Western Illinois University: Macomb Campus

Contact Information:
309/298-1096
Waggoner Hall 358
RO-Musser@wiu.edu

Personal Homepage: faculty.wiu.edu/RO-Musser/Musser Lab site.htm

Degree:
Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Functional Genomics/Insect-Herbivore Interactions, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 2001-2003
Ph.D. Entomology (Insect-Plant Interactions) - University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 2002
M.S. Biology - Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO, 1997
B.A. Biology - Park College, Parkville, MO, 1992

Courses Taught:

• Biology 100 (Non-majors Biology)
• Zoology 200 (Animal Diversity)
• Zoology 430 (Animal Physiology)
• Botany or Zoology 476/575 (Plant-Animal Interactions)
• Botany or Zoology 476/575 (Physiological and Molecular Ecology)

Research Interests:
Molecular ecology, physiology ecology, animal and plant physiology, animal behavior; animal, plant and herbivore interactions, predator and prey interactions.

Recent Publications:
Musser, R. O., Edward Farmer, Michelle Peiffer, and Gary W. Felton. 2006.
Ablation of caterpillar labial salivary glands: Technique for determining
the role of saliva in insect-plant interactions. Journal of Chemical Ecology
32: 981-992.

Bede, J.C., Richard O. Musser, Gary W. Felton, Kenneth Korth.  2006. Caterpillar herbivory and salivary enzymes decrease transcript levels of Medicago truncatula genes encoding early enzymes in terpenoid biosynthesis. Plant Molecular Biology 60: 519-531.

Musser, R. O., Hyeong S. Kwon, Spencer A. Williams, C. James White, Mike Romano, Shay Bradbury, Judith K. Brown, and Gary W. Felton. 2005. Evidence that the Caterpillar Labial Saliva Suppresses Pathogencity of Potential BacterialPathogens. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology 58:138-144.

Musser, R. O., Don Cipollini, Sue M. Hum-Musser, Spencer A. Williams, Judith K.Brown, and Gary W. Felton. 2004. Evidence that the Caterpillar Salivary EnzymeGlucose Oxidase Provides Herbivore Offense in Solanaceous Plants. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology 58:128-137.

Musser, R.O., Hum-Musser, et al. 2003.  Increased Larval Growth and Preference for Virus-Infected Leaves by the Mexican Bean Beetle, a Plant Virus Vector. J. Chemical Ecology 28:1691-1696.

Musser, R.O., Hum-Musser, et al.  2002. Caterpillar Saliva Beats Plant Defenses: A New Weapon Emerges in the Coevolutionary Arms Race Between Plants and Herbivores. Nature 416: 599-600.

Musser, R.O., Hum-Musser, et al. 2002 Evidence that Ribonuclease Activity Present in Beetle Regurgitant is found to Stimulate Virus Resistance in Plants. J. Chemical Ecology 28:1691-1696.

Ham, C.M., J.R. Brown, R.O. Musser, C.R. Rutledge,and M.V. Meisch.  1999. Comparison of Electrostatic Versus Non-electrostatic ULV sprays of Aqua Reslin Against Anopheles quadrimaculatus adults.  J. Am. Mosq. Control Assoc. 15:312-314.

Former Students:
Marrian H. Aaneneson  2006.  Effects of jasmonate and salicylate on plants and insects in a home garden. Master Thesis

Henry K. Lee  2006.  Plant defense gene expression is conserved in tomato plants treated with caterpillar labial salivary gland extract.  Master Thesis 

Charles James White  2006.  Testing the effects of caterpillar labial salivary gland extracts on tomato plant defenses.  Master Thesis

Yaa Noel Owusu  2006.  Effects of caterpillar salivary gland extract on Zea mays gene expression on a genomic scale.  Master Thesis

Kara M. Priewe  2006.  Herbivory stimulated genomic expression of tomato plants in responses to the labial saliva of Helicoverpa zea. Honor thesis
 
Jacque Renee Gerard  2005.  Maize genomic response to Heliocoverpa zea herbivory. Master Thesis

Joseph Allen Sherman  2005.  Analysis of tomato plant defense genes in response to Beet Army Worm Caterpillar and Potato Aphid Herbivory.  Honors Thesis

Hyeog Sun Kwon  2004.  Evidence that a caterpillar salivary enzyme, glucose oxidase, suppresses infectivity of potential bacterial pathogens Serratia marcesens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  Master Thesis

Kimberly G. LeCompte  2004.  Evidence that insect saliva mediates cross-resistnace in bean plants.  Honors Thesis