Dr. Catherine W. Ernst

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Michigan State University
College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
Animal Science
Associate ProfessorAppointed: 1997

Mailing Address

3385 Anthony Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48824
United States

Contact Information

Phone: (517) 432-1941
Fax: (517) 353-1699
ernstc@msu.edu

Qualifications

Ph.D., Ohio State University, Animal Science/Molecular Genetics, 1994.
M.S., Iowa State University, Animal Breeding and Genetics, 1988.
B.S., Ohio State University, Animal Science, 1986.

Expertise and Research Interests

The overall goal of my research program is to identify and characterize genes controlling economically important traits in pigs and beef cattle. Current research projects involve mapping and functional evaluation of genes and genetic markers in pigs and cattle, identification of differentially expressed genes in developing pig skeletal muscle, integration of transcriptional profiles with genetic marker data for identifying genes controlling traits segregating in a pig resource population and establishment of a resource population for identifying quantitative trait loci for carcass merit and meat quality in beef cattle. Ultimately, this work will lead to methods to increase production efficiency for livestock producers and to improve meat quality and consistency for consumers.

Keywords

COS Keywords:

Animal Genetics or Breeding, Genomics, Livestock, Molecular Biology.

Additional Terms:

Functional Genomics, Genetic Markers, Genome Mapping, QTL, Skeletal Muscle.

Memberships

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Meat Science Association
American Physiological Society
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
American Society of Animal Science
International Mammalian Genome Society
International Society for Animal Genetics
Phi Kappa Phi
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society

Honors and Awards

2004Midwest Outstanding Young Scientist Research Award, American Society of Animal Science/American Dairy Science Association

Previous Positions

1996-1996, Postdoctoral Researcher, Iowa State University, College of Agriculture-Natural Resources, Animal Science
1994-1996, Postdoctoral Researcher, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service

Funding Received

  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Gene expression profiling during porcine skeletal muscle development and growth using a cDNA microarray., $265,000, Sep 1, 2003 to Aug 31, 2006.
  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Identification of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in pig sequence-tagged sites, $200,000, Oct 1, 1999 to Mar 31, 2003.
  • MSU All University Research Initiation Grant: Application of a novel approach for the identification of genetic loci that differ between the genomes of closely related pig populations, $14,320, May 15, 1998 to Aug 15, 1999.
  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Evaluation of candidate genes for beef quality in Irish cattle., $30,000, Mar 1, 2001 to Feb 29, 2004.
  • MSU Animal Initiative Industry Coalition: Analysis of swine quantitative trait loci through the growth phase and their impact on meat quality, $58,448, Jul 1, 2003 to Jun 30, 2004.
  • USDA Animal Health Formula Fund: Identification of genes regulated by zinc and phytase supplementation of weaned pigs, $14,925, Jul 1, 2000 to Jun 30, 2001.
  • MSU Lake City Experiment Station Rood Trust Fund Grant: Development and characterization of a beef cattle resource population for identifying loci controlling traits of economic importance, $78,640, Jul 1, 1999 to 2007.
  • USDA Animal Health Formula Fund: Identification of differentially expressed genes regulated by zinc supplementation of weaned pigs, $12,305, Jul 1, 1999 to Jun 30, 2000.
  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Integration of transcriptional profiles with genetic marker data for identifying genes controlling economically important traits in pigs, $1,000,000, 2004 to 2007.

Publications

  • Ernst, C.W., N.E. Raney, V.D. Rilington, G.A. Rohrer, J. Brouillette and P.J. Venta, Mapping of the FES and FURIN genes to porcine chromosome 7, Animal Genetics, 35, 142-143, 2004
  • Martinez, M.M., G.M. Hill, J.E. Link, N.E. Raney, R.J. Tempelman and C.W. Ernst, Impact of pharmacological zinc and phytase on liver metallothionein concentration and mRNA abundance in the young pig, Journal of Nutrition, 134, 538-544, 2004
  • Wesolowski, S.R., N.E. Raney and C.W. Ernst, Developmental changes in the fetal pig transcriptome, Physiological Genomics, 16, 268-274, 2004
  • Farber, C.R., N.E. Raney, D.L. Kuhlers, K. Nadarajah and C.W. Ernst, Mapping of porcine genetic markers generated by representational difference analysis, Anim. Biotech., 14, 87-102, 2003
  • Pagan M., M.E. Davis, D.A. Stick, R.C.M. Simmen, N.E. Raney, R.J. Tempelman and C.W. Ernst, Evaluation of serum insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP) in Angus cattle divergently selected for serum IGF-I concentration, Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 25, 345-358, 2003
  • Farber, C.R., N.E. Raney, V.D. Rilington, P.J. Venta and C.W. Ernst, Comparative mapping of genes flanking the human chromosome 12 evolutionary breakpoint in the pig, Cytogenet. Genome Res., 102, 139-144, 2003
  • Zhao, S-H., D. Nettleton, W. Liu, C.W. Fitzsimmons, C.W. Ernst, N.E. Raney and C.K. Tuggle, Complementary DNA macroarray analysis of differential gene expression in porcine fetal and postnatal muscle, Journal of Animal Science, 81, 2179-2188, 2003
  • Yao, J., P.M. Coussens, P. Saama, S. Suchyta and C.W. Ernst, Generation of expressed sequence tags from a normalized porcine skeletal muscle cDNA library, Anim. Biotech., 13, 211-222, 2002
  • Tuggle, C.K., I. Sanchez-Serrano, B. Smith, C. Ernst and L. Marklund, Cloning, sequencing and mapping the pig gene for the muscle specific intermediate filament protein desmin (DES), Animal Genetics, 30, 459-461, 1999
  • Sun, H.S., C.W. Ernst, M. Yerle, P. Pinton, M.F. Rothschild, P. Chardon, C. Rogel-Gaillard and C.K. Tuggle, Human chromosome 3 and pig chromosome 13 show complete synteny conservation but extensive gene-order differences, Cytogenet. Cell Genet., 85, 273-278, 1999
  • Ernst CW, Robic A, Yerle M, Wang L, Rothschild MF, Mapping of calpastatin and three microsatellites to porcine chromosome 2q2.1-q2.4, Animal Genetics, 29(3), 212-5, June 1998 Abstract
  • Ernst CW, Mendez EA, Robic A, Rothschild MF, Rapid communication: myogenin (MYOG) physically maps to porcine chromosome 9q2.1-q2.6, Journal of Animal Science, 76(1), 328, Jan 1998 Abstract
  • Sun, H.S., C.W. Ernst, M.F. Rothschild and C.K. Tuggle, A strategy to identify restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for gene mapping in pigs, Technical Tips Online http://tto.trends.com, No. T01369, 1998
  • Burk, N.E., L.A. Messer, C.W. Ernst and M.F. Rothschild, Identification of sequence tagged sites in the Asian and African elephant, Anim. Biotech., 9, 155-160, 1998
  • Mendez EA, Ernst CW, Rothschild MF, Rapid communication: a novel DNA polymorphism of the porcine myogenin (MYOG) gene, Journal of Animal Science, 75(7), 1984, July 1997 Abstract
  • Ernst CW, Kapke PA, Yerle M, Rothschild MF, The leptin receptor gene (LEPR) maps to porcine chromosome 6, Mammalian Genome, 8(3), 226, March 1997 Abstract
  • Ernst CW, McFarland DC, White ME, Expression of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II), IGF binding protein-2 and myogenin during differentiation of myogenic satellite cells derived from the turkey, Differentiation, 61(1), 25-33, October 1996 Abstract
  • Ernst CW, White ME, Hormonal regulation of IGF-binding protein-2 expression in proliferating C2C12 myoblasts, Journal of Endocrinology, 149(3), 417-29, June 1996 Abstract
  • Lonergan SM, Ernst CW, Bishop MD, Calkins CR, Koohmaraie M, Relationship of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) at the bovine calpastatin locus to calpastatin activity and meat tenderness, Journal of Animal Science, 73(12), 3608-12, December 1995 Abstract
  • Ernst CW, Vaske DA, Larson RG, White ME, Rothschild MF, Rapid communication: MspI restriction fragment length polymorphism at the swine MYF6 locus, Journal of Animal Science, 72(3), 799, March 1994 Abstract
  • Ernst CW, Vaske DA, Larson RG, Rothschild MF, Rapid communication: MspI restriction fragment length polymorphism at the swine myogenin locus, Journal of Animal Science, 71(12), 3479, December 1993 Abstract
  • White ME, Leaman DW, Ramsay TG, Kampman KA, Ernst CW, Osborne JM, Insulin-like growth-factor binding protein (IGFBP) serum levels and hepatic IGFBP-2 and -3 mRNA expression in diabetic and insulin-treated swine (Sus scrofa), Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. B: Comparative Biochemistry, 106(2), 341-7, October 1993 Abstract
  • Ernst CW, McCusker RH, White ME, Gene expression and secretion of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins during myoblast differentiation, Endocrinology, 130(2), 607-15, February 1992 Abstract
  • Ernst CW, Rothschild MF, Christian LL, Ewan RC, Effect of dietary sodium bicarbonate on leg structure in Duroc swine that differ genetically for leg weakness, Journal of Animal Science, 68(9), 2583-90, September 1990 Abstract

Profile Details

Last Verified: 12/10/2005

COS Expertise ID #573174
Reference this profile directly: http://myprofile.cos.com/CathyErnst