Faculty

FLORIDA STATE   /   PEOPLE   /   FACULTY

Dr. Darin R. Rokyta, Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Idaho, 2006

Contact Information

Email drokyta@bio.fsu.edu
Office 4019 KLS 850.645.8812
Lab KLS 850.645.8447

Current students

Research Interest

My research investigates the molecular and statistical properties of adaptive evolution. The overarching goal of my work is to develop a robust, quantitative model of adaptive evolution at the molecular level and the statistical methology to test the model predictions and assumptions, but the available empirical data are insufficient for evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of current models and guiding future efforts. My research therefore also involves generating empirical data sets using experimental evolution approaches.

Publications

Publications
Sackman AM, Rokyta DR. In press. Mutation-driven parallel evolution during viral adaptation. Molecular Biology and Evolution.
Margres MJ, Wray KP, Hassinger ATB, Ward MJ, McGivern JJ, Lemmon EM, Lemmon AR, Rokyta DR. In press. Quantity, not quality: rapid adaptation in a polygenic trait proceeded exclusively through expression differentiation. Molecular Biology and Evolution.
Margres MJ, Bigelow AT, Lemmon EM, Lemmon AR, Rokyta DR. 2017. Selection to increase expression, not sequence diversity, precedes gene family origin and expansion in rattlesnake venom. Genetics 206: 1569–1580.
Rokyta DR, Margres MJ, Ward MJ, Sánchez EE. 2017. The genetics of venom ontogeny in the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). PeerJ 5: e3249.
Rokyta DR, Ward MJ. 2017. Venom-gland transcriptomics and venom proteomics of the black-back scorpion (Hadrurus spadix) reveal detectability challenges and an unexplored realm of animal toxin diversity. Toxicon 128: 23–37.
Pearson VM, Caudle SB, Rokyta DR. 2016. Viral recombination blurs taxonomic lines: examination of single-stranded DNA viruses in a wastewater treatment plant. PeerJ 4: e2585.
Margres MJ, Walls R, Suntravat M, Lucena S, Sánchez EE, Rokyta DR. 2016. Functional characterizations of venom phenotypes in the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) and evidence for expression-driven divergence in toxic activities among populations. Toxicon 119: 28–38.
McGee LW, Sackman A, Morrison AJ, Pierce J, Anisman J, Rokyta DR. 2016. Synergistic pleiotropy overrides the costs of complexity in viral adaptation. Genetics 202: 285–295.
Margres MJ, Wray KP, Seavy M, McGivern JJ, Herrera ND, Rokyta DR. 2016. Expression differentiation is constrained to low-expression proteins over ecological timescales. Genetics 202: 273–283.
Sackman AM, Reed D, Rokyta DR. 2015. Intergenic incompatibilities reduce fitness in hybrids of extremely closely related bacteriophages. PeerJ 3: e1320.
Rokyta DR, Margres MJ, Calvin K. 2015. Post-transcriptional mechanisms contribute little to phenotypic variation in snake venoms. G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics 5: 2375–2382.
Wray KP, Ward M, Rokyta DR. 2015. The establishment of the exotic centipede Rhysida longipes longipes (Newport, 1845; Scolopendramorpha: Scolopendridae: Otostigminae) in south Florida. Florida Entomologist 98: 979–980.
Margres MJ, Wray KP, Seavy M, McGivern JJ, Sanader D, Rokyta DR. 2015. Phenotypic integration in the feeding system of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). Molecular Ecology 24: 3405–3420.
Rokyta D. R., K. P. Wray, J. J McGivern, and M. J. Margres. 2015. The transcriptomic and proteomic basis for the evolution of a novel venom phenotype within the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). Toxicon 98:34-48.
Wray K. P., M. J. Margres, M. Seavy, and D. R. Rokyta. 2015. Early significant ontogenetic changes in snake venoms. Toxicon 96:74-81.Margres M. J., J. J. McGivern, M. Seavy, K. P. Wray, J. Facente, and D. R. Rokyta. 2015. Contrasting modes and tempos of venom expression evolution in two snake species. Genetics 199:165-176.
McGivern J. J., K. P. Wray, M. J. Margres, M. E. Couch, S. P. Mackessy, and D. R. Rokyta. 2014. RNA-seq and high-definition mass spectrometry reveal the complex and divergent venoms of two rear-fanged colubrid snakes. BMC Genomics 15:1061.