Maria Soledad Leonardi

Dr. Maria Soledad Leonardi

Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, IBIOMAR-CONICET
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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

18Years (2009-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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25 January 2017 in Systematic Biology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
JAJulie M. Allen
Julie M. Allen
BBBret Boyd
Bret Boyd
NNNam-Phuong Nguyen
Nam-Phuong Nguyen
PVPranjal Vachaspati
Pranjal Vachaspati
TWTandy Warnow
Tandy Warnow
KJKevin P. Johnson
Kevin P. Johnson
Novel sequencing technologies are rapidly expanding the size of data sets that can be applied to phylogenetic studies. Currently the most commonly used phylogenomic approaches involve some form of genome reduction. While these approaches make assembling phylogenomic data sets more economical for organisms with large genomes, they reduce the genomic coverage and thereby the long-term utility of the data. Currently, for organisms with moderate to small genomes ($<$1000 Mbp) it is feasible to sequence the entire genome at modest coverage ($10-30\times$). Computational challenges for handling these large data sets can be alleviated by assembling targeted reads, rather than assembling the entire genome, to produce a phylogenomic data matrix. Here we demonstrate the use of automated Target Restricted Assembly Method (aTRAM) to assemble 1107 single-copy ortholog genes from whole genome sequencing of sucking lice (Anoplura) and out-groups. We developed a pipeline to extract exon sequences from the aTRAM assemblies by annotating them with respect to the original target protein. We aligned these protein sequences with the inferred amino acids and then performed phylogenetic analyses on both the concatenated matrix of genes and on each gene separately in a coalescent analysis. Finally, we tested the limits of successful assembly in aTRAM by assembling 100 genes from close- to distantly related taxa at high to low levels of coverage.Both the concatenated analysis and the coalescent-based analysis produced the same tree topology, which was consistent with previously published results and resolved weakly supported nodes. These results demonstrate that this approach is successful at developing phylogenomic data sets from raw genome sequencing reads. Further, we found that with coverages above $5-10\times$, aTRAM was successful at assembling 80-90% of the contigs for both close and distantly related taxa. As sequencing costs continue to decline, we expect full genome sequencing will become more feasible for a wider array of organisms, and aTRAM will enable mining of these genomic data sets for an extensive variety of applications, including phylogenomics. [aTRAM; gene assembly; genome sequencing; phylogenomics.].

1 July 2017 in Journal of Insect Physiology
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Journal Article
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PZPaula F. Zermoglio
Paula F. Zermoglio
EREddy Robuchon
Eddy Robuchon
MLMaria Soledad Leonardi
Maria Soledad Leonardi
FCFabrice Chandre
Fabrice Chandre
Claudio R. LazzariClaudio R. Lazzari
Claudio R. Lazzari

21 March 2013 in Zootaxa
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Journal Article
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MLMaria Soledad Leonardi
Maria Soledad Leonardi
RPRicardo Luis Palma
Ricardo Luis Palma
We present a literature review of the sucking louse family Echinophthiriidae, its five genera and twelve species parasitic on pinnipeds (fur seals, sea lions, walruses, true seals) and the North American river otter. We give detailed synonymies and published records for all taxonomic hierarchies, as well as hosts, type localities and repositories of type material; we highlight significant references and include comments on the current taxonomic status of the species. We provide a summary of present knowledge of the biology and ecology for eight species. Also, we give a host-louse list, and a bibliography to the family as complete as possible.

5 July 2013 in Parasitology Research
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Journal Article
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MLMaria Soledad Leonardi
Maria Soledad Leonardi
ECE. A. Crespo
E. A. Crespo
JRJ. A. Raga
J. A. Raga
FAFrancisco Javier Aznar
Francisco Javier Aznar

1 December 2014 in Journal of Insect Physiology
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Journal Article
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MLMaria Soledad Leonardi
Maria Soledad Leonardi
Claudio R. LazzariClaudio R. Lazzari
Claudio R. Lazzari

4 March 2019 in Systematic Entomology
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Journal Article
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MLMaria Soledad Leonardi
Maria Soledad Leonardi
SHStephany Virrueta Herrera
Stephany Virrueta Herrera
ASAndrew Sweet
Andrew Sweet
JNJavier Negrete
Javier Negrete
KJKevin P. Johnson
Kevin P. Johnson