Dr. Craig Cary Assistant Professor University of Delaware College of Marine Studies 700 Pilottown Rd. Lewes, Delaware 19958 phone: (302) 645-4078 fax: (302) 645-4007 caryc@udel.edu

• Assistant Professor of Marine Biology-Biochemistry

Education

• B.S., Florida Institute of Technology
• M.S., San Diego State University
• Ph.D., Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Research Interests

Comparative physiology, biochemistry and ecology of marine invertebrate/bacterial symbioses with focus on use of molecular techniques to resolve biochemical interactions between host and symbiont. Research centered primarily on hydrothermal vents and cold seep habitats. Bacterial symbiont transmission mechanisms during early development. In situ hybridization and fluorenscense microscopy for quantitative analysis of gene expression of symbionts in response to early developmental processes of host. Use of molecular technology in the development of biological indices to better assess condition and levels of adaptation of marine organisms under stress.

Current Projects

• Mechanisms of vertical transmission of bacterial symbionts in marine bivalves - molecular analyses of development and settlement

• A molecular dissection of the bacterial microflora associated with an extremely thermotolerant metazoan, Alvinella pompejan.

• Distribution and phylogeny of bacteria isolated from deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

• Characterization of mechanisms of bacterial symbiont transmission in the wood-boring bivalves, Teredinidae: Bivalvia

Teaching

Most recently, at CMS, Advanced Marine Molecular Biology, and Methods in Molecular Biology (Lab). Currently advise three students in the Marine Biology-Biochemistry Program.

Current Research Group

• Matthew T. Cottrell, Post Doctoral Fellow, (Ph.D., University of Texas) - Assessing the physiological capacities of uncultured microbes and the impact of marine viruses on microalgae and bacteria.

• Ami Wilbur, Post Doctoral Fellow, (Ph.D., University of Delaware) - Molecular aspects of symbionts transmission mechanisms in shipworms. Development of diagnostic assays for localization of symbionts in developing larvae.

• Carol DiMeo, M.S. student (B.S., Rutgers University) - Interests include a multifaceted approach to understanding symbiotic associates between marine bacteria and invertebrate hosts endemic to hydrothermal vents: phylogenetics and geographic distribution of symbionts; composition of bacterial communities; influence of chemical conditions in vent microenvironments on the structure of bacterial assemblages.

• Alison Sipe, M.S. student (B.S. Lafayette College) - Molecular tools applied toward increased understanding of the symbiosis of shipworms (wood devouring marine bivalves) and their bacterial endosymbionts, with goals to control degradation of marine timber.

• Kelley Warren, M.S. student (B.S., University of Delaware) - Establishment and early development of a chemoautotrophic endosymbiosis - specifically, using in situ molecular techniques and larval culturing. Localizing bacterial symbionts within early embryos of a protobranch clam.

Selected Publications

Cary, S.C., Fisher, C.R., Felbeck, H. (1988) Mussel growth supported by methane as sole carbon and energy source. Science, N.Y. 240: 78-80. [abstract]

Cary, S.C, Fry, B., Felbeck, H., Vetter, R.D. (1988) Multiple trophic resources for a chemoautotrophic community at a cold water brine seep at the base of the Florida Escarpment. Mar. Biol. 100: 411-418. [abstract]

Cary, S.C., Felbeck H., Holland, N.D. (1989) Observations on the reproductive biology of the hydrothermal vent tube worm, Riftia pachyptila. Mar. Ecol. Pro. Ser. 52: 89-94. [abstract]

Cary, S.C., Vetter, R.D., Felbeck, H. (1989) Habitat characterization and nutritional strategies of the endosymbiont-bearing bivalve, Lucinoma aequizonata. Mar. Ecol. Pro. Ser. 55:31-45. [abstract]

Cary, S.C., Vernet, M., Huntley, M. (1992) A microencapsulation technique for introducing pure compounds in zooplankton diets. Limnol. Oceanog. 37: 404-413. [abstract]

Cary, S.C., Warren, W., Anderson, E., Giovannoni, S.J. (1993) Identification and localization of bacterial endosymbionts in hydrothermal vent taxa with species-specific PCR amplification and in situ hybridization techniques. Mar. Mol. Biol. Biotechnol. 2:51-62. [abstract]

Cary, S.C., Giovannoni, S.J. (1993) Transovarial inheritance of endosymbiotic bacteria in clams inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 90: 5695-5699. [abstract]

Cary, S.C. (1994) Vertical transmission of a chemoautotrophic symbiont in the protobranch bivalve Solemya reidi. Mar. Mol. Biol. Biotechnol. 3:121-130. [abstract]

Giovannoni, S.J., Cary, S.C. (1994) Probing marine systems with ribosomal RNAs. a review. Oceanography 6:95-104. [abstract]

Haddad, A., Camacho, F., Durand, P., Cary, S.C. (1995) Phylogenetic characterization of the epibiotic microflora associated with the deep-sea hydrothermal vent Pompeii worm Alvinella pompejana. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:1679-1687. [abstract]

Cary, S.C. (1995) A PCR based method for single egg and embryo identification in marine organisms. Biotechniques 21:998-1000. [abstract]

Cary, S.C., Cottrell, M.T., Stein, J.L., Camacho, F., Desbruyeres, D. (1997) Molecular identification and localization of a filamentous symbiotic bacteria associated with the hydrothermal vent Annelid, Alvinella pompejana. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63:1124-1130. [abstract]

caryc@udel.edu

Graduate College of Marine Studies

University of Delaware