About

What are we? The Wickett Lab is part of the Graduate Program in Plant Biology and Conservation (PBC), a partnership between Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) and the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG). Masters and PhD students in this program take classes at, and receive their degree from Northwestern, while they conduct their research at CBG and in the field. Faculty in the program hold appointments as Conservation Scientists at CBG and as Adjunct Professors at Northwestern. For more information on the program, please click HERE.

What do we do? Research in the Wickett lab focuses on how genome-level processes (e.g. gene duplication, horizontal gene transfer, introgression) and natural selection have shaped the morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic diversity of plants. Projects in the lab span a broad diversity of photosynthetic organisms, including bryophytes, flowering plants, diatoms, parasitic plants, and more. Ongoing work includes the evolution of floral scent in evening primroses (Onagraceae), breeding system evolution and phylogeny of the Hawaiian Islands endemic genus Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae), phylogenomics of pleurocarpous mosses, and horizontal gene transfer and genomics of diatoms. Students in the lab either carve out their own projects within these larger ones, or develop their own projects. However, all projects in the lab generally share two common themes: What are the genomic signatures that coincide with the origin of fundamental life history traits, and what is the relationship between these processes/traits and diversification? To address these questions, we use a diversity of approaches, from field-work to high-throughput DNA sequencing methods (genome sequencing, target-enrichment, transcriptomics, RAD-Seq), all with a heavy emphasis on using both gene and species phylogenies.

Join us! Are you looking for postdoc opportunities, PhD or Masters positions, or undergraduate research experience? Different positions may be available at different times, so please reach out if you're interested by emailing Norm at nwickett@chicagobotanic.org. If you are a prospective graduate student, note that application deadlines are December 1 (PhD) and February 15 (Masters). Reaching out to prospective advisors before applying to graduate school is a great first step in the application process. Helpful tips on how to contact faculty members about grad school opportunities can be found HERE. If you are interested in the PBC program but haven't yet identified a prospective mentor, please fill out the online form found HERE and a faculty member who shares your interests will reach out.

Collection site in the Scottish highlands of the underground liverwort Aneura mirabilis, the only non-photosynthetic bryophyte.

People

Interested in joining us? Send Norm an email to find out about opportunities in the lab: nwickett@chicagobotanic.org.

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Norm Wickett

PhD (2007) University of Connecticut
Norm is interested broadly in plant diversity and uses comparative genomic and phylogenomic approaches to understand the relationship between the diversification of genes, genomes, and species in plant groups ranging from mosses to angiosperms.

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Colby Witherup

MS (2013) Northwestern University
Colby is interested in the evolution of meiosis and related genes in pre- and post-polyploid plant populations, with a current focus on the evolutionary history of meiosis-related genes and patterns of conservation and change across the phylogeny of green plants.

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Angela McDonnell

PhD (2017) Oklahoma State University
Angela is a plant systematist and evolutionary biologist who has worked with Asclepias and Solanum and is now leading the efforts to assemble, annotate, and analyze genomes of Schiedea. Angela is also providing expertise on many target-enrichment projects in the lab.

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Haley Carter

BA (2017) Brown University
Haley is interested in the evolution of plant volatiles and their role in plant-pollinator interactions. Currently, Haley studying the genetic basis of a floral scent polymorphism in Oenothera harringtonii using genome-wide association studies.

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Elena Loke

BA (2017) Oberlin College
Elena is interested in the intersection of phylogenetics and plant conservation, and is currently working on using allele histories to infer relationships in Schiedea.

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Juan Angulo

BA (2020) University of Georgia
Juan was an REU student in 2019 and continues to work on pleurocarpous moss phylogenomics using over 800 genes. Juan is currently a PhD student at NYBG.

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Collaborators

Research in the lab is highly collaborative and we work with scientists throughout the US, and internationally. At CBG, we frequently collaborate with Jeremie Fant and Krissa Skogen.

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You?

Positions Available
Please contact Norm if you are interested in graduate or undergraduate opportunities in the lab! Click HERE for more information!

Lab Alumni

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Matt Parks

Genome sequencing, phylogenomics, and HGT in diatoms

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Tania Jogesh

Chemical Ecology of plant defenses in Onagraceae

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Matt Johnson

Pleurocarpous moss phylogenomics and transcriptomics

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Rick Overson

Phylo- and population genomics in Onagraceae

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Claire Malley

Analysis of performance of ortholog circumscription methods

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Kristen Laricchia

Transcriptomes and historical selection in breadfruit

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Laura Briscoe

Leafy liverwort systematics (Acrobolbaceae)

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Lindsey Bechen

Gene expression and a floral scent polymorphism

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Amanda Patsis

HybSeq and phylogenomics in Oenothera section Pachylophus

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Anni Wang

Protein conservation across diatom evolution

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Marissa Ashner

Intron conservation among multiple diatom genomes

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Samad Montgomery

Population genetics using RAD-Seq in Oenothera


Buxbaumia aphylla, a moss with a massive sporophyte and highly reduced gametophyte.

Projects

We work with a diversity of organisms in the Wickett Lab including (but not limited to) bryophytes, diatoms, and angiosperms. We also use a diversity of methods, but all of our projects include a high-throughput sequencing component, phylogenetic methods (gene trees and species trees) and a significant amount of bioinformatics. All of our projects share a common thread - understanding the molecular processes that coincide with the origin of fundamental life history traits and the relationship between these processes/traits and diversification. The primary, NSF-funded projects of the lab are described here.

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Schiedea

Unlocking the evolutionary history of Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae): rapid radiation of an endemic plant genus in the Hawaiian Islands

The primary aim of this project is to reconstruct the pattern of breeding system evolution in Schiedea through an integrated program of field, laboratory, and genomic studies. Nuclear genome sequencing, targeted sequence capture, GBS will be used to reconstruct a highly resolved phylogenetic tree of Schiedea, identify sources of phylogenetic conflict, and investigate patterns of historical introgression. The phylogenetic hypotheses developed will be used to interpret the evolution of breeding systems including transitions from hermaphroditism to dioecy, shifts from biotic to abiotic pollination, and traits associated with pollination biology (including scent and nectar production).
(Photo: Norm Wickett)


Collaborators: Ann Sakai & Steve Weller (UC Irvine), Mike Moore (Oberlin), Warren Wagner (NTBG, Smithsonian), Krissa Skogen (CBG), Lauren Weisenberger (USFWS)

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Onagraceae

Dimensions: Landscapes of Linalool – Scent mediated diversification of flowers and moths across Western North America

Plant scents are important drivers of the relationships between angiosperms and insects (herbivory, plant defense, pollination), but remain poorly integrated into our understanding of floral evolution and pollination ecology. This study examines the role of floral scent in the diversification of the western North American evening primroses (Onagraceae) and their pollinators (hawkmoths, bees) and floral and seed predators (Mompha moths). The research examines functional trait variation and selective forces in the field and experimental arrays, the genetic basis of the variation from the population to phylogenetic level using comparative genomics, and patterns of phylogenetic diversity in Onagraceae and Mompha.
(Photo: Krissa Skogen)


Collaborators: Krissa Skogen (Lead PI) & Jeremie Fant (CBG), Rachel Levin (Amherst), Rob Raguso (Cornell), Mike Moore (Oberlin), Warren Wagner (Smithsonian)

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Diatoms

Evaluating the contributions of horizontally transferred bacterial genes and endogenous duplication events to the diversification of diatoms

The goal of this project is to identify the sources of novel diatom traits, which have contributed to their extraordinary metabolic and species-level diversity. Some traits are encoded by genes acquired from distantly related bacteria, an entirely different kingdom in the tree of life. Other genes appear to have been generated by processes acting within diatom genomes. This project will generate genome-scale data for 250 phylogenetically disparate diatom species. These data will be used to: (1) infer evolutionary relationships, (2) identify the sources - whether intrinsic or extrinsic - of new genes, and (3) correlate the pattern and timing of gene acquisitions with the origins of novel traits.
(Photo: Andy Alverson)


Collaborators: Andy Alverson (University of Arkansas), Matt Parks (Central Oklahoma University)

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Mosses

Assembling the Pleurocarpous Moss Tree of Life – Resolving the rapid radiation using genomics and transcriptomics


The moss lineage Hypnanae underwent an explosive radiation following its origin 165 mya. Today, it comprises about 5,000 species, but their grouping into evolutionary units is obscure. Inferences from extensive sets of genes sampled using target enrichment and transcriptomes will provide a robust framework to further our understanding of this diverse, and ecologically important lineage. This study focuses on untangling the relationships among species, on identifying the geologic or climatic shifts that triggered these events, and on understanding the significance of morphological innovations allowing adaptations to diverse habitats.

(Photo: Blanka Shaw)


Collaborators: Bernard Goffinet (UConn), Jon Shaw (Duke), Matt Johnson (Texas Tech), Rafa Medina (Augustana, Illinois), Yang Liu (Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen)

The Beagle Channel. Photo taken from the Chilean island of Navarino, home of the Omora Ethnobotanical Park.

Publications

All publications listed below are linked to journal sources. Please email Norm (nwickett@chicagobotanic.org) if you are unable to access any of the linked papers.

2020-2021

McDonnell, AJ, WJ Baker, S Dodsworth, F Forest, SW Graham, MG Johnson, L Pokorny, J Tate, S Wicke, NJ Wickett. 2021. Exploring Angiosperms353: Developing and applying a universal toolkit for flowering plant phylogenomics. Applications in Plant Sciences 9(7):e11443.

Baker, WJ, S Dodsworth, F Forest, SW Graham, MG Johnson, AJ McDonnell, L Pokorny, J Tate, S Wicke, NJ Wickett. 2021. Exploring Angiosperms353: an open, community toolkit for collaborative phylogenomic research on flowering plants. American Journal of Botany 108(7):1059–1065.

Baker, WJ, P Bailey, V Barber, A Barker, S Bellot, D Bishop, LR Botigué, G Brewer, T Carruthers, JJ Clarkson, J Cook, RS Cowan, S Dodsworth, N Epitawalage, E Fancoso, B Gallego, MG Johnson, JT Kim, K Leempoel, O Maurin, C McGinnie, L Pokorny, S Roy, M Stone, E Toledo, NJ Wickett, AR Zuntini, WL Eiserhardt, PJ Kersey, IJ Leitch, F Forest. 2021. A comprehensive phylogenomic platform for exploring the angiosperm tree of life. Systematic Biology: DOI:10.1093/sysbio/syab035.

Wenzell, KE, AJ McDonnell, NJ Wickett, JB Fant, KA Skogen. 2021. Incomplete reproductive isolation and low genetic differentiation despite floral divergence across varying geographic scales in Castilleja. American Journal of Botany 108(7):1270-1288.

Carey, SB, J Jenkins, JT Lovell, F Maumus, A Sreedasyam, AC Payton, S Shu, GP Tiley, N Fernandez-Pozo, K Barry, C Chen, M Wang, A Lipzen, C Daum, CA Saski, JC McBreen, RE Conrad, LM Kollar, S Olsson, S Huttunen, JB Landis, JG Burleigh, NJ Wickett, MG Johnson, SA Rensing, J Grimwood, J Schmutz, SF McDaniel. 2021. Gene-rich UV sex chromosomes harbor conserved regulators of sexual development. Science Advances 7(27):eabh2488.

Patsis, A, RP Overson, KA Skogen, NJ Wickett, MG Johnson, WL Wagner, RA Raguso, JB Fant, RA Levin. 2021. Elucidating the evolutionary history of Oenothera sect. Pachylophus (Onagraceae): A phylogenomic approach. Systematic Botany 46(3): IN PRESS.

Cooper, BJ, MJ Moore, NA Douglas, WL Wagner, MG Johnson, RP Overson, AJ McDonnell, RA Levin, RA Raguso, H Flores Olvera, H Ochoterena, JB Fant, KA Skogen, NJ Wickett. 2021. Target enrichment and extensive population sampling help untangle the recent, rapid radiation of Oenothera sect. Calylophus. bioRxiv PREPRINT

Bechen, LL, MG Johnson, GT Broadhead, RA Levin, RP Overson, T Jogesh, JB Fant, RA Raguso, KA Skogen, NJ Wickett. 2021. Differential gene expression associated with a floral scent polymorphism in the evening primrose Oenothera harringtonii (Onagraceae). bioRxiv PREPRINT.

Ribeiro, CL, D Conde, KM Balmant, C Dervinis, MG Johnson, AP McGrath, P Szewczyk, F Unda, CA Finegan, HW Schmidt, B Miles, DR Drost, E Novaes, CA Gonzalez-Benecke, GF Peter, JG Burleigh, TA Martin, SD Mansfied, G Chang, NJ Wickett, M Kirst. 2020. The uncharacterized gene EVE contributes to vessel element dimensions in Populus. PNAS 117(9):5059-5066.

Wong, GK, DE Soltis, JH Leebens-Mack, NJ Wickett, MS Barker, Y Van de Peer, SW Graham, M Melkonian. 2020. Sequencing and analyzing the transcriptomes of a thousand species across the tree of life for green plants. Annual Review of Plant Biology 71:741-765.

Gardner, EM, MG Johnson, JT Pereira, ASA Puad, Sahromi, D Arifiani, NJ Wickett, NJC Zerega. 2020. Paralogs and off-target sequences improve phylogenetic resolution in a densely- sampled study of the breadfruit genus (Artocarpus, Moraceae). Systematic Biology 70(3):558-575.


2018-2019

One Thousand Plant Transcriptomes Initiative. 2019. One thousand plant transcriptomes and the phylogenomics of green plants. Nature 574:679-685. OPEN ACCESS

Carpenter EJ, N Matasci, S Ayyampalayam, S Wu, J Sun, J Yu, F Rocha J Vieira, C Bowler, RG Dorrell, MA Gitzendanner, L Li, W Du, KK Ullrich, NJ Wickett, TJ Barkmann, MS Barker, JH Leebens-Mack, GKS Wong. 2019. Access to RNA-sequencing data from 1,173 plant species: The 1000 Plant transcriptomes initiative (1KP). GigaScience 8(10):giz126. OPEN ACCESS

Dodsworth S, L Pokorny, MG Johnson, JT Kim, O Maurin, NJ Wickett, F Forest, WJ Baker. 2019. Hyb-Seq for Flowering Plant Systematics. Trends in Plant Science 24(10):887-891.

Medina, R, MG Johnson, Y Liu, NJ Wickett, AJ Shaw, B Goffinet. 2019. Phylogenomic delineation of Physcomitrium (Bryophyta: Funariaceae) based on targeted sequencing of nuclear exons and their flanking regions rejects the retention of Physcomitrella, Physcomitridium and Aphanorrhegma. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 57(4):404-417. FREE ACCESS

Johnson, MG, L Pokorny, S Dodsworth, LR Botigué, RS Cowan, A Devault, WL Eiserhardt, N Epitawalage, F Forest, JT Kim, JH Leebens-Mack, IJ Leitch, O Maurin, DE Soltis, PS Soltis, GKS Wong, WJ Baker, NJ Wickett. 2019. A Universal Probe Set for Targeted Sequencing of 353 Nuclear Genes from Any Flowering Plant Designed Using k-medoids Clustering. Systematic Biology 68(4): 594-606. OPEN ACCESS

Bruzzese, DJ, DL Wagner, T Harrison, T Jogesh, RP Overson, NJ Wickett, RA Raguso, KA Skogen. 2019. Phylogeny, host use, and diversification in the moth family Momphidae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea). PLoS ONE 14(6): e0207833. OPEN ACCESS

Liu, Y, MG Johnson, CJ Cox, R Medina, N Devos, A Vanderpoorten, L Hedenäs, NE Bell, JR Shevock, B Aguero, D Quandt, NJ Wickett, AJ Shaw, B Goffinet. 2019. Resolution of the ordinal phylogeny of mosses using targeted exons from organellar and nuclear genomes. Nature Communications 10: 1485. OPEN ACCESS

Villaverde, T, L Pokorny, S Olsson, M Rincón, MG Johnson, EM Gardner, NJ Wickett, J Molero, R Riina, I Sanmartín. 2018. Bridging the micro and macroevolutionary levels in phylogenomics: Hyb-Seq solves relationships from populations to species and above. New Phytologist 220: 636-650. OPEN ACCESS

Guillory, WX, A Onyshchenko, EC Ruck, MB Parks, T Nakov, NJ Wickett, AJ Alverson. 2018. Recurrent loss, horizontal transfer, and the obscure origins of mitochondrial introns in diatoms (Bacillariophyta). Genome Biology and Evolution 6: 1504-1515. OPEN ACCESS

Laricchia, KM, MG Johnson, D Ragone, EW Williams, NJC Zerega, NJ Wickett. 2018. A transcriptome screen for positive selection in domesticated breadfruit and its wild relatives (Artocarpus spp.). American Journal of Botany 105(5): 915-926. OPEN ACCESS

Parks, MB, T Nakov, EC Ruck, NJ Wickett, AJ Alverson. 2018. Phylogenomics reveals an extensive history of genome duplication in diatoms (Bacillariophyta). American Journal of Botany 105(3): 330-347. OPEN ACCESS

Kates, HR, MG Johnson, EM Gardner†, NJC Zerega, NJ Wickett. 2018. Allele phasing has minimal impact on phylogenetic reconstruction from targeted nuclear gene sequences in a case study of Artocarpus. Americal Journal of Botany 105(3): 404-416. OPEN ACCESS

Parks, MB, NJ Wickett, AJ Alverson. 2018. Signal, uncertainty, and conflict in phylogenomic data for a diverse lineage of microbial eukaryotes (diatoms, Bacillariophyta). Molecular Biology and Evolution 35(1): 80-93. OPEN ACCESS

Medina, R, JG Johnson, Y Liu, N Wilding, TA Hedderson, NJ Wickett, B Goffinet. 2018. Evolutionary dynamism in bryophytes: Phylogenomic inferences confirm a rapid radiation in the moss family Funariaceae. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 120: 240-247.


2016-2017

Briscoe, LRE, NJC Zerega, HT Lumbsch, M Stech, E Kraichak, MJ Von Konrat, JJ Engel, NJ Wickett. 2017. Molecular, morphological, and biogeographic perspectives on the classification of Acrobolboideae (Acrobolbaceae, Marchantiophyta). Phytotaxa 319(1): 056-070.

Carvalho-Silva, M, M Stech, LH Soares-Silva, WR Buck, NJ Wickett, Y Liu, PEAS Camara. 2017. A molecular phylogeny of the Sematophyllaceae s.l. (Hypnales) based on plastid, mitochondrial, and nuclear markers, and its taxonomic implications. Taxon 66(4): 811-831.

Johnson, MG, EM Gardner, Y Liu, R Medina, B Goffinet, AJ Shaw, NJC Zerega, NJ Wickett. 2016. HybPiper: Extracting coding sequence and introns for phylogenetics from high-throughput sequencing reads using target enrichment. Applications in Plant Sciences 4(7): 1600016. OPEN ACCESS

Gardner, EM, MG Johnson, D Ragone, NJ Wickett, NJC Zerega. 2016. Low-coverage, whole- genome sequencing of Artocarpus camansi (Moraceae) for phylogenetic marker development and gene discovery. Applications in Plant Sciences 4(7): 1600017. OPEN ACCESS

Johnson, MG, C Malley, B Goffinet, AJ Shaw, NJ Wickett. 2016. A phylotranscriptomic analysis of gene family expansion and evolution in the largest order of pleurocarpous mosses (Hypnales, Bryophyta). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 98: 29-40.

Honaas, LA, EK Wafula, NJ Wickett, JP Der, Y Zhang, PP Edger, NS Altman, JC Pires, JH Leebens-Mack, CW dePamphilis. 2016. Selecting superior de novo transcriptome assemblies: lessons learned by leveraging the best plant genome. PLoS ONE 11(1): e0146062. OPEN ACCESS


2014-2015

Das, M, M Fernández-Aparicio, Z Yang, K Huang, NJ Wickett, S Alford, EK Wafula, CW dePamphilis, H Bouwmeester, MP Timko, JI Yoder, JH Westwood. 2015. Parasitic plants Striga and Phelipanche dependent upon exogenous strigolactones for germination have retained genes for strigolactone biosynthesis. American Journal of Plant Sciences 6(8): 1151-1166. OPEN ACCESS

Wilson, A, NJ Wickett, P Grabowski, J Fant, J Borevitz, G Mueller. 2015. Examining the efficacy of a genotyping-by-sequencing technique for population genetic analysis of the mushroom Laccaria bicolor with either a reference genome or simple denovo analysis. Mycologia 107(1): 217-226.

Wickett, NJ, S Mirarab, N Nguyen, T Warnow, E Carpenter, N Matasci, S Ayyampalayam, M Barker, JG Burleigh, MA Gitzendanner, BR Ruhfel, E Wafula, JP Der, SW Graham, S Mathews, M Melkonian, DE Soltis, PS Soltis, NW Miles, CJ Rothfels, L Pokorny, AJ Shaw, L DeGironimo, DW Stevenson, B Surek, JC Villarreal, B Roure, H Philippe, CW dePamphilis, T Chen, MK Deyholos, RS Baucom, TM Kutchan, MM Augustin, J Wang, Y Zhang, Z Tian, Z Yan, X Wu, X Sun, G Ka-Shu Wong, J Leebens-Mack. 2014. A phylotranscriptomics analysis of the origin and diversification of land plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 111(14): E4859-E4868. OPEN ACCESS

Matasci, N, LH Hung, Z Yan, EJ Carpenter, NJ Wickett, S Mirarab, N Nguyen, T Warnow, S Ayyampalayam, M Barker, JG Burleigh, MA Gitzendanner, E Wafula, JP Der, CW dePamphilis, B Roure, H Philippe, BR Ruhfel, NW Miles, SW Graham, S Mathews, B Surek, M Melkonian, DE Soltis, PS Soltis, C Rothfels, L Pokorny, AJ Shaw, L DeGironimo, DW Stevenson, JC Villarreal, T Chen, TM Kutchan, M Rolf, RS Baucom, MK Deyholos, R Samudrala, Z Tian, X Wu, X Sun, Y Zhang, J Wang, J Leebens-Mack, G Ka-Shu Wong. 2014. Data access for the 1000 Plants (1KP) pilot. Gigascience 3:17. OPEN ACCESS

Kessenich, CR, EC Ruck, AM Schurko, NJ Wickett, AJ Alverson. 2014. Transcriptomic insights into the life history of bolidophytes, the sister lineage to diatoms. Journal of Phycology 50(6): 977-983.


2012-2013

Wicke, S, KF Müller, CW dePamphilis, D Quandt, NJ Wickett, Y Zhang, SS Renner, GM Schneeweiss. 2013. Mechanisms of Functional and Physical Genome Reduction in Photosynthetic and Nonphotosynthetic Parasitic Plants of the Broomrape Family. The Plant Cell 25(10): 3711-3725. OPEN ACCESS

Villarreal, JC, LL Forrest, NJ Wickett, B Goffinet. 2013. The plastid genome of the hornwort Nothoceros aenigmaticus (Dendrocerotaceae): Phylogenetic signal in inverted repeat expansion, pseudogenization, and intron gain. American Journal of Botany 100(3): 467-477.

Zhang, Y, M Fernandez-Aparicio, EK Wafula, M Das, Y Jiao, NJ Wickett, LA Honaas, PE Ralph, MF Wojciechowski, MP Timko, JI Yoder, JH Westwood, CW dePamphilis. 2013. Evolution of a horizontally acquired legume gene, albumin 1, I the parasitic plant Phelipanche aegyptiaca and related species. BMC Evolutionary Biology 13:48. OPEN ACCESS

Bliss, BJ, S Wanke, A Barakat, S Ayyampalayam, NJ Wickett, PK Wall, Y Jiao, L Landherr, PE Ralph, Y Hu, C Heinhuis, J Leebens-Mack, K Arumuganathan, SW Clifton, SN Maximova, H Ma, CW dePamphilis. 2013. Characterization of the basal angiosperm Aristolochia fimbriata: a potential experimental system for genetic studies. BMC Plant Biology 13:13. OPEN ACCESS

Honaas, LA, EK Wafula, Z Yang, JP Der, NJ Wickett, NS Altman, CG Taylor, JI Yoder, MP Timko, JH Westwood, CW dePamphilis. 2013. Functional genomics of a generalist parasitic plant: Laser microdissection of host-parasite interface reveals host-specific patterns of parasite gene expression. BMC Plant Biology 13:9. OPEN ACCESS

Merckx, VSFT, JV Freudenstein, J Kissling, MJM Christenhusz, RE Stotler, B Crandall-Stotler, NJ Wickett, PJ Rudall, HM de Kamer, PJM Maas. 2013. Taxonomy and Classification In Merckx, V (Ed.) Mycoheterotrophy: The Biology of Plants Living on Fungi. Springer, 356pp.

Fernández-Aparicio, M, K Huang, EK Wafula, LA Honaas, NJ Wickett, MP Timko, CW dePamphilis, JI Yoder, JH Westwood. 2013. Application of qRT-PCR and RNA-Seq analysis for the identification of housekeeping genes useful fo normalization of gene expression values during Striga hermonthica development. Molecular Biology Reports 40(4): 3395-3407.

Jiao, Y, J Leebens-Mack, S Ayyampalayam, JE Bowers, MR McKain, J McNeal, M Rolf, DR Ruzicka, E Wafula, NJ Wickett, X Wu, Y Zhang, J Wang, Y Zhang, EJ Carpenter, MK Deyholos, TM Kutchan, AS Chanderbali, PS Soltis, DW Stevenson, R McCombie, JC Pires, G Wong, DE Soltis, CW dePamphilis. 2012. A genome triplication associated with early diversification of the core eudicots. Genome Biology 13: R3. OPEN ACCESS

McKain, MR, NJ Wickett, Y Zhang, S Ayyampalayam, WR McCombie, MW Chase, JC Pires, CW dePamphilis, J Leebens-Mack. 2012. Phylogenomic analysis of transcriptome data elucidates co-occurrence of a paleopolyploid event and the origin of bimodal karyotypes in Agavoideae (Asparagaceae). American Journal of Botany 99(2): 397-406.

Bandaranayake, PCG, A Tomilov, NB Tomilova, QA Ngo, NJ Wickett, CW dePamphilis, JI Yoder. 2012. The TvPirin gene is necessary for haustorium development in the parasitic plant Triphysaria versicolor. Plant Physiology 158(2): 1046-1053. OPEN ACCESS

Westwood, JW, CW dePamphilis, M Das, M Fernandez-Aparicio, LA Honaas, MP Timko, NJ Wickett, JI Yoder. 2012. The Parasitic Plant Genome Project: New tools for understanding the biology of Orobanche and Striga. Weed Science 60(2): 295-306.


2010-2011

Wickett, NJ, LA Honaas, EK Wafula, M Das, K Huang, B Wu, L Landherr, MP Timko, J Yoder, JH Westwood, CW dePamphilis. 2011. Transcriptomes of the parasitic plant family Orobanchaceae reveal surprising conservation of chlorophyll synthesis. Current Biology 21(24): 2098-2104. OPEN ARCHIVE

Wickett, NJ, LL Forrest, JM Budke, B Shaw & B Goffinet. 2011. Frequent pseudogenization and loss of the plastid-encoded, sulfate transport gene cysA throughout the evolution of liverworts. American Journal of Botany 98(8): 1263-1275.

Hsu CY, JP Adams, H Kim, K No, C Ma, SH Strauss, J Drnevich, L Vandervelde, JD Ellis, BM Rice, NJ Wickett, LE Gunter, GA Tuskan, AM Brunner, GP Page, A Barakat, JE Carlson, CW dePamphilis, DS Luthe & C Yuceer. 2011. FLOWERING LOCUS T Duplication Coordinates Reproductive and Vegetative Growth in Perennial Poplar. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108(26): 10756-10761.OPEN ACCESS

Jiao Y, NJ Wickett, S Ayyampalayam, A Chanderbali, L Landherr, PE Ralph, LP Tomsho, Y Hu, H Liang, PS Soltis, DE Soltis, SW Clifton, SE Schlarbaum, SC Schuster, H Ma, J Leebens-Mack & CW dePamphilis. 2011. Ancestral polyploidy in seed plants and angiosperms. Nature 473: 97-100.

Der JP, MS Barker, NJ Wickett, CW dePamphilis & PG Wolf. 2011. De novo Characterization of the gametophyte transcriptome in bracken fern, Pteridium aquilinum. BMC Genomics 99:12. OPEN ACCESS

Forrest LL, NJ Wickett, CJ Cox & B Goffinet. 2011. Deep sequencing of Ptilidium pulcherrimum suggests evolutionary stasis in liverwort chloroplast structure. Plant Ecology and Evolution 144(1): 29-43.

Liang H, S Ayyampalayam, NJ Wickett, A Barakat, Y Xu, L Landherr, P Ralph, T Xu, SE Schlarbaum, H Ma, JH Leebens-Mack & CW dePamphilis. 2011. Generation of a large-scale genomic resource for functional and comparative genomics in Liriodendron tulipifera L. Tree Genetics and Genomes 7(5): 941-954.

Preußing M, S Olsson, A Schäfer-Verwimp, NJ Wickett, S Wicke, D Quandt & M Nebel. 2010. New insights in the evolution of the liverwort family Aneuraceae (Metzgeriales, Marchantiophyta) with an emphasis on the genus Lobatiriccardia. Taxon 59(5): 1424-1440.

Cox CJ, B Goffinet, NJ Wickett, SB Boles & AJ Shaw. 2010. Moss diversity: a molecular phylogenetic analysis of genera. Phytotaxa 9:175-195.


2004-2009

Wickett NJ, Y Fan, PO Lewis & B Goffinet. 2008. Distribution and evolution of pseudogenes, gene losses and a gene rearrangement in the plastid genome of the non- photosynthetic liverwort, Aneura mirabilis (Metzgeriales, Jungermanniopsida). Journal of Molecular Evolution 67: 111-122.

Wickett NJ, Y Zhang, SK Hansen, JM Roper, JV Kuehl, SA Plock, PG Wolf, CW dePamphilis, JL Boore & B Goffinet. 2008. Functional gene losses occur with minimal size reduction in the plastid genome of the parasitic liverwort Aneura mirabilis. Molecular Biology and Evolution 25(2): 393-401. FREE ACCESS

Wickett, NJ, & B Goffinet. 2008. Origin and relationships of the myco-heterotrophic liverwort Cryptothallus mirabilis Malmb. (Metzgeriales, Marchantiophyta). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 156: 1-12.

Goffinet B, NJ Wickett, O Werner, RM Ros, AJ Shaw & CJ Cox. 2007. Distribution and phylogenetic significance of the 71 kb inversion in the chloroplast genome in the Funariidae (Bryophyta). Annals of Botany 99: 747-753. FREE ACCESS

Goffinet, B, NJ Wickett, AJ Shaw, & CJ Cox. 2005. Phylogenetic significance of the RpoA loss in the chloroplast genome of mosses. Taxon 54 (2): 353-360.

Goffinet B, AJ Shaw, CJ Cox, NJ Wickett & S Boles. 2004. Phylogenetic inferences in the Orthotrichoideae (Orthotrichaceae: Bryophyta) based on variation in four loci from all genomes. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 98:270-289.

Oenothera section Gaura. Norm's backyard.

Lab Fun and Events

New people, pictures, publications, and other activity. Move your cursor over each image for captions and links.

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Former postdoc Matt Johnson and a giant waffle. Matt is currently an Assistant Professor at Texas Tech (not in the Department of Waffle Sciences, unfortunately).

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Team Schiedea (!) taking a break on Kauaʻi while the Plants Are Cool, Too crew films in the background. Check out the episode, featuring many members of the team HERE!

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Norm and the Matts enjoying the 115 degree heat index in Shenzhen for the International Botanical Congress, 2017

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Matt Parks having lunch in Shenzhen with world famous fern biologist Fay-Wei Li!

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Tania, a big pot of sea creatures, and gypsum endemic Mike Moore in Shenzhen.

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Engaging the public with a moss table at the celebration of World Environment Day at the Chicago Botanic Garden

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Matt Johnson, Elliot Gardner, Lisa Pokorny, and Norm led a HybSeq workshop at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Click here to view some of the workshop materials.

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No big deal. Just an Adiantum collected by Darwin (Kew herbarium).

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Elliot enjoying the company
of cacti at Kew

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Bioinformatics and bocce:
A natural combination.

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HybPiper, a modular pipeline for processing target enrichment data available here.

The whiteboard shows the aftermath of coming up with a name for the pipeline.

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Bryologists doing what bryologists do. The Nitztal, Germany.

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The lab taking a mid-day break to see the noon showing of
Rogue One

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Titan arum twins at the Chicago Botanic Garden!

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Donut Day! For our holiday lab excursion, we did a donut tour of downtown Chicago. The post-tour analysis showed that the Donut Vault has the best donuts in town.