Megan Elizabeth Williamson

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Works (7)

Updated: April 25th, 2025 19:36

2024 article

Doxycycline is a viable alternative to tetracycline for use in insect Tet-Off transgenic sexing systems, as assessed in the blowflies Cochliomyia hominivorax and Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Arp, A. P., Williamson, M. E., Vasquez, M., Quintero, G., Lowman, A. V., Sagel, A., & Scott, M. J. (2024, February 24). (A. Gerry, Ed.). Journal of Economic Entomology, Vol. 2.

By: A. Arp, M. Williamson n, M. Vasquez, G. Quintero, A. Lowman *, A. Sagel, M. Scott n 

Ed(s): A. Gerry

author keywords: screwworm; transgenic; Tet-Off; tetracycline; sex-lethal
MeSH headings : Animals; Female; Male; Diptera / genetics; Calliphoridae; Doxycycline / pharmacology; Australia; Animals, Genetically Modified; Tetracycline / pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents
topics (OpenAlex): Insect behavior and control techniques; CRISPR and Genetic Engineering; Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
TL;DR: Dox was a suitable antibiotic for mass-rearing Tet-Off female-lethal L. cuprina and C. hominivorax and was functional at much lower dosages than Tc, which could be advantageous in some insect mass-rearing systems. (via Semantic Scholar)
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Sources: Web Of Science, ORCID, NC State University Libraries
Added: February 1, 2024

2024 article

Identification of a gene promoter active in Lucilia sericata larval salivary glands using a rapid transient expression assay

Belikoff, E. J., Davis, R. J., Williamson, M. E., Britt, J. W., & Scott, M. J. (2024, July 26). Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vol. 173.

By: E. Belikoff n, R. Davis n, M. Williamson n, J. Britt n & M. Scott n 

author keywords: Salivary gland; Promoter; Maggot therapy; Malpighian tubules; Lucilia sericata
MeSH headings : Animals; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Larva / metabolism; Larva / genetics; Larva / growth & development; Salivary Glands / metabolism; Diptera / genetics; Diptera / metabolism; Diptera / growth & development; Animals, Genetically Modified; Luminescent Proteins / metabolism; Luminescent Proteins / genetics; Red Fluorescent Protein
topics (OpenAlex): Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies; Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects; Insect and Pesticide Research
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Sources: Web Of Science, ORCID, NC State University Libraries
Added: August 1, 2024

2023 journal article

Identification and functional analysis of Cochliomyia hominivoraxU6 gene promoters

Insect Molecular Biology, 32(6), 716–724.

By: R. Novas  n, T. Basika  n, M. Williamson n, P. Fresia *, A. Menchaca * & M. Scott n 

author keywords: CRISPR/Cas9; genome editing; pest control; screwworm; U6 promoter
MeSH headings : Animals; Calliphoridae / genetics; Diptera / genetics; Promoter Regions, Genetic; DNA; RNA
topics (OpenAlex): CRISPR and Genetic Engineering; Insect Resistance and Genetics; Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
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Sources: Web Of Science, ORCID, NC State University Libraries, Crossref
Added: October 10, 2023

2021 journal article

Conditional knockdown of transformer in sheep blow fly suggests a role in repression of dosage compensation and potential for population suppression

PLOS Genetics, 17(10), e1009792.

By: M. Williamson n, Y. Yan n & M. Scott n 

Ed(s): S. Palli

MeSH headings : Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Australia; Calliphoridae / genetics; Diptera / genetics; Dosage Compensation, Genetic / genetics; Drosophila Proteins / genetics; Drosophila melanogaster / genetics; Female; Genes, Insect / genetics; Genes, X-Linked / genetics; Male; Pupa / genetics; RNA Interference / physiology; RNA Splicing / genetics; RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics; Sheep; Transcription Factors / genetics; X Chromosome / genetics
topics (OpenAlex): Insect Resistance and Genetics; Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects; Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
TL;DR: Results suggest that Lctra promotes somatic sexual differentiation and inhibits X chromosome dosage compensation in female L. cuprina and may be essential for initiation of dosage compensation suppression in female embryos. (via Semantic Scholar)
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Sources: Web Of Science, ORCID, Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: November 15, 2021

2020 journal article

Using Moderate Transgene Expression to Improve the Genetic Sexing System of the Australian Sheep Blow Fly Lucilia cuprina

Insects, 11(11), 797.

By: Y. Yan*, M. Williamson n & M. Scott n 

author keywords: livestock pest; Lucilia cuprina; genetic control; pro-apoptotic gene; sterile insect technique; genetic sexing; tetracycline-off system; insect transgenesis
topics (OpenAlex): Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects; Insect behavior and control techniques; CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
TL;DR: It is shown that effective male-only strains can be made by combining driver/effector lines that have moderate transgene expression/activity, and such a “moderate strategy” could be considered for the TESS development in other pest species. (via Semantic Scholar)
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Sources: Web Of Science, ORCID, Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: December 21, 2020

2019 journal article

Improved transgenic sexing strains for genetic control of the Australian sheep blow fly Lucilia cuprina using embryo-specific gene promoters

Molecular Genetics and Genomics, 295(2), 287–298.

By: Y. Yan n, M. Williamson n, R. Davis n, A. Andere*, C. Picard * & M. Scott n 

author keywords: Sterile insect technique; Transgenic; Lucilia cuprina; Genetic control; Cellularization gene
MeSH headings : Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Australia; Diptera / genetics; Diptera / pathogenicity; Embryonic Development / genetics; Female; Insect Proteins / genetics; Male; Pest Control, Biological; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Sheep / genetics; Sheep / parasitology; Tetracycline / biosynthesis
topics (OpenAlex): CRISPR and Genetic Engineering; Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects; Virus-based gene therapy research
TL;DR: These new embryonic L. cuprina transgenic sexing strains hold great promise for genetic control programs and the system reported here might also be transferable to other major calliphorid livestock pests such as the New World screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax. (via Semantic Scholar)
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Sources: Web Of Science, ORCID, Crossref, NC State University Libraries
Added: December 2, 2019

2019 journal article

Specific Gene Disruption in the Major Livestock PestsCochliomyia hominivoraxandLucilia cuprinaUsing CRISPR/Cas9

G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics, 9(9), 3045–3055.

By: D. Paulo *, M. Williamson n, A. Arp *, F. Li n, A. Sagel, S. Skoda, J. Sanchez-Gallego, M. Vasquez ...

author keywords: Functional genomics; reverse genetics; myiasis; New World Screwworm fly; Australian Sheep Blowfly; gene drive; CRISPR; Cas9; brown body; yellow; transformer
MeSH headings : Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Diptera / embryology; Diptera / genetics; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Female; Insect Proteins / genetics; Male; Mutation; Pest Control / methods; RNA, Guide, Kinetoplastida; Sex Determination Processes
topics (OpenAlex): CRISPR and Genetic Engineering; Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences; Insect behavior and control techniques
TL;DR: The CRISPR protocol described here is a significant improvement on the existing toolkit of molecular methods in calliphorids and suggests that Cas9-based systems targeting Chtra and Lctra could be an effective means for controlling natural populations of these important pests. (via Semantic Scholar)
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Sources: Web Of Science, ORCID, NC State University Libraries, Crossref
Added: September 23, 2019

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