David S. Durica
Professor Emeritus, School of Biological Sciences Richards Hall 300A & 216 405-325-1528 ddurica at ou dot edu https://duricalab.oucreate.com/ Ph.D., Cell Biology - University of Connecticut, 1977Research:
Our research is advancing our understanding of how hormones regulate growth and development in crustaceans, a group that includes crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. Molting—the process by which these animals shed their exoskeleton to grow—is controlled by a delicate balance of hormones produced by specialized glands. By studying the genes and proteins involved in this process, we have identified key molecular signals that either promote or inhibit molting. Our work focuses on the Y-organ, the crustacean molting gland, and how it is regulated by hormones such as molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH) and ecdysteroids (molting hormones). We discovered that two protein kinases, both activated by cyclic GMP, have opposite effects: one kinase promotes molting by stimulating hormone production, while the other suppresses it. This finding reveals a previously unknown layer of regulation that fine-tunes molting at the molecular level. In addition, we have conducted large-scale gene expression studies (transcriptomics) to identify hundreds of genes that turn on or off at different stages of the molt cycle. These data were compiled into CrusTome, a publicly available database that enables other researchers to explore gene expression patterns across many crustacean species. We also performed phylogenetic and computational analyses of hormone receptors and signaling proteins, identifying new candidate genes for hormone receptors that regulate metabolism, growth, and reproduction in crustaceans. Our recommendations for improving research in non-model organisms have helped guide national efforts to connect genetic information to physical traits in diverse animal species.
Selected Publications:
Head, T.B., Pérez-Moreno, J.L., Ventura, T., Durica, D.S., and Mykles, D.L. (2025) Two cGMP-dependent protein kinases have opposing effects on molt-inhibiting hormone regulation of Y-organ ecdysteroidogenesis. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part D Genomics Proteomics. 17:26-40. doi: 10.1016/j.cbd.2015.11.003.
Flores, K.A., Pérez-Moreno, J.L., Durica, D.S., and Mykles, D.L. (2024) Phylogenetic and transcriptomic characterization of insulin and growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases in crustaceans. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 15: 1379231.
Kozma, M. T., Pérez-Moreno, J. L., Gandhi, N. S, Hernandez Jeppesen, L., Durica, D. S., Ventura, T., and Mykles, D. L. (2024) In silico analysis of crustacean hyperglycemic hormone family G protein-coupled receptor candidates. Front. Endocrinol. 14 - 2023, doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1322800.
Pérez-Moreno, J. L., Kozma, M. T., DeLeo, D. M., Bracken-Grissom, H. D., Durica D. S., and Mykles, D. L. (2023) CrusTome: A transcriptome database resource for large-scale analyses across Crustacea. G3 Genes/Genomes/Genetics. 2023 May 2:jkad098.
Burnett K. G., Durica, D. S., Mykles, D. L., Stillman, J. H., and Schmidt, C. (2020) Recommendations for advancing genome to phenome research in non-model organisms. Integr. Comp. Biol. 60(2): 397-401.
Das, S. Martin, L. A., Zhou, W., Durica, D. S., and Mykles, D. L. (2018) Analysis of differentially expressed genes in the molting gland (Y-organ) of the blackback land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis, during molt-cycle stage transitions. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part D Genomics Proteomics 28: 37-53. doi: 10.1016/j.cbd.2018.06.001
Shyamal, S., Das, S., Guruacharya, A., Mykles, D. L., and Durica, D. S. (2018) A transcriptomic approach examining crustacean Y Organ molt cycle regulation via the mTOR signaling pathway. Scientific Reports 8: 7307. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-25368-x
Mykles, D. L., Burnett, K. G., Durica, D. S., Joyce, B. L., McCarthy, F. M., Schmidt, C. J. and Stillman, J. H. (2016) Resources and recommendations for using transcriptomics to address grand challenges in comparative biology. Integr. Comp. Biol. 56:1183-1191. doi:10.1093/icb/icw083.
Das, S., Shyamal, S. and Durica, D. S. (2016) Analysis of annotation and differential expression methods used in RNA-seq studies in crustacean systems. Integr. Comp. Biol. 56:1067-1079. doi: 10.1093/icb/icw117
Mykles, D. L., Burnett, K. G., Durica, D. S., Joyce, B. L., McCarthy, F. M., Schmidt, C. J. and Stillman, J. H. (2016) Resources and recommendations for using transcriptomics to address grand challenges in comparative biology. Integr. Comp. Biol. 56:1183-1191. doi: 10.1093/icb/icw083