Contact Information
Entomology & Plant Pathology
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS 39762-9775
TEL: (662) 325-2085
FAX: (662) 325-8837
Building Locations
People :: Faculty
Peter W. K. Ma
Professor of Entomology
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS 39762
TEL: (662) 325-2085
FAX: (662) 325-8837
Email: pma@entomology.msstate.edu
Ph.D. Entomology, 1992, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
The insect physiology group is interested in reproductive physiology and neuroendocrine functions in insects. Presently research includes the isolation and study the distribution of peptide fragments derived from the PBAN (pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide) precursor, isolation of PBAN gene analogues from other arthropds and non-lepidopteran insects, and isolation and functional expression of the genes encoding the processing enzymes that are involved in the posttranslational processing of proHez-PBAN. Other on-going research also includes studies in the reproductive physiology of Southern mole cricket, red imported fire ants, the Formosan termite and cotton insect pests such as the Lygus lineolaris and chinch bug. Peter Ma teaches Anatomy and Physiology of Insects (EPP 4335/6335) to senior undergraduate and graduate students. This course is offered every spring semester and is a core requirement for Entomology students.
Insect physiology LAB Personnel:
Peter W. K. Ma (Assistant Professor)
Sonya Baird (Research Associate/PhD student)
Sita Ram Ghimire (Post Doctoral Research Associate)
Srinidi Mohan (PhD Graduate Student)
Eva Clark (Student Worker)
Helga Vament (Student Worker)
Selected Recent Publications
, W. L. Roelofs and R. A. Jurenka. (1996) Characterization of PBAN and PBAN-encoding gene neuropeptides in the central nervous system of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea. J. Insect Physiol. 42:257-266.Ma, P. W. K.
Roelofs, W. L., Jurenka, R. A., and Ma, P. W. K. 1997. Involvement of the nervous system with PBAN. In: "Pheromone Research: New Directions", R. T. Carde and A. K. Minks [Eds.]. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp. 96-100.
Ma, P. W. K., Davis,T. R., Wood, H. A., Knipple, D. C. and Roelofs, W. L. (1998) Baculovirus expression of an inect gene that encodes multiple neuropeptides. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 28:239-249
Ma, P. W. K., Knipple, D. C. and Roelofs, W. L. (1998) Expression of a gene encoding the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide in the corn earwrom, Helicoverpa zea. Insect Biochem Molec. Biol. 28:373-385.
Douglas C. Knipple, Claire-Lize Rosenfield, Stuart J. Miller, Weitian Liu, Juliet Tang, Peter W. K. Ma and Wendell L. Roelofs (1998) Cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a pheromone gland-specific acyl-CoA ?11 desaturase of the cabbage looper moth, Trichoplusia ni (acyl-CoA desaturase/Lepidoptera/pheromone biosynthesis) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 95:15287-15292.
Liu, W., Ma, P. W. K., Marcella-Herrick, P., Rosenfield, C.-L., Knipple, D. C., Roelofs, W. (1999) Cloning and functional expression of a cDNA encoding a metabolic acyl-Co A D9-desaturase of the cabbage looper moth, Trichoplusia ni. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 25:435-443.
Ma, P. W. K., Garden, R. W., Niermann, J. T., O' Connor, M., Sweedler, J. V., Roelofs, W. L. (2000) Characterizing the Hez-PBAN gene products in neuronal clusters with immunocytochemistry and MALDI-MS. J. Insect Physiol. 46:221-230.
Ma, P. W. K. and Wendell L. Roelofs (2002) Sex pheromone gland of the female European corn borer moth, Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): ultrastructural and biochemical evidences. Zool. Sci. 19:501-511.
Ma, P. W. K., Baird, S. and Ramaswamy, S. B. (2002) Morphology and formation of the eggshell in the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) (Hemiptera: Miridae). Arth. Str. Dev. 31:131-146.
Ma, P. W. K. (2002) An automated rotisserie system for processing Western blots. Biotech. Histochem. 77:283-290.
Facilities:
The insect physiology lab is equipped with equipment for molecular biology work. The lab also has excellent facilities for cell culture, electrophysiological recording as well as chromatography facilities (HPLC & GC). As part of Mississippi State University's biospectrometry facility, the physiology lab is home to a PerSeptive Biosystems Voyager Elite MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer and a Finnigan Mat 4500 series mass spectrometer with upgraded data system interfaced to a Hewlett Packard 5890 gas chromatograph a HP 5990/5970 GC/MS and a HP 5890 gas chromatograph with an EAD detector.
The physiology lab also has a MicroTech Scientific Ultra Plus II two-dimensional capillary liquid chromatograph/module for electrochromatography and capillary electrophoresis for proteomic research. The physiology lab has close associations with various facilities on campus such as LSBI (Life Science and Biotechnology Initiative) at Mississippi State University to perform biomolecular characterizations including DNA sequencing and protein mass spectrometry. In addition, the physiology lab also is equipped with its own full size machine shop and provides excellent facilities to fabricate one of a kind pieces of experimental apparatus for research.