Dr. Jason Strickland's Research
· Adaptive evolution
· Genotype-phenotype mapping
· Venom evolution
· Genetics
· Herpetology
My research group is interested in understanding how changes in the genome modify
the phenotype and ultimately affect fitness. We use a combination of fieldwork, lab
work, and computation to identify changes in gene sequence and regulation to understand
how selection shapes trait evolution. We use venom as our model system because of
the near 1-to-1 match from gene to toxin, high intra- and inter-specific variation,
and ecological importance in feeding and defense. Using genomic sequencing technologies
and approaches, it is possible to examine the functionality of phenotypes down to
single mutations in the genome. We take these data and place them in a meaningful
ecological and evolutionary framework by accounting for variability within species
across the landscape and controlling for shared evolutionary history to understand
how biodiversity is generated through adaptation. To accomplish our research goals,
we draw from many fields including biogeography, bioinformatics, ecological modeling,
molecular genetics, phylogenetics, phylogeography, and population genetics.
Holding, M.L., Trevine, V.C., Zinenko, O., Strickland, J.L., Rautsaw, R.M., Mason,
A.J., Hogan, M.P., Parkinson, C.L., Grazziotin, F.G., Santana, S.E. and Davis, M.A.,
2022. Evolutionary allometry and ecological correlates of fang length evolution in
vipers. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1982), p.20221132.
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.1132
Myers, E.A, J.L. Strickland, R.M. Rautsaw, A.J. Mason, T.D. Schramer, G.S. Nystrom,
M.P. Hogan, S. Yooseph, D.R. Rokyta, and C.L. Parkinson. De novo genome assembly highlights
the role of lineage-specific duplications in the evolution of venom in Fea’s Viper.
Genome Biology and Evolution 14: evac082. Featured Cover https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evac082
Neri-Castro, E., J.L. Strickland, R.A. Carbajal-Márquez, J. Zuñiga, R. Ponce-López,
F. Olvera, and A. Alagón. Characterization of the venom and external morphology of
a natural hybrid between Crotalus atrox and Crotalus mictlantecuhtli. Toxicon 207: 43-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.01.003
Colis-Torres, A. E. Neri-Castro, J.L. Strickland, A. Olvera-Rodríguez, M. Borja, J.
Calvete, J. Jones, C.L. Parkinson, J. Bañuelos, J. López de Leóon, and A. Alagón.
Intraspecific venom variation of Mexican West Coast Rattlesnakes (Crotalus basiliscus) and its implications for antivenom production. Biochimie 192: 111-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biochi.2021.10.006
Grünwald, C., S. Toribio-Jiménez, C. Montaño-Ruvalcaba, H. Franz-Chávez, M. Peñaloza-Montaño,
E. Barrera-Nava, J. Jones, C. Rodriguez, I. Hughes, J.L. Strickland, and J.R. Velasco.
Two new species of snail-eating snakes of the genus Tropidodipsas (Serpentes, Dipsadinae) from western Mexico, with notes on related species. Herpetozoa
34: 233-257. https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.34.e69176
Media Coverage:
Long Known to Snails, New Snake Species ID'd by Thomas Becnel at USA https://tinyurl.com/2p8p75aa
Hofmann, E.P., R.M. Rautsaw, A.J. Mason, J.L. Strickland, and C.L. Parkinson. Duvernoy’s
gland transcriptomics of the Plains Black-Headed Snake, Tantilla nigriceps (Squamata, Colubridae): Unearthing the venom of small rear-fanged snakes. Toxins
13: 336. Editor’s Choice Award
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13050336
Holding, M.L., J.L. Strickland, R.M. Rautsaw, E.P. Hofmann, A.J. Mason, M.P. Hogan,
G.S. Nystrom, S.A. Ellsworth, T.J. Colston, M. Borja, G. Castañeda-Gaytán, C.L. Grunwald,
J.M. Jones, L. Freitas-de Sousa, M.J. Margres, F.G. Grazziotin, I.L.M. Junqueira-de-Azevedo,
A.M. Moura-da-Silva, E. Hingst Zaher, H.L. Gibbs, D.R. Rokyta, and C.L. Parkinson.
Phylogenetically diverse diets favor more complex venoms in North American pitvipers.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118: e2015579118. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2015579118
Media Coverage:
Researchers find snake venom complexity is driven by prey diet: https://tinyurl.com/3neym7ad
Margres, M.J., R.M. Rautsaw, J.L. Strickland, A.J. Mason, T. Schramer, E.P. Hofmann,
E.E. Stiers, D. Bartlett, T.J. Colston, D.M. Gilbert, D.R. Rokyta, and C.L. Parkinson.
A simple venom phenotype from a complex genotype: insights from the Tiger Rattlesnake
genome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118: e2014634118.
doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2014634118
Media Coverage:
Genetic research on highly venomous Tiger Rattlesnakes breaks new ground: https://tinyurl.com/2t9hcy24
Exploration of toxic Tiger Rattlesnake venom advances use of genetic science techniques:
https://tinyurl.com/2p8mppwy
Bénard-Valle, M., E. Neri-Castro, N. Elizalde-Morales, A. Olvera-Rodríguez, J.L. Strickland,
G. Acosta, and A. Alagón. Protein composition and biochemical characterization of
venom from Sonoran Coral Snakes (Micruroides euryxanthus). Biochimie 182: 206-216.
doi.org/10.1016/j.biochi.2021.01.003
Rautsaw, R.M., T.D. Schramer, R. Acuna, L.N. Arick, M. DiMeo, K.P. Mercier, M. Schrum,
A.J. Mason, M.J. Margres, J.L. Strickland, and C.L. Parkinson. Genomic adaptations
to salinity resist gene flow in the evolution of Floridian watersnakes. Molecular
Biology and Evolution 38: 745-760. doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa266 Featured Cover
Ponce-López, R., E. Neri-Castro, M. Borja, J.L. Strickland and A. Alagón. Neutralizing
potency and immunochemical evaluation of an anti-Crotalus mictlantecuhtli experimental
serum. Toxicon 187: 171-180. doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.08.026
Mason, A.J., M.J. Margres, J.L. Strickland, D.R. Rokyta, M. Sasa, and C.L. Parkinson.
2020. Trait differentiation and modular toxin expression in Palm-Pitvipers. BMC Genomics
21:1-20.
doi.org/10.1186/s12864-020-6545-9
Rautsaw, R.M., E.P. Hofmann, M.J. Margres, M.L. Holding, J.L. Strickland, A.J. Mason,
D.R. Rokyta, and C.L. Parkinson. 2019. Intraspecific sequence and gene expression
variation contribute little to venom diversity in Sidewinder Rattlesnakes (Crotalus
cerastes). Proceedings of the Royal Society B 286: 20190810. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.0810
Featured Cover Article
Neri-Castro, E., B. Lomonte, M. Valdés, R. Ponce-López, M. Bénarde-Valle, M. Borja,
J.L. Strickland, J.M. Jones, C.I. Grünwald, F. Zamudio, and A. Alagón. 2019. Venom
characterization of the three species of Ophryacus and proteomic profiling of O. sphenophrys
unveils Sphenotoxin, a novel Crotoxin-like heterodimeric B-neurotoxin. Journal of
Proteomics 192:196-207. doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2018.09.002
Strickland, J.L., C.F. Smith, A.J. Mason, D.R. Schield, M. Borja, G. Castaneda-Gaytan,
C.L. Spencer, L.L. Smith, A. Trapaga, N.M. Bouzid, G. Campillo-Garcia, O.A. Flores
Villela, D. Antonio-Rangel, S.P. Mackessy, T.A. Castoe, D.R. Rokyta, and C.L. Parkinson.
2018. Evidence for divergent patterns of local selection driving venom variation in
Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus scutulatus). Scientific Reports 8:17622. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35810-9.
Media Coverage: Mojave Rattlesnakes’ life-threatening venom is more widespread than expected by Hannah Halusker https://news.clemson.edu/mojave-rattlesnakes-life-threatening-venom-is-more-widespread-than-expected/
Picked up by Top of Mind with Julie Rose on BYU radio – Sound: https://tinyurl.com/y2j7usp2
Sigma Xi, Science Daily, LiveScience, NSF Science 360, and Phys.Org
Borja, M., E. Neri-Castro, J.L. Strickland, R. Ponce-López, C.L. Parkinson, J. Espinosa-Fematt,
J. Sáenz-Mata, E. Flores-Martínez, A. Alagón, G. Castañeda-Gaytán. 2018. Ontogenetic
change in the venom of Mexican Black-tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus molossus nigrescens).
Toxins 10:501. doi.org/10.3390/toxins10120501
Hofmann, E.P., R.M. Rautsaw, J.L. Strickland, M.L. Holding, M.P. Hogan, A.J. Mason,
D.R. Rokyta, and C.L. Parkinson. 2018. Comparative venom-gland transcriptomics and
venom proteomics of four Sidewinder Rattlesnake (Crotalus cerastes) lineages reveal
little differential expression despite individual variation. Scientific Reports 8:15534.
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-33943-5
Dahn, H.A., J.L. Strickland, A. Osorio, T.J. Colston, and C.L. Parkinson. 2018. Hidden
diversity within the depauperate genera of the snake tribe Lampropeltini (Serpentes,
Colubridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 129:214-225. doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.08.018
Strickland, J.L., A.J. Mason, D.R. Rokyta, and C.L. Parkinson. 2018. Phenotypic variation
in Mojave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) venom is driven by four toxin families.
Toxins 10:135. doi:10.3390/toxins10040135
Borja, M., E. Neri-Castro, G. Castañeda-Gaytán, J.L. Strickland, C.L. Parkinson, J.
Castañeda-Gaytán, R. Ponce-López, A. Olvera- Rodríguez, A. Alagón, and R. Pérez-Morales.
2018. Biological and proteolytic variation in the venom of Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus
from Mexico. Toxins 10:35. doi:10.3390/toxins10010035
Strickland, J.L., S. Carter, F.K. Kraus, and C.L. Parkinson. 2016. Snake evolution
in Melanesia: origin of the Hydrophiinae (Serpentes, Elapidae) and the evolutionary
history of the enigmantic New Guinean elapid Toxicocalamus. Zoological Journal of
Linnean Society 178:663-678. doi: 10.1111/zoj.12423
Strickland, J.L., C.L. Parkinson, J.K. McCoy, and L.K. Ammerman. 2014. Phylogeography
of Agkistrodon piscivorus with emphasis on the western limit of its range. Copeia
2014:639-649. doi: 10.1643/CG-13-123.
For Full listing visit Jason's google scholar page or lab website
Venomous archipelagos: Integrating adaptability and island biogeography theory to assess persistence in the Anthropocene. National Geographic Research and Exploration Grant with Dr. Mark Margres (University of South Florida).