Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolutionary Genetics

SNP213, Edgar S. McFadden Biostress Laboratory

Oglala Lakota College students Candy DuBray, left, and Charles Bush prepare to do DNA extractions in Associate Professor Madhav Nepal’s lab through the Future Agriculture and Science Taskforce Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates fellowship program.
Oglala Lakota College students Candy DuBray, left, and Charles Bush prepare to do DNA extractions in Associate Professor Madhav Nepal’s lab through the Future Agriculture and Science Taskforce Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates fellowship program.

Researchers in Nepal Lab are interested in understanding plant evolution using approaches in molecular phylogenetics, comparative genomics and ecological genetics. The main research goal is to provide interested students/researchers with cutting-edge research experiences that they can apply to their daily life and future career.

Faculty and Graduate Researchers

  • Madhav P. Nepal, Ph.D.
  • Bibek Adhikari (Ph.D. student)
  • Sanam Parajuli (Ph.D. student)

Recent Lab Alumni

  • Dillon Nelson (2020-2023)
  • Jordan Purintun (2019-2020)
  • Bijaya Pradhan (2019-2021)
  • Dr. Surendra Neupane (Ph.D. 2015-2019), currently postdoctoral scholar, University of Florida, Gainsville, Florida
  • Dr. Ethan Andersen (2015-2019), currently assistant professor of biology, Francis Marion University, Florence, South Carolina
  • Dr. Sarbottam Piya (M.S. 2011-2013), currently postdoctoral scholar at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Achal Neupane (M.S. 2011-2013, currently Ph.D. student at SDSU
  • Ben Benson (M.S. 2012-2015), currently research associate at Sanford Health Research, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  • Dr. Sajag Adhikari (lab assistant, 2011: currently postdoctoral scholar, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska)
  • Jyotshna Paudel (graduate administrative assistant, Fall 2016; currently at the Department of Computer Science SDSU)
Publications
Publications

*Corresponding author, +Undergraduate author

  1. Andersen, E.J., Ali, S. and *M. P. Nepal. 2021. Necrotrophic Fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis Triggers Expression of Multiple Resistance Components in Resistant and Susceptible Wheat Cultivars. Journal of Plant Pathology 37(2):99-114 (DOI: 10.5423/PPJ.OA.06.2020.0109)
  2. *Nepal, M.P. and J.M. Purintun. 2021. Systematics of the Genus Morus L. (Moraceae): Taxonomy, Phylogeny and Potential Responses to Climate Change. In Genetic Improvement of Mulberry in Context of Climate Change (M. K. Razdan and T. Dennis Thomas, Eds.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL., USA.
  3. *Xue, J., Takken, F.L.W., Nepal, M. P., Maekawa,T. and Z. Shao. 2020. Editorial: Evolution and Functional Mechanisms of Plant Disease Resistance. Frontiers in Genetics.1 1:593240. (DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.593240)
  4. Andersen, E.J, Nelson, D. Mermigka, G., Purintun, J.P., Sarris, P.F. and *M.P. Nepal. 2020. Wheat Disease Resistance Genes and their Diversification through Integrated Domain Fusions. Frontiers in Genetics 11: 898. (DOI:10.3389/fgene.2020.00898)
  5. White, P. T., Browning, L. M., Miller, M. L., Vestal, S. S., Lemke, M. and *M. P. Nepal. 2020. Perceptions and Usages of Online Teaching Resources by South Dakota Science and Agriculture Teachers. SDAOS. 99: 117-133.
  6. Neupane,S., Mathew, F.M., Varenhorst A.J. and *M.P. Nepal. 2019. Transcriptome profiling of interaction effects of soybean cyst nematodes and soybean aphids on soybean. Scientific Data 6:133 (DOI:10.1038/s41597-019-0140-4)
  7. Neupane, S.; Purintun, J.; Mathew, F.M.; Varenhorst, A.J.; *M.P. Nepal2019. Molecular Basis of Soybean Resistance to Soybean Aphid and Soybean Cyst Nematode. Plants. 8(10): 374; DOI: 10.3390/plants8100374
  8. Andersen, E.J., Ali, S. and *M.P. Nepal. 2019. Transcriptomic changes in wheat during tan spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) disease. BMC Research Notes 12:471 (DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4517-4)
  9. Neupane,S., Varenhorst, A.J. and *M.P Nepal. 2019. Transcriptome Profiling of Induced Susceptibility Effects on Soybean/Soybean Aphid Interaction. BMC Research Notes. 12:325 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4372-3
  10. Neupane, S., +S.E. Schweitzer, A. Neupane, E.J. Andersen, A. Fennell, R. Zhou, *M.P. Nepal. 2019. Identification and Characterization of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Genes in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Plants. 8(2), 28; DOI: 10.3390/plants8020028
  11. Neupane, S., E.J. Andersen, A. Neupane and *M.P. Nepal. 2018. Genome-wide Identification of NBS-encoding Genes of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Genes. 9:384, DOI: 10.3390/genes9080384
  12. Andersen, E.J., E. Byamukama, S. Ali, Y. Yen and *M.P.Nepal. 2018. Disease Resistance Mechanisms in Plants. Genes. 9(7): 339; DOI: 10.3390/genes9070339
  13. Neupane, S., E.J. Andersen, Q. Ma, F. Mathew, A. Varenhorst and *M.P. Nepal. 2018. Evolutionary Divergence of TNL Disease Resistance Proteins in Soybean and Common Bean. Biochemical Genetics. 56 (4):397–422
  14. ]*Nepal, M.P., E.J. Andersen, S. Neupane and B.V. Benson. 2017. Comparative Genomics of non-TNL Disease Resistance Genes from Six Plant Species.Genes.8(10): 249; DOI:10.3390/genes8100249
  15. Andersen, E.J. and *M.P. Nepal. 2017. Genetic Diversity of Disease Resistance Genes in Foxtail millet (Setaria italica[L.] P. Beauv.) Plant Gene.10: 8–16
  16. Nanda-Kafle, G., T. Seale, T. Flint, M.P. Nepal, S.N. Venter and V. S. Brözel. 2017. Distribution of Diverse Escherichia coli between Cattle and Pasture. Microbes and Environments, 32(3): 226–233
  17. Andersen E.J. and *M.P. Nepal. 2017. Data on Genome-wide Identification of CNL R-genes in Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. Data in Brief. 13: 259–273
  18. Andersen, E.J., S. Ali, R.N. Reese, Y. Yen, S. Neupane and *M.P. Nepal. 2016. Diversity and Evolution of Disease Resistance Genes in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Evolutionary Bioinformatics.12:99-108
  19. *Nepal, M.P. and B.V. Benson. 2015. Soybean Disease Resistance Genes and Their Evolutionary Divergence. Evolutionary Bioinformatics. 11: 49–63
  20. +Andersen, E.J., +S.R. Shaw and *M.P. Nepal. 2015. Genome-wide Identification of Disease Resistance Genes in Aegilops tauschii Coss. (Poaceae). Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 94:281-295
  21. *Nepal, M.P., M.H. Mayfield and C.J. Ferguson. 2015. Breeding System and Sex Ratio Variation in Mulberries. Journal of Botanical Institute of Texas (JBRIT). 9(2):383–395
  22. Benson, B.V., *M.P. Nepal, +L.G. Davison, +P. B. Duwadi and B.G. Moore. 2014. In Silico Analysis of Cis-Regulatory Elements of Disease Resistance Genes across Six Plant Species. Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 93: 133–144
  23. Piya, S., *M.P. Nepal, J.L. Butler, G.E. Larson and A. Neupane. 2014. Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Sickleweed (Falcaria vulgaris; Apiaceae) in the Upper Midwest USA. Biological Invasions 16(10): 2115–2125
  24. Neupane A., *M.P. Nepal, B.V. Benson, +K.J. MacArthur and S. Piya. 2013. Evolutionary History of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Genes in Lotus, Medicago and Phaseolus. Plant Signaling & Behavior 8 (11): e27189
  25. Piya, S., and *M.P. Nepal. 2013. Characterization of nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite markers for Falcaria vulgaris (Apiaceae). American Journal of Plant Science. 4: 590-595.
  26. *Nepal, M.P. and +D.J. Wichern. 2013. Taxonomic Status of Red Mulberry (Morus rubra, Moraceae) at Its Northwestern Boundary. Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 92: 19–29
  27. Neupane, A., *M.P. Nepal, S. Piya, S. Subramanian, J.S. Rohila, R.N. Reese and B.V. Benson. 2013. Identification, Nomenclature and Evolutionary Relationships of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Genes in Soybean. Evolutionary Bioinformatics. 9: 363–386 (IF = 1.5)
  28. *Nepal, M.P. and C.J. Ferguson. 2012. Phylogenetics of Morus (Moraceae) Inferred from ITS and trnL-trnF Sequence Data. Systematic Botany. 37(2): 442–450
  29. Piya, S., *M.P. Nepal, A. Neupane, G.E. Larson and J.L. Butler. 2012. Introduction History and Spread of Falcaria vulgaris Bernh. (Apiaceae) in the United States Based on Herbarium Records. Proceedings of South Dakota Academy of Science. 91:113–129
  30. *Nepal, M.P., M.H. Mayfield and C.J. Ferguson. 2012. Identification of Eastern North American Morus(Moraceae):Taxonomic Status of M. murrayana. Phytoneuron 26:1–6
  31. Woods, T.M., S.C. Strakosh, M.P. Nepal, S. Chakrabarti, N.B. Simpson, M.H. Mayfield, and C.J. Ferguson. 2005. Introduced species in Kansas: Floristic changes and patterns of collection based on an historical herbarium. SIDA Contributions to Botany 21: 1695–1725
  32. *Nepal, M.P., V.N.P. Gupta, O.R. Vetaas and R.P. Chaudhary. 1999. Utilization of Plant Resources of Makalu-Barun Buffer zone, Eastern Nepal by the Rais and the Sherpa Communities. Proceedings of Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST), Pp. 1359–1370
  33. *Mathew, F., P. Okello, J. Kleinjan, S. Osborne, M.P. Nepal, A. Varenhorst, and E. Byamukama. 2017. Understanding the Relationship between Soybean Cyst Nematode and Fusarium on Soybean.
  34. *Nepal, M.P. and B.V. Benson. 2014. Understanding Plant's Disease Surveillance. "iGrow" Book.
  35. *Nepal, M.P. 2006. Is White Mulberry a threat to Red Mulberry on Konza? Tallgrass Gazette, Spring 2006: 1-2
  36. *Nepal, M.P. and J.M. Purintun. 2020. Systematics of the Genus Morus L. (Moraceae): Taxonomy, Phylogeny and Potential Shift in Distribution Range in Response to Climate Change. In Genetic Improvement of Mulberry in Context of Climate Change (M. K. Razdan and T. Dennis Thomas, Eds.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL., USA.
  37. *Nepal, M.P. and C.M. Wake. 2017. General Botany Laboratory Manual, 4th Ed. South Dakota State University.
  38. Wake, C.M, and M.P. Nepal. 2011. General Botany Laboratory Manual. South Dakota State University. 112 p.
  39. Chaudhary, R.P., Nepal, M.P. , V.N.P. Gupta and O.R. Vetaas. 2002. Traditional use of plants by the indigenous peoples of Makalu-Barun Buffer zone, Eastern Nepal. In: Chaudhary, R.P., B.P Subedi, O.R. Vetaas and T.H. Aase (eds). Vegetation and Society: Their Interaction in the Himalayas. Tribhuvan University, Nepal and Bergen University, Norway. Pp. 83–97
Preprints
  1. White, P. T., Browning, L. M., Miller, M. L., Vestal, S. S., Lemke, M. and *M. P. Nepal. 2020. Perceptions and Usages of Online Teaching Resources by South Dakota Science and Agriculture Teachers; EdArXiv DOI: 10.35542/osf.io/wy9dj
  2. Neupane, S., A. Varenhorst and *M.P. Nepal. 2020. Characterization of Induced Susceptibility Effects of Soybean Aphid on Soybean. BioRxiv DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.25.221275
  3. Andersen, E.J, Lindsey L.E and *M. P Nepal. 2020. Genome-wide Identification of Disease Resistance Genes (R Genes) in Wheat. BioRxiv DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.18.210286
  4. *Nepal, M.P. and V.S. Berg. 2019. Ecophysiology of Potentilla gracilis Douglas ex Hook (Rosaceae): Effects of Night Temperature and Water Stress on Photosynthetic Gas Exchange. bioRxiv 685727; DOI: 10.1101/685727
  5. Andersen, E.J. and *M.P. Nepal. 2019. Diversification of Disease Resistance Receptors by Integrated Domain Fusions in Wheat and its Progenitors. bioRxiv 695148; DOI: 10.1101/695148
  6. Neupane, S., Purintun, J., Mathew, F. M., Varenhorst, A. J. and Nepal, M. P. 2019. Resistance Components and Interactions of Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Heterodera glycines (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae) in Soybean. Preprints 201906.0282. DOI: 10.20944/preprints201906.0282.v1
Conference Presentations

 (Regional/National only) Teaching Related

Media Highlights
Research

Researchers in Nepal's lab are interested in understanding plant evolution using approaches in bioinformatics, molecular phylogenetics, comparative genomics and ecological genetics. The main research goal is to provide the interested students/ researchers with the cutting-edge research experience that they can apply to their future career.

Identification and Characterization of Stress Responsive Genes in Crops
  • Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) families in legumes and other crop species.
  • Disease/Pest resistance Genes (R-genes) in legumes and other crop species.
Ecological Genetics of Both Native and Invasive Plant Species
  • Molecular Biology student in Dr. Nepal's Lab

    Molecular Systematics (e.g. Taxonomy and phylogeny of the genus Morus).

  • Community phylogenetics, and population genetics of native plants.
  • Introduction history and genetics of invasive species (e.g. Sickleweed).