Shujing Rao Postdoctoral Scientist, Agricultural Entomology/Molecular Physiology OFFICE: 109 Long Hall ADDRESS: Dept. of Entomology, Soils, & Plant Sciences, 120 Long Hall, Clemson, SC 29634-0315 TELEPHONE: 864-656-5043 FAX: 864-656-0274 E-MAIL: srao@clemson.edu

Qualifications

Ph.D., Biochemistry and Genetics, 2002, Clemson University

Research Interest

Characterization of dsRNA viruses in family Reoviridae by genome-wide sequencing method, with focus on insect dsRNA viruses, including cypoviruses and other un-classified species

Selected Publications

1. Graham, R.I., Rao, S., Sait, S.M., Mertens, P.P., Hails, R.S. 7 Possee, R.D. 2007. Characterisation and partial sequence analysis of two novel cypoviruses isolated from the winter moth Operophtera brumata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). Virus Genes, 35(2):463-71
2. Rao, S., Maan, S., Maan, N.S., Anthony, S.J., Attoui, H., Samuel, A.R. & Mertens, P.P. 2007. Rapid cDNA synthesis and sequencing techniques for the genetic study of bluetongue and other dsRNA viruses. J Virol Methods, 143(2):132-9.
   
3. Maan, S., Maan, N.S., Samuel, A.R., Rao, S., Attoui, H. & Mertens, P.P. 2007. Analysis and phylogenetic comparisons of full-length VP2 genes of the 24 bluetongue virus serotypes. J Gen Virol. 88(Pt 2):621-30.
   
4. Green, T.B., White, S., Rao, S., Mertens, P.P., Adler, P.H. & Becnel, J.J. 2007. Biological and molecular studies of a cypovirus from the black fly Simulium ubiquitum (Diptera: Simuliidae). J Invertebr Pathol. 95(1):26-32.
   
5. Graham, R.I., Rao, S., Possee, R.D., Sait, S.M., Mertens, P.P. & Hails, R.S. 2006. Detection and characterisation of three novel species of reovirus (Reoviridae), isolated from geographically separate populations of the winter moth Operophtera brumata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) on Orkney. J Invertebr Pathol. 91(2):79-87.
   
6. Green, T.B., Shapiro, A., White, S., Rao, S., Mertens, P.P., Carner, G. & Becnel, J.J. 2006. Molecular and biological characterization of a Cypovirus from the mosquito Culex restuans. J Invertebr Pathol. 91(1):27-34.
   
7. Shapiro, A., Green, T., Rao, S., White, S., Carner, G., Mertens, P.P. & Becnel, J.J. 2005. Morphological and molecular characterization of a Cypovirus (Reoviridae) from the mosquito Uranotaenia sapphirina (Diptera: Culicidae). J Virol. 79(15):9430-8.
   
8. Maan, S., Samuel, A.R., Maan, N.S., Attoui, H., Rao, S. & Mertens, P.P.C. 2005. Molecular epidemiology of bluetongue viruses from disease outbreaks in the Mediterranean Basin. Veterinaria Italia, 40, 489-496.
   
9. Maan, S., Maan, N.S., Samuel, A.R., O’Hara, R., Meyer, A.J., Rao S. & Mertens, P.P.C. 2005. Completion of the sequence analysis and comparisons of genome segment 2 (encoding outer capsid protein VP2) from representative isolates of the 24 bluetongue virus serotypes.   Veterinaria Italia, 40, 484-488.
   
10. K.P. Singh, S. Maan, A.R. Samuel, S. Rao, A. Meyer, & P.P.C. Mertens. 2005. Phylogenetic analysis of bluetongue virus genome segment 6 (encoding VP5) from different serotypes Veterinaria Italia, 40, 479-483.
    
11. Mertens, P.P.C., Rao, S. and Zhou, H. 2005.  Cypovirus, Reoviridae.  In: Virus Taxonomy, VIIIth Report of the ICTV (C.M. Fauquet, M.A. Mayo, J. Maniloff, U. Desselberger, and L.A. Ball, eds), 522-533.  Elsevier/Academic Press, London.  
12. Rao, S., Carner, G.R., Scott, S.W., Omura, T., Hagiwara, K. 2003. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases of cypoviruses in the family Reoviridae. Arch Virol. 148(2):209-19.
13. Hagiwara, K., Rao, S., Scott, S.W., Carner, G.R. 2002. Nucleotide sequences of segments 1, 3 and 4 of the genome of Bombyx mori cypovirus 1 encoding putative capsid proteins VP1, VP3 and VP4, respectively. J Gen Virol. 83(Pt 6):1477-82.
14. Rong, R., Rao, S., Scott, S.W., Carner, G.R., Tainter, F.H. 2002. Complete sequence of the genome of two dsRNA viruses from Discula destructiva. Virus Res. 90(1-2):217-24.
15. Rong, R., Rao, S., Scott, S.W., Tainter, F.H. 2001. Common multiple dsRNAs are present in populations of the fungus Discula destructiva originating from widely separated geographic locations. Curr Microbiol. Feb;42(2):144-8.