, E. L., & Zakas, C. (2023, May 9). Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B Molecular and Developmental Evolution, Vol. 5.

By: E. Ruskie  n & C. Zakas n 

author keywords: evolutionary genetics; life-history; mate choice
topics (OpenAlex): Animal Behavior and Reproduction; Marine and fisheries research; Ichthyology and Marine Biology
TL;DR: It is found that mate preferences could be contributing to the maintenance of alternative developmental and life-history strategies, including mate-choice in Streblospio benedicti. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (Web of Science; OpenAlex)
Sources: Web Of Science, NC State University Libraries, ORCID
Added: May 30, 2023

2023 article

Comparative Hox genes expression within the dimorphic annelid Streblospio benedicti reveals patterning variation during development

Aguilar-Camacho, J. M., Harry, N. D., & Zakas, C. (2023, December 21).

By: J. Aguilar-Camacho  n, N. Harry  n & C. Zakas n 

topics (OpenAlex): Marine Ecology and Invasive Species; Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research; Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
TL;DR: This is the first comparison of developmental divergence in Hox genes expression within a single species and these changes reveal how body plan differences may arise in larval evolution. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Source: ORCID
Added: January 28, 2024

2023 article

Genomics of Marine Larval Evolution and Development

Zakas, C., & Martín-Durán, J. M. (2023, August 1). Integrative and Comparative Biology, Vol. 8.

By: C. Zakas n  & J. Martín-Durán *

topics (OpenAlex): Marine animal studies overview; Cephalopods and Marine Biology; Ichthyology and Marine Biology
TL;DR: Key questions, resources, and approaches to advance the understanding of marine larva biology and evolution that were covered in the recent symposium “Genomics of larval evolution and development” are outlined. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (Web of Science; OpenAlex)
Sources: Web Of Science, NC State University Libraries, ORCID
Added: October 16, 2023

2023 article

Maternal patterns of inheritance alter transcript expression in eggs

Harry, N. D., & Zakas, C. (2023, April 10). BMC Genomics, Vol. 24.

By: N. Harry n & C. Zakas n 

author keywords: Maternal effects; regulatory evolution; EvoDevo; parental genetic effects
MeSH headings : Animals; Female; RNA, Messenger, Stored / genetics; Reproduction; Larva; Biological Evolution; RNA, Messenger / genetics
topics (OpenAlex): Reproductive Biology and Fertility; Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities; Animal Genetics and Reproduction
TL;DR: It is found that maternally controlled initiation of development is functionally distinct between eggs of different sizes and maternal genotypes, and both allele-specific effects and parent-of-origin effects contribute to gene expression differences in eggs. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (Web of Science)
Sources: Web Of Science, NC State University Libraries
Added: June 19, 2023

2023 article

The role of heterochronic gene expression and regulatory architecture in early developmental divergence

Harry, N. D., & Zakas, C. (2023, August 18).

By: N. Harry  n & C. Zakas n 

topics (OpenAlex): Physiological and biochemical adaptations; Animal Behavior and Reproduction; Amphibian and Reptile Biology
TL;DR: Using comparative RNAseq through ontogeny, it is found that only a small proportion of genes are differentially expressed at any time, despite major differences in larval development and life-history. (via Semantic Scholar)
Source: ORCID
Added: January 28, 2024

2022 article

Streblospio benedicti: A genetic model for understanding the evolution of development and life-history

Zakas, C. (2022, January 1). Current Topics in Developmental Biology/Current Topics in Developmental Biology, Vol. 147, pp. 496–520.

By: C. Zakas n 

MeSH headings : Animals; Biological Evolution; Female; Larva / genetics; Models, Genetic; Phenotype; Polychaeta / genetics
topics (OpenAlex): Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry; Marine Ecology and Invasive Species; Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
TL;DR: Because the offspring phenotypes of S. benedicti are heritable, forward genetics within a single evolutionary lineage can be used to disentangle how development evolves, and which genes and regulatory mechanisms are involved. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (Web of Science; OpenAlex)
Sources: Web Of Science, NC State University Libraries
Added: December 19, 2022

2022 article

The Genome of the Poecilogonous Annelid Streblospio benedicti

Zakas, C., Harry, N. D., Scholl, E. H., & Rockman, M. V. (2022, January 24). (D. Lavrov, Ed.). Genome Biology and Evolution, Vol. 2.

By: C. Zakas n , N. Harry n, E. Scholl n & M. Rockman *

Ed(s): D. Lavrov

author keywords: poecilogony; life-history evolution; developmental genomics; Lophotrochozoa
MeSH headings : Animals; Annelida / genetics; Larva / genetics; Phylogeny; Polychaeta / genetics; Sequence Analysis, DNA
topics (OpenAlex): Cephalopods and Marine Biology; Marine Biology and Ecology Research; Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
TL;DR: An annotated chromosomal-level genome assembly of S. benedicti is presented, which is the largest annelid genome to date that has been assembled to chromosomal scaffolds, yet it does not show evidence of extensive gene family expansion, but rather longer intergenic regions. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (Web of Science; OpenAlex)
Sources: ORCID, Web Of Science, NC State University Libraries
Added: February 25, 2022

2021 article

Baby makes three: Maternal, paternal, and zygotic genetic effects shape larval phenotypic evolution

Zakas, C., & Rockman, M. V. (2021, April 30). Evolution, Vol. 75, pp. 1607–1618.

By: C. Zakas n  & M. Rockman *

author keywords: Evolution of development; larval ecology; Life-history evolution; maternal effects; quantitative genetics; Streblospio benedicti
MeSH headings : Animals; Fathers; Female; Humans; Larva / genetics; Male; Phenotype; Polychaeta / genetics; Zygote
topics (OpenAlex): Plant and animal studies; Genetic diversity and population structure; Animal Behavior and Reproduction
TL;DR: A four-generation experimental pedigree is used to estimate the genetic architecture of early-life phenotypes in a species with dramatic variation in larval size and morphology and determined that larval anatomical structures are governed by the offspring genotype at a small number of large-effect loci. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (Web of Science; OpenAlex)
Sources: ORCID, Web Of Science, NC State University Libraries
Added: June 9, 2021

2021 article

The genome of the poecilogonous annelid Streblospio benedicti

Zakas, C., Harry, N. D., Scholl, E. H., & Rockman, M. V. (2021, April 16). (Vol. 4). Vol. 4.

By: C. Zakas n , N. Harry  n, E. Scholl  n & M. Rockman *

topics (OpenAlex): Cephalopods and Marine Biology; Marine Biology and Ecology Research; Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Source: ORCID
Added: February 2, 2024

2020 article

Baby makes three: maternal, paternal, and zygotic genetic effects shape larval phenotypic evolution

Zakas, C., & Rockman, M. V. (2020, December 14). (Vol. 12). Vol. 12.

By: C. Zakas n  & M. Rockman *

topics (OpenAlex): Genetic diversity and population structure; Evolution and Genetic Dynamics; Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Source: ORCID
Added: February 2, 2024

2018 journal article

Decoupled maternal and zygotic genetic effects shape the evolution of development

ELife, 7.

By: C. Zakas* , J. Deutscher*, A. Kay* & M. Rockman *

MeSH headings : Animals; Biological Evolution; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Embryonic Development / genetics; Genetics, Population; Larva / genetics; Larva / growth & development; Phenotype; Polychaeta / genetics; Polychaeta / growth & development; Zygote / growth & development; Zygote / metabolism
topics (OpenAlex): Marine Biology and Ecology Research; Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior; Crustacean biology and ecology
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: November 11, 2019

2015 journal article

Gene-based polymorphisms reveal limited genomic divergence in a species with a heritable life-history dimorphism

Evolution & Development, 17(4), 240–247.

By: C. Zakas*  & M. Rockman *

MeSH headings : Animals; Biological Evolution; California; Female; Gene Flow; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; New Jersey; Polychaeta / genetics; Polychaeta / growth & development; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Sequence Analysis, DNA
topics (OpenAlex): Marine Biology and Ecology Research; Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior; Isotope Analysis in Ecology
TL;DR: The data suggest that the evolution of a genetic developmental dimorphism is not associated with longstanding genetic isolation or genomically extensive divergence, rather, differences at developmentally important loci, or modest allele‐frequency differences at many loci may be responsible for the drastic life‐history differences. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
15. Life on Land (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: January 5, 2020

2014 journal article

Dimorphic development in Streblospio benedicti: genetic analysis of morphological differences between larval types

The International Journal of Developmental Biology, 58(6-7-8), 593–599.

By: C. Zakas*  & M. Rockman *

author keywords: Streblospio benedicti; poecilogomi; quantitative genetics; life-history evolution
MeSH headings : Animals; Biological Evolution; Female; Larva / classification; Larva / genetics; Male; Ovum / classification; Ovum / cytology; Phenotype; Polychaeta / embryology; Polychaeta / genetics
topics (OpenAlex): Marine Biology and Ecology Research; Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry; Crustacean biology and ecology
TL;DR: A large maternal effect on larval size and the number of larval chaetae is found, while the number and length of these Chaetae were also strongly influenced by zygotic genotype. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: January 5, 2020

2013 journal article

Homogeneous Nuclear Background for Mitochondrial Cline in Northern Range of Notochthamalus scabrosus

G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, 4(2), 225–230.

By: C. Zakas* , K. Jones* & J. Wares *

author keywords: RAD-seq; SNP; cytonuclear disequilibrium; barnacle; Chile
MeSH headings : Animals; Genome, Mitochondrial; Linkage Disequilibrium; Phylogeography; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Thoracica / genetics
topics (OpenAlex): Marine Biology and Ecology Research; Marine and coastal plant biology; Crustacean biology and ecology
TL;DR: Single-nucleotide polymorphism data from pooled population samples sequenced with restriction site−associated DNA sequencing procedures are collected, and a discordance between population genetic patterns in the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes is identified. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: January 5, 2020

2012 journal article

Asymmetric Dispersal Can Maintain Larval Polymorphism: A Model Motivated by Streblospio benedicti

Integrative and Comparative Biology, 52(1), 197–212.

By: C. Zakas*  & D. Hall *

MeSH headings : Alleles; Animals; Body Size / physiology; Computer Simulation; Ecosystem; Female; Fertility; Gene Frequency; Genetic Variation; Genotype; Haploidy; Larva / genetics; Larva / growth & development; Larva / physiology; Male; Models, Biological; Phenotype; Polychaeta / genetics; Polychaeta / growth & development; Polychaeta / physiology; Population Dynamics; Selection, Genetic; Species Specificity
topics (OpenAlex): Evolution and Genetic Dynamics; Plant and animal studies; Genetic diversity and population structure
TL;DR: This study uses analytical models of dispersal to determine the conditions necessary for a stable dispersal polymorphism to exist and shows that in asexual haploid, sexual haploids, and in sexual diploids in the absence of overdominance, asymmetric dispersal is required in order to maintain a dispersed polymorphism when patches do not vary in intrinsic quality. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: January 5, 2020

2012 journal article

Consequences of a poecilogonous life history for genetic structure in coastal populations of the polychaete Streblospio benedicti

Molecular Ecology, 21(22), 5447–5460.

By: C. Zakas*  & J. Wares *

MeSH headings : Animals; Gene Flow; Genetics, Population; Genotyping Techniques; Geography; Larva / genetics; Larva / growth & development; Phenotype; Polychaeta / genetics; Polychaeta / growth & development; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; United States
topics (OpenAlex): Marine Biology and Ecology Research; Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies; Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
TL;DR: It is found that in their native East Coast distribution, populations of S. benedicti have high‐population genetic structure, but this structure is associated primarily with geographic separation rather than developmental differences, suggesting that this is a true case of poecilogony. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: January 5, 2020

2012 journal article

Transcriptome Analysis and SNP Development Can Resolve Population Differentiation of Streblospio benedicti, a Developmentally Dimorphic Marine Annelid

PLoS ONE, 7(2), e31613.

By: C. Zakas* , N. Schult*, D. McHugh*, K. Jones * & J. Wares *

Ed(s): M. Zwick

MeSH headings : Animals; Annelida / genetics; Annelida / growth & development; Biological Evolution; Gene Expression Profiling; Genetic Markers; Genotype; Larva; Life Cycle Stages / genetics; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
topics (OpenAlex): Marine Ecology and Invasive Species; Genetic diversity and population structure; Marine Biology and Ecology Research
TL;DR: A novel approach for evaluating the site frequency spectrum across the transcriptome to identify potential signatures of selection and 84 novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for this species that are used to distinguish coastal populations of S. benedicti. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: January 5, 2020

2009 journal article

Restricted gene flow in Chilean barnacles reflects an oceanographic and biogeographic transition zone

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 394, 165–177.

By: C. Zakas* , J. Binford*, S. Navarrete * & J. Wares *

author keywords: Phylogeography; Oceanography; Intertidal; Chile; Barnacle; Upwelling; Recruitment
topics (OpenAlex): Marine and coastal plant biology; Marine Biology and Ecology Research; Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
TL;DR: A distinct break in haplotype fre- quencies in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene was detected in N. scabrosus, with only marginal genetic structure observed in J. cirratus, suggesting significant differences in either selective pressures or dispersal ability between the species. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: January 5, 2020

2006 journal article

Effects of egg size reduction and larval feeding on juvenile quality for a species with facultative-feeding development

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 331(2), 186–197.

By: J. Allen *, C. Zakas*  & R. Podolsky*

author keywords: Clypeaster rosaceus; echinoidea; egg size; facultative planktotrophy; larva
topics (OpenAlex): Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry; Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies; Marine and fisheries research
TL;DR: It is suggested that resources lost by halving egg size have a larger effect on larval survival and juvenile quality than those lost by withholding particulate food. (via Semantic Scholar)
UN Sustainable Development Goals Color Wheel
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water (OpenAlex)
Sources: Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: January 5, 2020

Employment

Updated: December 11th, 2020 09:59

2019 - present

North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina, US
Biological Sciences

Funding History

Funding history based on the linked ORCID record. Updated: December 2nd, 2019 13:28

grant September 1, 2014 - August 31, 2016
Evolution of early development regulation using a dimorphic model
National Institute of General Medical Sciences

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