Margaret McFall-Ngai explained

Margaret McFall-Ngai
Birth Name:Margaret Jean McFall-Ngai
Nationality:American
Fields:Biology
Workplaces:University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Southern California
Alma Mater:University of San Francisco
University of California, Los Angeles
Doctoral Advisor:James Morin
Thesis Url:http://search.proquest.com/docview/301948222/
Thesis Year:1983
Academic Advisors:Joseph Horwitz
George Somero
Known For:Host-bacterial symbiosis
'Design' of tissues that interact with light
Website:http://glowingsquid.org/

Margaret McFall-Ngai is an American animal physiologist and biochemist best-known for her work related to the symbiotic relationship between Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes and bioluminescent bacteria, Vibrio fischeri. Her research helped expand the microbiology field, primarily focused on pathogenicity and decomposition at the time, to include positive microbial associations.[1] [2] She currently is a professor at PBRC’s Kewalo Marine Laboratory and director of the Pacific Biosciences Research Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Education and career

McFall-Ngai spent her childhood in Southern California and attended Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles.[3] She attended college at the University of San Francisco, graduating in 1973 with a Bachelors of Science in biology. She chose to further her education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with doctoral advisor, James Morin, studying functional morphology and comparative physiology[4] while working as a teaching assistant/fellow.[5] Her graduate research took her to the central Philippines to study the relationship between bioluminescent bacteria found in the leiognathid light organ in fish,[6] [7] igniting her “lifelong interest” in the blend of the two subjects. McFall-Ngai graduated with her Ph.D. in Biology in 1983 and went on to complete two postdoctoral fellowships.[8] For her first postdoc, she remained at UCLA working on protein biochemistry-biophysics for the Jules Stein Eye Institute with advisor, Joseph Horwitz. She then moved to San Diego to work with advisor George Somero on protein chemistry enzymology at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. On the side McFall-Ngai had been exploring the Hawaiian bobtail squid as an alternative to the fish she had studied in graduate school and initiated what would become a career-long collaboration with microbiologist, Edward (Ned) Ruby, who had written his dissertation on the squids’ symbionts, Vibrio fischeri.[9]

In 1989 McFall-Ngai accepted a position and later received tenure at the University of Southern California in the Department of Biology and began breeding and studying the Hawaiian bobtail squid. She and Ruby moved to Hawaii in 1996 to better study the squid-bacteria relationship, both accepting positions at Pacific Biomedical Research Center at the University of Hawaii. In 2004, McFall-Ngai accepted a position as professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Eye Research institute.[10] She returned to Hawaii in 2015 when she accepted her current position as director of the Pacific Biosciences Research Program and professor at PBRC’s Kewalo Marine Laboratory at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Research

McFall-Ngai is a pioneer in the study of animal-bacterial symbiosis and known for her research of the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, and its relationship with bacteria, Vibrio fischeri. She initially began her research in graduate school studying fish with a similar bioluminescent bacterial relationship, however, these fish proved difficult to grow in the lab. At a meeting, a visiting researcher from the University of Hawaii suggested she investigate the Hawaiian bobtail squid and its bioluminescent symbionts V. fischeri as an alternative. McFall-Ngai found that the squid worked great in the lab with 8-10 pairs of squid generating roughly 60,000 juveniles a year. To fully study this relationship, McFall-Ngai began collaborating with Edward (Ned) Ruby, a microbiologist who had written his dissertation on V. fischeri.

Over the next three decades, McFall-Ngai, Ruby, and dozens of postdocs and students would investigate all aspects of the symbiotic relationship.[11] They worked to understand the development of the relationship at different stages of the squid life cycle,[12] [13] analyze the initiation of symbiosis in real time,[14] [15] and identify how the host selects its symbionts.[16] [17] [18] They learned that the squid follows a rhythmic pattern in which the bacteria are brightest when the squid hunt at night [19] and are then expelled at dawn.[20] [21] As analysis tools advanced, Ruby and McFall-Ngai were able to map transcriptional patterns and identify related genes that control the squid's rhythmic behaviors and symbiotic relationship.[22] [23] The sum of their Hawaiian bobtail squid research is an extremely well defined model organism fit for studying bacterial symbioses, light interacting tissues, and cephalopod development.[24]

Awards and honors

Society fellowships (elected)

Notable publications

Biographic profiles

Interviews

External links

Notes and References

  1. Yong . E . Microbiology: Here's looking at you, squid. . Nature . 15 January 2015 . 517 . 7534 . 262–4 . 10.1038/517262a . 25592518. 2015Natur.517..262Y . free.
  2. Web site: Margaret McFall-Ngai . https://web.archive.org/web/20180828102146/https:/www.gf.org/fellows/all-fellows/margaret-mcfall-ngai/ . dead . 28 August 2018 . John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation . 2 December 2019.
  3. Viegas. Jennifer. 2017-08-22. Profile of Margaret J. McFall-Ngai. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 114. 36. en. 9494–9496. 10.1073/pnas.1713158114. 0027-8424. 28830998. 5594705. 2017PNAS..114.9494V . free.
  4. News: Amato . Katherine . Q&A With Margaret McFall-Ngai .
  5. Web site: McFall-Ngai . Margaret . McFall-Ngai CV . 1 December 2019.
  6. McFall-Ngai . Margaret . Three new modes of luminescence in the leiognathid fish Gazza minuta: Discrete projected luminescence, ventral body flash, and buccal luminescence . Marine Biology . April 1983 . 73 . 3 . 227–237. 10.1007/BF00392247 . 84813290.
  7. McFall-Ngai . Margaret . Adaptations for reflection of bioluminescent light in the gas bladder of Leiognathus equulus (Perciformes: Leiognathidae). . Journal of Experimental Zoology . July 1983 . 227 . 1 . 23–33 . 10.1002/jez.1402270105 . 6619765.
  8. Web site: McFall-Ngai . Margaret . Margaret McFall-Ngai, PH.D . Pacific Biosciences Research Center . Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa . 1 December 2019.
  9. Web site: Hawaiian Bobtail Squid: Using Light to Hide in the Dark—Dr. Margaret Mc-Fall Ngai—The Squid Vibrio Labs . FutureTech Podcast . 1 December 2019. 2019-09-23.
  10. Web site: Margaret J. McFall-Ngai, PH.D . McPherson Eye Research Institute . 10 August 2017 . 2 December 2019.
  11. McFall-Ngai . M . Divining the essence of symbiosis: insights from the squid-vibrio model. . PLOS Biology . February 2014 . 12 . 2 . e1001783 . 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001783 . 24504482. 3913551 . free .
  12. Montgomery . MK . McFall-Ngai . M . Embryonic Development of the Light Organ of the Sepiolid Squid Euprymna scolopes Berry. . The Biological Bulletin . June 1993 . 184 . 3 . 296–308 . 10.2307/1542448 . 29300543. 1542448 .
  13. Montgomery . MK . McFall-Ngai . M . Bacterial symbionts induce host organ morphogenesis during early postembryonic development of the squid Euprymna scolopes. . Development . July 1994 . 120 . 7 . 1719–29 . 10.1242/dev.120.7.1719 . 7924980.
  14. Nyholm . SV . Stabb . EV . Ruby . EG . McFall-Ngai . MJ . Establishment of an animal-bacterial association: recruiting symbiotic vibrios from the environment. . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 29 August 2000 . 97 . 18 . 10231–5 . 10.1073/pnas.97.18.10231 . 10963683. 27829 . free.
  15. Foster . JS . McFall-Ngai . MJ . Induction of apoptosis by cooperative bacteria in the morphogenesis of host epithelial tissues. . Development Genes and Evolution . August 1998 . 208 . 6 . 295–303 . 10.1007/s004270050185 . 9716720. 24818919.
  16. Altura . MA . Heath-Heckman . EA . Gillette . A . Kremer . N . Krachler . AM . Brennan . C . Ruby . EG . Orth . K . McFall-Ngai . MJ . The first engagement of partners in the Euprymna scolopes-Vibrio fischeri symbiosis is a two-step process initiated by a few environmental symbiont cells. . Environmental Microbiology . November 2013 . 15 . 11 . 2937–50 . 10.1111/1462-2920.12179 . 23819708. 3937295.
  17. Visick . KL . An intricate network of regulators controls biofilm formation and colonization by Vibrio fischeri. . Molecular Microbiology . November 2009 . 74 . 4 . 782–9 . 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2009.06899.x . 19818022. 2906375.
  18. Wollenberg . MS . Ruby . EG . Population structure of Vibrio fischeri within the light organs of Euprymna scolopes squid from Two Oahu (Hawaii) populations. . Applied and Environmental Microbiology . January 2009 . 75 . 1 . 193–202 . 10.1128/AEM.01792-08 . 18997024. 2612210. 2009ApEnM..75..193W .
  19. Boettcher . K.J. . Ruby . E.G. . McFall-Ngai . M.J. . Bioluminescence in the symbiotic squid Euprymna scolopes is controlled by a daily biological rhythm . Journal of Comparative Physiology A . July 1996 . 179 . 1 . 10.1007/BF00193435. 28096354.
  20. Graf . J . Ruby . EG . Host-derived amino acids support the proliferation of symbiotic bacteria. . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 17 February 1998 . 95 . 4 . 1818–22 . 10.1073/pnas.95.4.1818 . 9465100. 19196 . 1998PNAS...95.1818G . free.
  21. Heath-Heckman . Elizabeth A. C. . Peyer . Suzanne M. . Whistler . Cheryl A. . Apicella . Michael A. . Goldman . William E. . McFall-Ngai . Margaret J. . Handelsman . Jo . Bacterial Bioluminescence Regulates Expression of a Host Cryptochrome Gene in the Squid-Vibrio Symbiosis . mBio . 2 April 2013 . 4 . 2 . 10.1128/mBio.00167-13. 23549919 . 3622930.
  22. Wier . AM . Nyholm . SV . Mandel . MJ . Massengo-Tiassé . RP . Schaefer . AL . Koroleva . I . Splinter-Bondurant . S . Brown . B . Manzella . L . Snir . E . Almabrazi . H . Scheetz . TE . Bonaldo Mde . F . Casavant . TL . Soares . MB . Cronan . JE . Reed . JL . Ruby . EG . McFall-Ngai . MJ . Transcriptional patterns in both host and bacterium underlie a daily rhythm of anatomical and metabolic change in a beneficial symbiosis. . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 2 February 2010 . 107 . 5 . 2259–64 . 10.1073/pnas.0909712107 . 20133870. 2836665 . 2010PNAS..107.2259W . free.
  23. Kremer . N . Philipp . EE . Carpentier . MC . Brennan . CA . Kraemer . L . Altura . MA . Augustin . R . Häsler . R . Heath-Heckman . EA . Peyer . SM . Schwartzman . J . Rader . BA . Ruby . EG . Rosenstiel . P . McFall-Ngai . MJ . Initial symbiont contact orchestrates host-organ-wide transcriptional changes that prime tissue colonization. . Cell Host & Microbe . 14 August 2013 . 14 . 2 . 183–94 . 10.1016/j.chom.2013.07.006 . 23954157. 3928804.
  24. Lee . PN . McFall-Ngai . MJ . Callaerts . P . de Couet . HG . The Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes): a model to study the molecular basis of eukaryote-prokaryote mutualism and the development and evolution of morphological novelties in cephalopods. . Cold Spring Harbor Protocols . November 2009 . 2009 . 11 . pdb.emo135 . 10.1101/pdb.emo135 . 20150047.
  25. Web site: Margaret McFall-Ngai . The Squid Vibrio Labs . 5 December 2019.
  26. Web site: News 2019 . The Squid Vibrio Labs . 5 December 2019.
  27. McFall-Ngai. Margaret. January 2007. Care for the community. Nature. En. 445. 7124. 153. 10.1038/445153a. 17215830. 0028-0836. 2007Natur.445..153M. 9273396. free.
  28. McFall-Ngai. Margaret. Hadfield. Michael G.. Bosch. Thomas C. G.. Carey. Hannah V.. Domazet-Lošo. Tomislav. Douglas. Angela E.. Dubilier. Nicole. Eberl. Gerard. Fukami. Tadashi. 2013-02-26. Animals in a bacterial world, a new imperative for the life sciences. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. en. 110. 9. 3229–3236. 10.1073/pnas.1218525110. 0027-8424. 23391737. 3587249. 2013PNAS..110.3229M. free.
  29. Nyholm. Spencer V.. McFall-Ngai. Margaret. August 2004. The winnowing: establishing the squid–vibrio symbiosis. Nature Reviews Microbiology. En. 2. 8. 632–642. 10.1038/nrmicro957. 15263898. 21583331. 1740-1526.
  30. 2002-02-01. Unseen Forces: The Influence of Bacteria on Animal Development. Developmental Biology. en. 242. 1. 1–14. 10.1006/dbio.2001.0522. 11795936. 0012-1606. McFall-Ngai. Margaret J.. free.
  31. Montgomery. M. K.. McFall-Ngai. M.. 1994-07-01. Bacterial symbionts induce host organ morphogenesis during early postembryonic development of the squid Euprymna scolopes. Development. en. 120. 7. 1719–1729. 10.1242/dev.120.7.1719. 0950-1991. 7924980. 2018-10-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20170820023909/http://dev.biologists.org/content/120/7/1719. 2017-08-20. live.
  32. Crookes. Wendy J.. Ding. Lin-Lin. Huang. Qing Ling. Kimbell. Jennifer R.. Horwitz. Joseph. McFall-Ngai. Margaret J.. 2004-01-09. Reflectins: The Unusual Proteins of Squid Reflective Tissues. Science. en. 303. 5655. 235–238. 10.1126/science.1091288. 0036-8075. 14716016. 2004Sci...303..235C. 44490101.
  33. Visick. K. L.. Foster. J.. Doino. J.. McFall-Ngai. M.. Ruby. E. G.. August 2000. Vibrio fischeri lux genes play an important role in colonization and development of the host light organ. Journal of Bacteriology. 182. 16. 4578–4586. 10.1128/JB.182.16.4578-4586.2000. 0021-9193. 94630. 10913092.
  34. Yong . Ed . Here's looking at you, squid . Nature . 14 January 2015 . 517 . 7534 . 262–264 . 10.1038/517262a . 25592518 . free . 2015Natur.517..262Y.
  35. Viegas . Jennifer . Profile of Margaret J. McFall-Ngai . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA . 5 September 2017 . 114 . 36 . 9494–9496 . 10.1073/pnas.1713158114 . 28830998 . 5594705 . 2017PNAS..114.9494V . free.
  36. Book: Yong, Ed. I contain multitudes: the microbes within us and a grander view of life. 2016. Random House. 9780062368591.
  37. Web site: Brown. Brandon. 2012-07-07. The Extra Pounds You Can't Afford to Lose: An Interview With Microbiologist Margaret McFall-Ngai. 5 December 2019. HuffPost.

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