Professor Sandie Degnan
Professorial Research Fellow
School of the Environment
+61 7 334 69005
Researcher biography
Evolutionary and ecological genomics of marine invertebrate animals.
My lab's research is driven by a fascination with genomes that carry within them endless, brilliant solutions forged by evolution over millions of years in response to a constantly changing ocean. We tap into this to learn how the genomes of coral reef invertebrates and their bacterial symbionts interact with each other, and with the environment, throughout their life cycle. We study these gene-environment interactions in evolutionary and ecological contexts, using genomic, molecular and cellular approaches combined with behavioural ecology in natural populations.
We work often with embryonic and larval life history stages of indirect developers, as these stages are crucial to the maintenance and evolution of marine populations. Our current focus is around larval settlement and metamorphosis in the holobiont of the coral reef demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica. In recent years, our work has extended to functional genomic approaches to identify noval ways to control the coral reef pest, the Crown-of-Thorns starfish.
When not immersed in the molecular or computer lab, we are lucky enough to be immersed in the ocean, often in beautiful places!
Book Chapters
Borchiellini, Carole, Degnan, Sandie M., Le Goff, Emilie, Rocher, Caroline, Vernale, Amélie, Baghdiguian, Stephen, Séjourné, Nina, Marschal, Florent, Le Bivic, André, Godefroy, Nelly, Degnan, Bernard M. and Renard, Emmanuelle (2020). Staining and Tracking Methods for Studying Sponge Cell Dynamics. Developmental Biology of the Sea Urchin and Other Marine Invertebrates . (pp. 81-97) edited by David J. Carroll and Stephen A. Stricker. New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0974-3_5
Degnan, Bernard M., Adamska, Maja, Richards, Gemma S., Larroux, Claire, Leininger, Sven, Bergum, Brith, Calcino, Andrew, Taylor, Karin, Nakanishi, Nagayasu and Degnan, Sandie M. (2015). Porifera. Evolutionary developmental biology of invertebrates 1: introduction, non-bilateria, acoelomorpha, xenoturbellida, chaetognatha. (pp. 65-106) edited by Andreas Wanninger. Vienna, Austria: Springer Verlag. doi: 10.1007/978-3-7091-1862-7
Watson, Jabin, Degnan, Bernard, Degnan, Sandie and Krömer, Jens O. (2014). Determining the biomass composition of a sponge holobiont for flux analysis. Metabolic flux analysis: methods and protocols. (pp. 107-125) edited by Jens O. Krömer, Lars K. Nielsen and Lars M. Blank. New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1170-7_7
Heyland, Andreas, Degnan, Sandie and Reitzel, Adam M. (2011). Emerging patterns in the regulation and evolution of marine invertebrate settlement and metamorphosis. Mechanisms of life history evolution: The genetics and physiology of life history traits and trade-offs. (pp. 29-42) edited by Thomas Flatt and Andreas Heyland. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Bernard M. Degnan, Adamska, Maja, Craigie, Alina, Degnan, Sandie M., Fahey, Bryony, Gauthier, Marie, Hooper, John N. A., Larroux, Claire, Leys, Sally P., Lovas, Erica and Richards, Gemma S. (2009). The Demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica: Reconstructing the ancestral metazoan genome and deciphering the origin of animal multicellularity. Emerging Model Organisms: A Laboratory Manual. (pp. 139-166) edited by Gann, Alexander and Crotty, David. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.
Baverstock, P. R., Degnan, S. and Joseph, L. (1994). Units of management in biological conservation. Conservation Biology in Australia and Oceania. (pp. 287-293) Chipping Norton, NSW: Surrey Beatty & Sons.
Journal Articles
Morin, Marie, Jönsson, Mathias, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2024). Seasonal tissue-specific gene expression in wild crown-of-thorns starfish reveals reproductive and stress-related transcriptional systems. PLOS Biology, 22 (5) e3002620, e3002620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002620
Xiang, Xueyan, Vilar Gomez, Arturo A., Blomberg, Simone P., Yuan, Huifang, Degnan, Bernard M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2023). Potential for host-symbiont communication via neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in an aneural animal, the marine sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 17 1250694, 1-12. doi: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1250694
Morin, Marie, Jönsson, Mathias, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2023). Captivity induces a sweeping and sustained genomic response in a starfish. Molecular Ecology, 32 (13), 3541-3556. doi: 10.1111/mec.16947
Hewitt, Olivia H. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2023). Antioxidant enzymes that target hydrogen peroxide are conserved across the animal kingdom, from sponges to mammals. Scientific Reports, 13 (1) 2510, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-29304-6
Degnan, Bernard M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2023). How larvae and life cycles evolve. Trends in Genetics, 39 (7), 528-530. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.03.008
Jönsson, Mathias, Morin, Marie, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2022). Sex-specific expression of pheromones and other signals in gravid starfish. BMC Biology, 20 (1) 288, 1-18. doi: 10.1186/s12915-022-01491-0
Hewitt, Olivia H. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2022). Distribution and diversity of ROS-generating enzymes across the animal kingdom, with a focus on sponges (Porifera). BMC Biology, 20 (1) 212, 212. doi: 10.1186/s12915-022-01414-z
Yuan, Huifang, Hatleberg, William L., Degnan, Bernard M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2022). Gene activation of metazoan Fox transcription factors at the onset of metamorphosis in the marine demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Development, Growth and Differentiation, 64 (8), 455-468. doi: 10.1111/dgd.12812
Xiang, Xueyan, Poli, Davide, Degnan, Bernard M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2022). Ribosomal RNA-depletion provides an efficient method for successful dual RNA-Seq expression profiling of a marine sponge holobiont. Marine Biotechnology, 24 (4), 722-732. doi: 10.1007/s10126-022-10138-8
Wong, Eunice, Anggono, Victor, Williams, Stephen R., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2022). Phototransduction in a marine sponge provides insights into the origin of animal vision. iScience, 25 (6) 104436, 104436. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104436
Cornejo-Paramo, Paola, Roper, Kathrein, Degnan, Sandie, Degnan, Bernard and Wong, Emily S (2022). Distal regulation, silencers, and a shared combinatorial syntax are hallmarks of animal embryogenesis. Genome Research, 32 (3), 474-487. doi: 10.1101/gr.275864.121
Medina, Mónica, Baker, David M., Baltrus, David A., Bennett, Gordon M., Cardini, Ulisse, Correa, Adrienne M. S., Degnan, Sandie M., Christa, Gregor, Kim, Eunsoo, Li, Jingchun, Nash, David R., Marzinelli, Ezequiel, Nishiguchi, Michele, Prada, Carlos, Roth, Melissa S., Saha, Mahasweta, Smith, Christopher I., Theis, Kevin R. and Zaneveld, Jesse (2022). Grand challenges in coevolution. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9 618251. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2021.618251
Song, Hao, Hewitt, Olivia H. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2020). Arginine biosynthesis by a bacterial symbiont enables nitric oxide production and facilitates larval settlement in the marine-sponge host. Current Biology, 31 (2), 433-437.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.051
Say, Tahsha E. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2020). Molecular and behavioural evidence that interdependent photo ‐ and chemosensory systems regulate larval settlement in a marine sponge. Molecular Ecology, 29 (2) mec.15318, 247-261. doi: 10.1111/mec.15318
Wong, Eunice, Mölter, Jan, Anggono, Victor, Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2019). Co-expression of synaptic genes in the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica uncovers ancient neural submodules. Scientific Reports, 9 (1) 15781, 15781. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-51282-x
Levin, Michal, Anavy, Leon, Cole, Alison G., Winter, Eitan, Mostov, Natalia, Khair, Sally, Senderovich, Naftalie, Kovalev, Ekaterina, Silver, David H., Feder, Martin, Fernandez-Valverde, Selene L., Nakanishi, Nagayasu, Simmons, David, Simakov, Oleg, Larsson, Tomas, Liu, Shang-Yun, Jerafi-Vider, Ayelet, Yaniv, Karina, Ryan, Joseph F., Martindale, Mark Q., Rink, Jochen C., Arendt, Detlev, Degnan, Sandie M., Degnan, Bernard M., Hashimshony, Tamar and Yanai, Itai (2019). Author correction: The mid-developmental transition and the evolution of animal body plans (Nature, (2016), 531, 7596, (637-641), 10.1038/nature16994). Nature, 575 (7782), E3-E3. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1698-x
de Mendoza, Alex, Hatleberg, William L., Pang, Kevin, Leininger, Sven, Bogdanovic, Ozren, Pflueger, Jahnvi, Buckberry, Sam, Technau, Ulrich, Hejnol, Andreas, Adamska, Maja, Degnan, Bernard M., Degnan, Sandie M. and Lister, Ryan (2019). Convergent evolution of a vertebrate-like methylome in a marine sponge. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3 (10), 1464-1473. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0983-2
Sogabe, Shunsuke, Hatleberg, William L., Kocot, Kevin M., Say, Tahsha E., Stoupin, Daniel, Roper, Kathrein E., Fernandez-Valverde, Selene L., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2019). Pluripotency and the origin of animal multicellularity. Nature, 570 (7762), 519-522. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1290-4
Krishnan, Arunkumar, Degnan, Bernard M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2019). The first identification of complete Eph-ephrin signalling in ctenophores and sponges reveals a role for neofunctionalization in the emergence of signalling domains. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 19 (1) 96, 96. doi: 10.1186/s12862-019-1418-z
Jindrich, Katia, Roper, Kathrein E., Lemon, Sussan, Degnan, Bernard M., Reitzel, Adam M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2017). Origin of the animal circadian clock: diurnal and light-entrained gene expression in the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Frontiers in Marine Science, 4 (OCT) 327. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00327
Gold, D. A., O'Reilly, S. S., Watson, J., Degnan, B. M., Degnan, S. M., Krömer, J. O. and Summons, R. E. (2017). Lipidomics of the sea sponge Amphimedon queenslandica and implication for biomarker geochemistry. Geobiology, 15 (6), 836-843. doi: 10.1111/gbi.12253
Watson, Jabin R., Kroemer, Jens O., Degnan, Bernard M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2017). Seasonal changes in environmental nutrient availability and biomass composition in a coral reef sponge. Marine Biology, 164 (6) 135. doi: 10.1007/s00227-017-3167-0
Hall, Michael R., Kocot, Kevin M., Baughman, Kenneth W., Fernandez-Valverde, Selene L., Gauthier, Marie E. A., Hatleberg, William L. ., Krishnan, Arunkumar, McDougall, Carmel, Motti, Cherie A., Shoguchi, Eiichi, Wang, Tianfang, Xiang, Xueyan, Zhao, Min, Bose, Utpal, Shinzato, Chuya, Hisata, Kanako, Fujie, Manabu, Kanda, Miyuki, Cummins, Scott F., Satoh, Noriyuki, Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2017). The crown-of-thorns starfish genome as a guide for biocontrol of this coral reef pest. Nature, 544 (7649), 231-234. doi: 10.1038/nature22033
Grice, Laura F., Gauthier, Marie E. A., Roper, Kathrein E., Fernàndez-Busquets, Xavier, Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2017). Origin and evolution of the sponge aggregation factor gene family. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 34 (5), 1083-1099. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msx058
Ueda, Nobuo, Richards, Gemma S., Degnan, Bernard M., Kranz, Alexandrea, Adamska, Maja, Croll, Roger P. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2016). An ancient role for nitric oxide in regulating the animal pelagobenthic life cycle: evidence from a marine sponge. Scientific Reports, 6 (37546) 37546, 37546. doi: 10.1038/srep37546
Fieth, Rebecca A. , Gauthier, Marie-Emilie A. , Bayes, Joanne, Green, Kathryn M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2016). Ontogenetic changes in the bacterial symbiont community of the tropical demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica: metamorphosis is a new beginning. Frontiers in Marine Science, 3 (NOV) 228. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2016.00228
Gauthier, Marie-Emilie A., Watson, Jabin R. and Degnan, Sandra M. (2016). Draft genomes shed light on the dual bacterial symbiosis that dominates the microbiome of the coral reef sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Frontiers in Marine Science, 3 (OCT) 196, 196.1-196.18. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2016.00196
Gurung, Raj D., Iwata, Masaki, Hiyama, Atsuki, Taira, Wataru, Degnan, Bernard, Degnan, Sandie and Otaki, Joji M. (2016). Comparative morphological analysis of the immature stages of the grass blue butterflies Zizeeria and Zizina (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Zoological Science, 33 (4), 384-400. doi: 10.2108/zs150171
Levin, Michal, Anavy, Leon, Cole, Alison G., Winter, Eitan, Mostov, Natalia, Khair, Sally, Senderovich, Naftalie, Kovalev, Ekaterina, Silver, David H., Feder, Martin, Fernandez-Valverde, Selene L., Nakanishi, Nagayasu, Simmons, David, Simakov, Oleg, Larsson, Tomas, Liu, Shang-Yun, Jerafi-Vider, Ayelet, Yaniv, Karina, Ryan, Joseph F., Martindale, Mark Q., Rink, Jochen C., Arendt, Detlev, Degnan, Sandie M., Degnan, Bernard M., Hashimshony, Tamar and Yanai, Itai (2016). The mid-developmental transition and the evolution of animal body plans. Nature, 531 (7596), 637-641. doi: 10.1038/nature16994
Degnan, Sandie M. (2015). The surprisingly complex immune gene repertoire of a simple sponge, exemplified by the NLR genes: a capacity for specificity?. Developmental and Comparative Immunology, 48 (2), 269-274. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2014.07.012
Degnan, Sandie M. (2014). Think laterally: horizontal gene transfer from symbiotic microbes may extend the phenotype of marine sessile hosts. Frontiers in Microbiology, 5 (NOV) 638, 137-151. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00638
Ueda, Nobuo and Degnan, Sandie M (2014). Nitric oxide is not a negative regulator of metamorphic induction in the abalone Haliotis asinina. Frontiers in Marine Science, 1 (Article 21) 21. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2014.00021
Bilewitch, Jaret P., Ekins, Merrick, Hooper, John and Degnan, Sandie M. (2014). Molecular and morphological systematics of the Ellisellidae (Coelenterata: Octocorallia): Parallel evolution in a globally distributed family of octocorals. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 73 (1), 106-118. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2014.01.023
Bilewitch, J. P., Ekins, M., Hooper, J. and Degnan, S. M. (2014). Corrigendum to "Molecular and morphological systematics of the Ellisellidae (Coelenterata: Octocorallia): Parallel evolution in a globally distributed family of octocorals" [Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 73 (2014) 106-118] (DOI:10.1016/j.ympev.2014.01.023). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 78, 399-399. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2014.05.025
Yuen, Benedict, Bayes, Joanne M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2014). The characterization of sponge NLRs provides insight into the origin and evolution of this innate immune gene family in animals. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 31 (1), 106-120. doi: 10.1093/molbev/mst174
Watson, Jabin R., Brennan, Timothy C. R., Degnan, Bernard M., Degnan, Sandie M. and Kromer, Jens O. (2014). Analysis of the biomass composition of the demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica on Heron Island Reef, Australia. Marine Drugs, 12 (6), 3733-3753. doi: 10.3390/md12063733
Ueda, Nobuo and Degnan, Sandie M. (2013). Nitric oxide acts as a positive regulator to induce metamorphosis of the ascidian Herdmania momus. PLoS ONE, 8 (9) e72797, e72797.1-e72797.16. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072797
Hentschel, Ute, Piel, Jorn, Degnan, Sandie M. and Taylor, Michael W. (2012). Genomic insights into the marine sponge microbiome. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 10 (9), 641-654. doi: 10.1038/nrmicro2839
Conaco, Cecilia, Bassett, Danielle S., Zhou, Hongjun, Arcila, Mary Luz, Degnan, Sandie M., Degnan, Bernard M. and Kosik, Kenneth S. (2012). Functionalization of a protosynaptic gene expression network. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109 (Supplement 1), 10612-10618. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1201890109
Conaco, Cecilia, Neveu, Pierre, Zhou, Hongjun, Arcila, Mary L., Degnan, Sandie M., Degnan, Bernard M. and Kosik, Kenneth S. (2012). Transcriptome profiling of the demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica reveals genome-wide events that accompany major life cycle transitions. BMC Genomics, 13 (1) 209, 209.1-209.19. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-209
York, Patrick S., Cummins, Scott F., Degnan, Sandie M., Woodcroft, Ben J. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2012). Marked changes in neuropeptide expression accompany broadcast spawnings in the gastropod Haliotis asinina. Frontiers in Zoology, 9 (1) 9, 9.1-9.16. doi: 10.1186/1742-9994-9-9
York, Patrick S., Cummins, Scott F., Lucas, Tim, Blomberg, Simon P., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2012). Differential expression of neuropeptides correlates with growth rate in cultivated Haliotis asinina (Vetigastropoda: Mollusca). Aquaculture, 334-337, 159-168. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2011.12.019
Jackson, Daniel J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2012). Variation in rates of early development in Haliotis asinina generate competent larvae of different ages. Frontiers in Zoology, 9 (1) 2, 2. doi: 10.1186/1742-9994-9-2
Stewart, Praphaporn, Williams, Elizabeth A., Stewart, Michael J., Soonklang, Nantawan, Degnan, Sandie M., Cummins, Scott F., Hanna, Peter J. and Sobhon, Prasert (2011). Characterization of a GABA(A) receptor beta subunit in the abalone Haliotis asinina that is upregulated during larval development. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 410, 53-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2011.10.005
Kerner, Pierre, Degnan, Sandie M., Marchand, Lauriane, Degnan, Bernhard M. and Vervoort, Michel (2011). Evolution of RNA-binding proteins in animals: Insights from genome-wide analysis in the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 28 (8), 2289-2303. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msr046
Bilewitch, Jaret P. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2011). A unique horizontal gene transfer event has provided the octocoral mitochondrial genome with an active mismatch repair gene that has potential for an unusual self-contained function. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 11 (228) 228, 1-14. doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-11-228
Srivastava, Mansi, Simakov, Oleg, Chapman, Jarrod, Fahey, Bryony, Gauthier, Marie E. A., Mitros, Therese, Richards, Gemma S., Conaco, Cecilia, Dacre, Michael, Hellsten, Uffe, Larroux, Claire, Putnam, Nicholas H., Stanke, Mario, Adamska, Maja, Darling, Aaron, Degnan, Sandie M., Oakley, Todd H., Plachetzki, David C., Zhai, Yufeng F., Adamski, Marcin, Calcino, Andrew, Cummins, Scott F., Goodstein, David M., Harris, Christina, Jackson, Daniel J., Leys, Sally P., Shu, Shengqiang Q., Woodcroft, Ben J., Vervoort, Michel ... Rokhsar, Daniel S. (2010). The Amphimedon queenslandica genome and the evolution of animal complexity. Nature, 466 (7307), 720-726. doi: 10.1038/nature09201
Kranz, Alexandrea M, Tollenaere, Alina, Norris, Belinda J., Degnan, Bernard M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2010). Identifying the germline in an equally cleaving mollusc: Vasa and Nanos expression during embryonic and larval development of the vetigastropod Haliotis asinina. Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part B, Molecular and Developmental Evolution, 314B (4), 267-279. doi: 10.1002/jez.b.21336
Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2010). The initiation of metamorphosis as an ancient polyphenic trait and its role in metazoan life-cycle evolution. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, 365 (1540), 641-651. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0248
Maritz, Karin, Calcino, Andrew, Fahey, Bryony, Degnan, Bernie and Degnan, Sandie M. (2010). Remarkable consistency of larval release in the spermcast-mating demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica (Hooper and van Soest). The Open Marine Biology Journal, 4 (Special Issue #001), 57-64. doi: 10.2174/1874450801004010057
Maritz, Karin, Calcino, Andrew, Fahey, Bryony, Degnan, Bernie and Degnan, Sandie M. (2010). Remarkable consistency of larval release in the spermcast-mating demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica (Hooper and van Soest). The Open Marine Biology Journal, 4, 57-64. doi: 10.2174/1874450801004010057
Williams, Elizabeth A. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2009). Carry-over effect of larval settlement cue on postlarval gene expression in the marine gastropod Haliotis asinina. Molecular Ecology, 18 (21), 4434-4449. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2009.04371.x
Williams, E.A., Cummins, S.F. and Degnan, S.M. (2009). Settlement specifics: Effective induction of abalone settlement and metamorphosis corresponds to biomolecular composition of natural cues. Communicative and Integrative Biology, 2 (4), 347-349. doi: 10.4161/cib.2.4.8553
Williams, Elizabeth A., Degnan, Bernard M., Gunter, Helen, Jackson, Daniel J., Woodcroft, Ben J. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2009). Widespread transcriptional changes pre-empt the critical pelagic–benthic transition in the vetigastropod Haliotis asinina. Molecular Ecology, 18 (5), 1006-1025. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.04078.x
Degnan, Sandie M., Craigie, Alina and Degnan, Bernard M. (2008). Genotyping individual Amphimedon embryos, larvae, and adults. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols, 3 (12), pdb.prot5098. doi: 10.1101/pdb.prot5098
Degnan, Bernard M., Adamska, Maja, Craigie, Alina, Degnan, Sandie M., Fahey, Bryony, Gauthier, Marie, Hooper, John N. A., Larroux, Claire, Leys, Sally P., Lovas, Erica and Richards, Gemma S. (2008). The demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica: Reconstructing the ancestral metazoan genome and deciphering the origin of animal multicellularity. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols, 3 (12), 1-6. doi: 10.1101/pdb.emo108
Leys, Sally P., Larroux, Claire, Gauthier, Marie, Adamska, Maja, Fahey, Bryony, Richards, Gemma S., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2008). Isolation of Amphimedon Developmental Material. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols, 3 (12), pdb.prot5095. doi: 10.1101/pdb.prot5095
Williams, Elizabeth A., Craigie, Alina, Yeates, Alice and Degnan, Sandie M. (2008). Articulated Coralline Algae of the Genus Amphiroa Are Highly Effective Natural Inducers of Settlement in the Tropical Abalone Haliotis asinina. Biological Bulletin, 215 (1), 98-107. doi: 10.2307/25470687
Larroux, C., Fahey, B., Degnan, S. M., Adamski, M., Rokhsar, D. S. and Degnan, B. M. (2007). The NK homeobox gene cluster predates the origin of Hox genes. Current Biology, 17 (8), 706-710. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2007.03.008
Imron, Jeffrey, Bernadine, Hale, Peter, Degnan, Bernard M. and Degnan, Sandie M. (2007). Pleistocene isolation and recent gene flow in Haliotis asinina, an Indo-Pacific vetigastropod with limited dispersal capacity. Molecular Ecology, 16 (2), 289-304. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.03141.x
Adamska, Maja, Degnan, Sandie M., Green, Kathryn M., Adamski, Marcin, Craigie, Alina, Larroux, Claire and Degnan, Bernard M. (2007). Wnt and TGF-b expression in the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica and the origin of metazoan embryonic patterning. PLoS One, 2 (10) e1031, 1-6. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001031
Jacobs, Molly, Degnan, Sandie M., Woods, Rick, Williams, Elizabeth, Roper, Kathrein E., Green, Kathryn and Degnan, Bernard M. (2006). The effect of larval age on morphology and gene expression during ascidian metamorphosis. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 46 (6), 760-776. doi: 10.1093/icb/icl015
Degnan, Sandie M., Imron, Geiger, Daniel L. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2006). Evolution in temperate and tropical seas: Disparate patterns in southern hemisphere abalone (Mollusca : Vetigastropoda : Haliotidae). Molecular Phylogenetics And Evolution, 41 (1), 249-256. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2006.06.023
Degnan, S. M. and Degnan, B. M. (2006). The origin of the pelagobenthic metazoan life cycle: what's sex got to do with it?. Integrative And Comparative Biology, 46 (6), 683-690. doi: 10.1093/icb/icl028
Lucas, T., Macbeth, M., Degnan, S. M., Knibb, W. and Degnan, B. M. (2006). Heritability estimates for growth in the tropical abalone Haliotis asinina using microsatellites to assign parentage. Aquaculture, 259 (1-4), 146-152. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2006.05.039
Clegg, S. M., Degnan, S. M., Moritz, C. C., Estoup, A., Kikkawa, J. and Owens, I. P. (2002). Microevolution in island forms: the roles of drift and directional selection in morphological divergence of a passerine bird. Evolution, 56 (10), 2090-2099. doi: 10.1111/j.0014-3820.2002.tb00134.x
Clegg, S. M., Degnan, S. M., Kikkawa, J., Moritz, C.C., Estoup, A. and Owens, I. P. (2002). Genetic consequences of sequential founder events by an island-colonizing bird. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 99 (12), 8127-8132. doi: 10.1073/pnas.102583399
Selvamani, Maria John P., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2001). Microsatellite genotyping of individual abalone larvae: parentage assignment in aquaculture. Marine Biotechnology, 3 (5), 478-485. doi: 10.1007/s1012601-0062-X
Robertson, B. C., Degnan, S. M., Kikkawa, J. and Moritz, C. C. (2001). Genetic monogamy in the absence of paternity guards: the Capricorn silvereye, Zosterops lateralis chlorocephalus, on Heron Island. Behavioural Ecology, 12 (6), 666-673. doi: 10.1093/beheco/12.6.666
Selvamani, M. J. P., Degnan, S. M., Paetkau, D. and Degnan, B. M. (2000). Highly polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Heron Reef population of the tropical abalone Haliotis asinina. Molecular Ecology, 9 (8), 1184-1186. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.00954-9.x
Giusti, A. F., Hinman, V. F., Degnan, S. M., Degnan, B. M and Morse, D. E. (2000). Expression of a Scr/Hox5 gene in the larval central nervous system of the gastropod Haliotis, a non-segmented spiralian lophotrochozoan. Evolution and Development, 2 (5), 294-302. doi: 10.1046/j.1525-142x.2000.00071.x
Degnan, S. M., Robertson, B. C., Clegg, S. M. and Moritz, C. C. (1999). Microsatellite primers for studies of gene flow and mating systems in white-eyes (Zosterops). Molecular Ecology, 8 (1), 159-160. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-294x.1999.00799.x
Zhu, DQ, Degnan, S and Moritz, C (1998). Evolutionary distinctiveness and status of the endangered Lake Eacham rainbowfish (Melanotaenia eachamensis). Conservation Biology, 12 (1), 80-93. doi: 10.1046/j.1523-1739.1998.96330.x
Degnan, BM, Degnan, SM and Morse, DE (1997). Muscle-specific regulation of tropomyosin gene expression and myofibrillogenesis differs among muscle systems examined at metamorphosis of the gastropod Haliotis rufescens. Development Genes And Evolution, 206 (7), 464-471. doi: 10.1007/s004270050076
Degnan, BM, Degnan, SM, Fentenany, G and Morse, DE (1997). A Mox homeobox gene in the gastropod mollusc Haliotis rufescens is differentially expressed during larval morphogenesis and metamorphosis. Febs Letters, 411 (1), 119-122. doi: 10.1016/S0014-5793(97)00571-1
Degnan, BM, Souter, D, Degnan, SM and Long, SC (1997). Induction of metamorphosis with potassium ions requires development of competence and an anterior signalling centre in the ascidian Herdmania momus. Development Genes And Evolution, 206 (6), 370-376. doi: 10.1007/s004270050066
Degnan, B. M., Degnan, S. M., Giusti, A. and Morse, D. E. (1995). A Hox/HOM homeobox gene in sponges.. Gene, 155 (2), 175-178. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(94)00908-B
Degnan, S. M. (1994). DNA fingerprinting in wildlife management. Australasian Biotechnology, 4 (3), 163-166.
Baverstock, P., Degnan, S,, Joseph, L. and Parkin, D. (1994). Genetics and the conservation of birds. Avian Conservation Biology: International Council for Bird Preservation Bulletin on Endangered Species
Baverstock, P. R., Joseph, L. and Degnan, S. (1994). Units of management in biological conservation. Conservation biology in Australia and Oceania, 287-293.
Degnan, S. M. (1993). The perils of single gene trees - mitochondrial versus single-copy nuclear DNA variation in white-eyes (Aves: Zosteropidae). Molecular Ecology, 2 (4), 219-225. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.1993.tb00011.x
Degnan, Sandie M. (1993). Genetic variability and population differentiation inferred from DNA finger-printing in silvereyes (Aves: Zosteropidae). Evolution, 47 (4), 1105-1117. doi: 10.2307/2409978
Degnan, B. M., Degnan, S. M., Naganuma, T. and Morse, D. E. (1993). The ets multigene family is conserved throughout the Metazoa. Nucleic Acids Research., 21 (15), 3479-3484. doi: 10.1093/nar/21.15.3479
Degnan, Sandie M. and Moritz, Craig (1992). Phylogeography of mitochondrial DNA of two species of white-eye in Australia. Auk, 109 (4), 800-811.
Conference Papers
Say, Tahsha and Degnan, Sandie (2016). The perception of environmental signals that initiate the major pelago-benthic life cycle transition in the sponge, Amphimedon queenslandica. 17th International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste (ISOT), Yokohama Japan, 5-9 June 2016. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjw091
Hatleberg, W. L., Degnan, S. M. and Degnan, B. M. (2016). One genome, two body plans: how do larval and adult gene expression profiles differ in the sponge WAmphimedon queenslandica?. Annual Meeting of the Society-for-Integrative-and-Comparative-Biology (SICB), Portland, OR, United States, 3-7 January 2016. CARY: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC.
Nakanishi, N., Degnan, S. M. and Degnan, B. M. (2015). Sensory biology of sponge settlement and metamorphosis: towards defining the baseline for nervous system evolution. Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB), West Palm Beach Fl, 3-7 January 2015. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Nakanishi, Nagayasu, Stoupin, Daniel, Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2015). Sensory flask cells in sponge larvae regulate metamorphosis via calcium signaling. Annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, West Palm Beach, Florida, United States, 3-7 January 2015. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/icb/icv014
Ueda, N and Degnan, SM (2012). Nitric oxide as a regulator of marine invertebrate metamorphosis: behavioural and molecular insights. Annual Meeting of the Society-for-Integrative-and-Comparative-Biology (SICB), Charleston Sc, Jan 03-07, 2012.
York, Patrick S., Cummins, Scott F., Degnan, Sandie M., Woodcroft, Ben J. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2010). Identification of genes differentially expressed in the ganglia of growing haliotis asinina. 7th International Symposium on Abalone Biology, Fisheries and Culture, Pattaya, Thailand, 19-24 July 2009. Hanover, PA, United States: National Shellfisheries Association. doi: 10.2983/035.029.0328
Degnan, S. M. and Degnan, B. M. (2006). The origin of the metazoan biphasic life cycle: New insights from an ancient phylum. SICB Annual Meeting 2006, Orlando, FL, January 4-8, 2006. McLean. VA: Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. doi: 10.1093/icb/45.6.955
Clegg, S.M., Degnan, S. M., Kikkawa, J., Moritz, C.C. and Owens, I. P. F. (1999). MtDNA, microsatellites and coalescence: tracing the colonisation of silvereyes through the Southwest Pacific. 22nd International Ornithological Congress, Durban, South Africa, August, 1998. Johannesburg, SA.: Birdlife South Africa.
Data Collection
Degnan, Bernard, Degnan, Sandra, Fernandez Valverde, Selene and Gauthier, Marie (2013). Marine Genomics: Sea Sponge and Other Invertebrate Genomic Resources for the Great Barrier Reef. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/9e2e4bc