Michael J. Smith

Professor Emeritus
Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
Science

Areas of interest

Molecular evolution and phylogeny: Our research interests lie in the molecular evolution of animal mitochondrial genomes and the analyses of mechanisms leading to gene rearrangements. We are concentrating our studies on lower vertebrates, protochordates, and echinoderms.

Education

  • B.Sc. in Biology, St. Mary's College of California
  • Ph.D. in Zoology, University of British Columbia

Selected Publications

  • Scouras, A., and M.J. Smith. 2001. A novel mitochondrial gene order in the crinoid echinoderm Florometra serratissima Molecular Biology and Evolution18:61-73.
  • Reichow, D., and M.J. Smith. 2001. Microsatellites reveal a high level of gene flow among populations of the California squid Loligo opalescens. Molecular Ecology, in press.
  • Arndt, A., and M.J. Smith. 1998. Mitochondrial Gene Rearrangement in the sea cucumber genus, Cucumaria. Molecular Biology and Evolution15: 1009-1016
  • Hart, M.W., Byrne, M., and M.J. Smith. 1997. Analysis of Life-History Evolution in Asterinid Starfish. Evolution55: 1848-1861
  • Brown, J.R., K. Beckenbach, A.T. Beckenbach, and M.J. Smith. 1996. Length variation, heteroplasmy and sequence divergence in the mitochondrial DNA of four species of sturgeon (Acipenser). Genetics142: 525-535.
  • O'Foighil, Diarmaid, and Michael J. Smith. 1994. Evolution of asexuality in the cosmopolitan marine clam Lasaea. Evolution49: 140-150.
  • Smith, M.J., A. Arndt, S. Gorski, and E. Fajber. 1993. The phylogeny of echinoderm classes based on mitochondrial gene arrangements. J. Molec. Evol.36: 545-554.
  • Brown, J.R., A.T. Beckenbach, and M.J. Smith. 1993. Intraspecific DNA sequence variation of the mitochondrial control region of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). Molec. Biol. Evol.10: 326-341.
  • Brown, J.R., A.T. Beckenbach, and M.J. Smith. 1992. Mitochondrial DNA length variation and heteroplasmy in populations of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). Genetics132: 221-228.