Dr. Brent Robicheau
Postdoctoral Researcher at Clark University, MA, USA
PhD (J LaRoche Lab, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada) 2023
Marine phytoplankton and diazotrophs in the NW Atlantic and Canadian Arctic Gateway
MSc (DT Stewart Lab, Acadia University, NS, Canada) 2016
Mitochondrial DNA Inheritance Patterns in Mussels
BScH (M Snyder Lab, Acadia University, NS, Canada) 2013
Ribosomal RNA Gene Evolution in Eukaryotic Genomes
ECO Canada Internship (AK Walker Lab, Acadia University, NS, Canada) 2016
Fungal Endophyte Genetics & Coastal Fungal Diversity
PhD Research
During my time in the LaRoche Lab I explored microdiversity patterns for the cyanobacterial diazotroph, Candidatus Atelocyanobacterium thalassa (also known as 'UCYN-A') along the Scotian Shelf and within the North Atlantic Ocean more generally. Other major components of my PhD research included the study of phytoplankton and their community characteristics within the coastal Northwest Atlantic, and the study of diazotroph biodiversity and biogeography within the Canadian Arctic Gateway. My PhD research also involved the use of environmental DNA and oceanographic data from the 20-year Bedford Basin Monitoring Program time series that is maintained by the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Halifax Harbour (NS).
Genetics of Coastal Organisms & Marine Microbial Biodiversity
As a biologist, I am interested in the genomics and biodiversity of organisms that reside in coastal regions. Much of my research has focused on three main study areas: the mitochondrial genomics of bivalves and fungal endophytes, the characterization of marine microorganism communities both spatially and temporally (for e.g., fungi, archaea, heterotrophic bacteria, and phytoplankton), and UCYN-A diversity in the North Atlantic (part of my PhD studies). Currently I am working on post-doctoral research studying the genetic basis of cyanophage infectivity across strains of Synechococcus—a key marine phytoplankton group.
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Publications
Robicheau BM, Tolman J, Rose S, Desai D, LaRoche J. 2023. Marine nitrogen-fixers in the Canadian Arctic Gateway are dominated by biogeographically distinct non-cyanobacterial communities. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 99(12): fiad122.
Robicheau BM, Tolman J, Desai D, LaRoche J. 2023. Microevolutionary patterns in ecotypes of the symbiotic cyanobacterium UCYN-A revealed from a Northwest Atlantic coastal time series. Science Advances 9(39): eadh9768.
Raes EJ, Tolman J, Desai D, Ratten J-M, Zorz J, Robicheau BM, Haider D, LaRoche J. 2022. Seasonal bacterial niche structures and chemolithoautotrophic ecotypes in a North Atlantic fjord. Scientific Reports 12(15335): 1-13.
Taylor VA, Adams SJ, Robicheau BM, Walker AK. 2022. Lulworthia fundyensis Taylor, Adams, Robicheau & Walker sp. nov. In Crous et al. 2022 Fungal Planet description sheets: 1383–1435. Persoonia–Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi 48:261–371.
Robicheau BM, Tolman J, Bertrand EM, LaRoche J. 2022. Highly-resolved interannual phytoplankton community dynamics of the coastal Northwest Atlantic. ISME Communications 2:1-12.
LaRoche J and Robicheau BM. 2022. The Pelagic Light-Dependent Microbiome. In: The Marine Microbiome, 2nd Edition. Springer, Cham. pp. 395-423.
Stewart DT, Robicheau BM, Youssef N, Garrido-Ramos MA, Chase EE, Breton S. 2021. Expanding the search for sperm transmission elements in the mitochondrial genomes of bivalve mollusks. Genes 12:1211.
Adams SJ, Robicheau BM, LaRue D, Browne R, Walker AK. 2021. Foliar endophytic fungi from the endangered Eastern Mountain Avens (Geum peckii, Rosaceae) in Canada. Plants 10:1026
Haas S, Robicheau BM, Rakshit S, Tolman J, Algar CK, LaRoche J, Wallace DWR. 2021. Physical mixing in coastal waters controls and decouples nitrification via biomass dilution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (PNAS) 118: e2004877118
Stewart DT, Stephenson CM, Stanton LM, Chase EE, Robicheau BM, Hoeh WR, Breton S. 2021. A proposed method for analyzing molecular signatures to detect hermaphroditism in freshwater mussels: a case study using the eastern floater (Pyganodon cataracta). Canadian Journal of Zoology 99:450–458
Walker AK, Robicheau BM. 2021. Fungal diversity and community structure from coastal and barrier island beaches in the United States Gulf of Mexico. Scientific Reports 11:3889.
Stewart DT, Breton S, Chase EE, Robicheau BM, Bettinazzi S, Pante E, Youssef N, Garrido-Ramos MA. 2020. An unusual evolutionary strategy: the origins, genetic repertoire, and implications of doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondrial DNA in bivalves. In: Pontarotti P (ed) Evolutionary Biology—a Transdisciplinary Approach. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, Switzerland
Capt C., Bouvet K., Guerra D., Robicheau BM, Stewart D., Pante E., Breton S. 2020. Unorthodox features in two venerid bivalves with doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondria. Scientific Reports 10:1087.
Robicheau BM, Adams S., Provencher J., Robertson G., Mallory M., Walker AK. 2019. Diversity and Keratin Degrading Ability of Fungi Isolated from Canadian Arctic Marine Bird Feathers. Arctic 72 (4), 347-359.
Chase E., Robicheau BM, Hoeh W.R., Harris J., Stewart D., Breton S. 2018. The complete male-type mitochondrial genomes of the Fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea, and the endangered Arkansas Fatmucket, Lampsilis powellii. Mitochondrial DNA Part B. 4.
Robicheau BM, Chase E., R. Hoeh W., Harris J., Stewart D., Breton S. 2018. Evaluating the utility of the female-specific mitochondrial f-orf gene for population genetic, phylogeographic and systematic studies in freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionida). PeerJ. 6(2).
Moland S., Robicheau BM, Browne R., Newell R., Walker A. 2018. Determining the effects of biochar and an arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculant on the growth of fowl mannagrass (Glyceria striata) (Poaceae). Facets. 3.
Chase E., Robicheau BM, Breton S., Stewart D. 2018. The complete mitochondrial genome of the hermaphroditic freshwater mussel Anodonta cygnea (Bivalvia: Unionidae): In silico analyses of sex-specific ORFs across order Unionoida. BMC Genomics. 19(19).
Stewart D., Sinclair-Waters M., Rice A., Bunker R., Robicheau BM, Breton S. 2018. Distribution and frequency of mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms in Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) populations of southwestern Nova Scotia (Canada). Canadian Journal of Zoology. 96(6).
Robicheau BM, Bunbury-Blanchette A., Laubutti K., Grigoriev Igor., Walker A. 2017. The homothallic mating-type locus of the conifer needle endophyte Phialocephala scopiformis DAOMC 229536 (Order Helotiales). Fungal Biology. 121(12).
Robicheau BM, Susko E., Harrigan A., Snyder M. 2017. Ribosomal RNA Genes Contribute to the Formation of Pseudogenes and Junk DNA in the Human Genome. Genome Biology and Evolution. 9(2):380-397.
Robicheau BM, Breton S., Stewart D. 2016. Sequence motifs associated with paternal transmission of mitochondrial DNA in the horse mussel, Modiolus modiolus (Bivalvia: Mytilidae). Gene. 605.
Robicheau BM, E. Powell A., Del Bel L., Breton S., Stewart D. 2016. Evidence for extreme sequence divergence between the male- and female-transmitted mitochondrial genomes in the bivalve mollusc, Modiolus modiolus (Mytilidae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 55(2).
Robicheau BM, Young A., Labutti K., Grigoriev I., Walker A. 2016. The complete mitochondrial genome of the conifer needle endophyte, Phialocephala scopiformis DAOMC 229536 confirms evolutionary division within the fungal Phialocephala fortinii s.l. – Acephala appalanata species complex. Fungal Biology. 121(3).
Salamone A., Robicheau BM, Walker A. 2016. Fungal diversity of marine biofilms on artificial reefs in the north-central Gulf of Mexico. Botanica Marina. 59(5):291-305.
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