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ARS Home Northeast Area Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Bee Research Laboratory People & Locations







Anna  Childers

                                                                (PhD)
                        Bee Research Laboratory

                        




                        
                        Computational Biologist
                        Phone: (301) 504-8668
                        
                        
                        Fax: (Employee information on this page comes from the REE Directory. Please contact your front office staff to update the REE Directory.)
                            ProjectsManaging Honey Bees Against Disease and Colony Stress
                                                    In-House Appropriated
                                                                    (D)Accession Number: 438129Locust Sequencing as Genomic Infrastructure for the Study of Phenotypic Plasticity by the Behavioral Plasticity Research Institute (BPRI)
                                                    Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
                                                                    (R)Accession Number: 441286**Publications**
                                                (Clicking on the reprint icon
                                                    Reprint Icon
                                                    will take you to the publication reprint.)Identification of sex chromosomes and primary sex ratio in the small hive beetle, a worldwide parasite of honey bees
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Huang, Q., Sim, S.B., Geib, S.M., Childers, A.K., Liu, J., Wei, X., Han, W., Posada-Florez, F.J., Xue, A., Li, Z., Evans, J.D. 2023. Identification of sex chromosomes and primary sex ratio in the small hive beetle, a worldwide parasite of honey bees. Gigascience. 12:1-9.  https://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giad056.The expansion of agriculture has shaped the recent evolutionary history of a specialized squash pollinator
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Pope, N.S., Singh, A., Childers, A.K., Kapheim, K.M., Evans, J.D., Lopez-Uribe, M.M. 2023. The expansion of agriculture has shaped the recent evolutionary history of a specialized squash pollinator. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). 120(15):e2208116120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2208116120.polishCLR: a Nextflow workflow for polishing PacBio CLR genome assemblies
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Chang, J., Stahlke, A.R., Chudalayandi, S., Rosen, B.D., Childers, A.K., Severin, A. 2023. polishCLR: a Nextflow workflow for polishing PacBio CLR genome assemblies. Genome Biology and Evolution. 15(3): Article evad020. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evad020.Chromosome-scale genome assembly of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, a global pest of cotton
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Stahlke, A.R., Chang, J., Chudalayandi, S., Heu, C.C., Geib, S.M., Scheffler, B.E., Childers, A.K., Fabrick, J.A. 2023. Chromosome-scale genome assembly of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, a global pest of cotton. G3, Genes/Genomes/Genetics. 13(4). Article jkad040. https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkad040.Insight into weevil biology from a reference quality genome of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Cohen, Z.P., Perkin, L.C., Sim, S.B., Stahlke, A.R., Geib, S.M., Childers, A.K., Smith, T.P., Suh, C.P. 2022. Insight into weevil biology from a reference quality genome of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). G3, Genes/Genomes/Genetics. Article jkac309. https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkac309.A chromosome-scale genome assembly of a Helicoverpa zea strain resistant to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac insecticidal protein
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Stahlke, A.R., Chen, J., Tembrock, L.R., Sim, S.B., Chudalayandi, S., Geib, S.M., Scheffler, B.E., Perera, O.P., Gilligan, T.M., Childers, A.K., Hackett, K.J., Coates, B.S. 2022. A chromosome-scale genome assembly of a Helicoverpa zea strain resistant to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac insecticidal protein. Genome Biology and Evolution. 15(3). Article evac131. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evac131.A chromosome-scale genome assembly of a Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac insecticidal protein resistant strain of Helicoverpa zea
                                                        

- (Pre-print Publication)Stahlke, A.R., Chen, J.M., Tembrock, L.R., Sim, S.B., Chudalayandi, S., Geib, S.M., Scheffler, B.E., Perera, O.P., Gilligan, T.M., Childers, A.K., Hackett, K.J., Coates, B.S. 2022. A chromosome-scale genome assembly of a Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac insecticidal protein resistant strain of Helicoverpa zea. bioRxiv. 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.04.12.488070.Cold case: The disappearance of Egypt bee virus, a fourth distinct master strain of deformed wing virus linked to honeybee mortality in 1970’s Egypt
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)De Miranda, J.R., Brettell, L.E., Chejanovsky, N., Childers, A.K., Dalmon, A., Deboutte, W., De Graaf, D.C., Doublet, V., Gebremedhn, H., Genersch, E., Gisder, S., Granberg, F., Haddad, N.J., Kaden, R., Manley, R., Matthijinssens, J., Meeus, I., Migdadi, H., Milbrath, M.O., Mondet, F., Remnant, E.J., Roberts, J.M., Ryabov, E., Sela, N., Smagghe, G., Somanathan, H., Wilfert, L., Wright, O.N., Martin, S.J., Ball, B.V. 2021. Cold case: The disappearance of Egypt bee virus, a fourth distinct master strain of deformed wing virus linked to honeybee mortality in 1970’s Egypt. Virology Journal. 19:12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-022-01740-2.Why sequence all eukaryotes?
                                                        

- (Other)Blaxter, M.L., Archibald, J.M., Childers, A.K., Coddington, J.A., Crandall, K.A., Dipalma, F., Durbin, R., Edwards, S.V., Graves, J.A., Hackett, K.J., Hall, N., Jarvis, E.D., Johnson, R.N., Karlsson, E.K., Kress, J.W., Kuraku, S., Lawniczak, M.K., Lindblad-Toh, K., Lopez, J., Moran, N.A., Robinson, G.E., Ryder, O.A., Shapiro, B., Soltis, P.S., Warnow, T., Zhang, G., Lewin, H.A. 2022. Why sequence all eukaryotes?. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS). 119:(4) e2115636118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2115636118.The Earth BioGenome project 2020: Starting the Clock
                                                        

- (Other)2022. The Earth BioGenome project 2020: Starting the Clock. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS). 119:(4) e2115635118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2115635118.The Earth BioGenome Project 2020: Starting the Clock
                                                        

- (Other)Lewin, H.A., Richards, S., Lieberman, A.E., Allende, M.L., Archibald, J.M., Balint, M., Barker, K.B., Baumgartner, B., Belov, K., Bertorelle, G., Blaxter, M.L., Cai, J., Caperello, N.D., Carlson, K., Castilla-Rubio, J.C., Chaw, S., Chen, L., Childers, A.K., Coddington, J.A., Conde, D.A., Corominas, M., Crandall, K.A., Crawford, A.J., Dipalma, F., Durbin, R., Ebenezer, T.E., Edwards, S.V., Federigo, O., Flicek, P., Formenti, G., Gibbs, R.A., Gilbert, T., Goldstein, M.M., Graves, J.A., Greely, H.T., Grigoriev, I.V., Hackett, K.J., Hall, N., Haussler, D., Helgen, K.M., Hogg, C., Isobe, S., Jakobsen, K.S., Janke, A., Jarvis, E.D., Johnson, W.E., Jones, S.J., Karlsson, E.K., Kersey, P., Kim, J., Kress, J.W., Kuraku, S., Lawniczak, M.K., Leebens-Mack, J., Li, X., Lindblad-Toh, K., Liu, X., Lopez, J., Marques-Bonet, T., Mazard, S., Mazet, J.A., Mazzoni, C.J., Myers, G., O'Neill, R.J., Paez, S., Park, H., Robinson, G.E., Roquet, C., Ryder, O.A., Sabir, J.S., Shaffer, B.H., Shank, T.M., Sherkow, J.S., Soltis, P.S., Tang, B., Tedersoo, L., Uliano-Silva, M., Wang, K., Wei, X., Wetzer, R., Wilson, J.L., Xu, X., Yang, H., Yoder, A.D., Zhang, G. 2022. The Earth BioGenome Project 2020: Starting the Clock. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS). 119(4). Article e2115635118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2115635118.Workflows for rapid functional annotation of diverse arthropod genomes
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Saha, S., Cooksey, A., Childers, A.K., Poelchau, M.F., Mccarthy, F.M. 2021. Workflows for rapid functional annotation of diverse arthropod genomes. Insects. 12(8):748. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12080748.The USDA-ARS Ag100Pest Initiative: High-quality genome assemblies for agricultural pest Arthropod research
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Childers, A.K., Geib, S.M., Sim, S.B., Poelchau, M.F., Coates, B.S., Simmonds, T.J., Scully, E.D., Smith, T.P.L., Childers, C., Corpuz, R.L., Hackett, K.J., Scheffler, B.E. 2021. The USDA-ARS Ag100Pest Initiative: High-quality genome assemblies for agricultural pest insect research. Insects. 12(7):626. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12070626.Toward a U.S. national program for monitoring native bees
                                                        

- (Review Article)Woodard, H.S., Federman, S., James, R.R., Danforth, B.N., Griswold, T.L., Inouye, D.W., Mcfrederick, Q.S., Morandin, L.A., Paul, D., Sellers, E., Strange, J.P., Vaughan, M., Williams, N.M., Branstetter, M.G., Burns, C., Cane, J.H., Cariveau, A., Cariveau, D., Childers, A.K., Childers, C., Cox-Foster, D.L., Evans, E., Graham, K., Hackett, K.J., Huntzinger, K., Irwin, R., Jha, S., Lawson, S., Lebuhn, G., Lopez-Uribe, M., Melathopoulos, A., Otto, C., Ponisio, L., Richardson, L., Rose, R., Singh, R., Steeger, T., Wehling, W. 2020. Toward a U.S. national program for monitoring native bees. Biological Conservation. 252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108821.Dynamic evolution in the key honey bee pathogen Deformed Wing Virus
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Ryabov, E., Childers, A.K., Lopez, D.L., Grubbs, K.F., Posada, F., Weaver, D., Vanengelsdorp, D., Chen, Y., Evans, J.D. 2019. Dynamic evolution in the key honey bee pathogen Deformed Wing Virus. PLoS Biology. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000502.A high-quality genome assembly from a single, field-collected Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) using the PacBio Sequel II System
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Kingan, S.B., Urban, J., Lambert, C.C., Baybayan, P., Childers, A.K., Coates, B.S., Scheffler, B.E., Hackett, K.J., Korlack, J., Geib, S.M. 2019. A high-quality genome assembly from a single, field-collected Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) using the PacBio Sequel II System. Gigascience. 8(10):1-10. https://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giz122.Divergent evolutionary trajectories following speciation in two ectoparasitic honey bee mites
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Maeva, T., Rahul, R.V., Graul, M.L., Roberts, J.M., Sullivan, S.T., Liachko, I., Childers, A.K., Evans, J.D., Mikheyev, A.S. 2019. Divergent evolutionary trajectories following speciation in two ectoparasitic honey bee mites. Communications Biology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-019-0606-0.Deformed wing virus type A, a major honey bee pathogen, is vectored by the mite Varroa destructor in a non-propagative manner
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Posada, F., Childers, A.K., Heerman, M.C., Egekwu, N., Cook, S.C., Chen, Y., Evans, J.D., Ryabov, E.V. 2019. Deformed wing virus type A, a major honey bee pathogen, is vectored by the mite Varroa destructor in a non-propagative manner. Scientific Reports. 9(1):1244. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-47447-3.Draft genome of the yeast Kodamaea ohmeri, a symbiont of the small hive beetle
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Tauber, J.P., Childers, A.K., Evans, J.D. 2019. Draft genome of the yeast Kodamaea ohmeri, a symbiont of the small hive beetle. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 8:e00450-19. https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.00450-19.A hybrid de novo genome assembly of the honeybee, Apis mellifera, with chromosome-length scaffolds
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Wallberg, A., Bunikis, I., Petterson, O.V., Mosbech, M., Childers, A.K., Evans, J.D., Mikheyev, A.S., Robertson, H.M., Robinson, G., Webster, M. 2019. A hybrid de novo genome assembly of the honeybee, Apis mellifera, with chromosome-length scaffolds. BMC Genomics. 20:275. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-019-5642-0.Environmental history impacts gene expression during diapause development in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Yocum, G.D., Childers, A.K., Rinehart, J.P., Rajamohan, A., Pitts Singer, T., Greenlee, K.J., Bowsher, J.H. 2018. Environmental history impacts gene expression during diapause development in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata. Journal of Experimental Biology. 221:jeb173443. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.173443.Arthropod genomic resources for the 21st century

- (Review Article)Richards, S., Childers, A.K., Childers, C. 2018. Arthropod genomic resources for the 21st century. Current Opinion in Insect Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2018.02.015.A model species for agricultural pest genomics: the genome of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Schoville, S.D., Chen, Y.H., Childers, A.K., Childers, C., Oppert, B.S., Perkin, L.C., Poelchau, M.F., Rinehart, J.P., Yocum, G.D., Richards, S. 2018. A model species for agricultural pest genomics: the genome of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Scientific Reports. 8(1):1931. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-20154-1.Gene space and transcriptome assemblies of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) identify promoter sequences, repetitive elements, high-quality markers, and a full-length chloroplast genome
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Horvath, D.P., Patel, S., Dogramaci, M., Chao, W.S., Anderson, J.V., Foley, M.E., Scheffler, B., Lazo, G., Dorn, K., Yan, C., Childers, A., Schatz, M., Marcus, S. 2018. Gene space and transcriptome assemblies of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) identify promoter sequences, repetitive elements, high-quality markers, and a full-length chloroplast genome. Weed Science. 66(3):355-367. https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2018.2.Recent spread of Varroa destructor virus-1, a honey bee pathogen, in the United States
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)Ryabov, E., Childers, A.K., Chen, Y., Madella, S., Nessa, A., Vanengelsdorp, D., Evans, J.D. 2017. Recent spread of Varroa destructor virus-1, a honey bee pathogen, in the United States. Scientific Reports. 7:17447. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-17802-3.Genomes of the Hymenoptera
                                                        

- (Review Article)Branstetter, M.G., Childers, A.K., Cox-Foster, D.L., Hopper, K.R., Kapheim, K.M., Toth, A.L., Worley, K.C. 2018. Genomes of the Hymenoptera. Current Opinion in Insect Science. 25:65-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2017.11.008.Environmental history impacts on gene expression during diapause development in Megachile rotundata

- (Other)Diapause in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata: Environmental history impact on gene expression

- (Abstract Only)Yocum, G.D., Childers, A.K., Rajamohan, A., Rinehart, J.P., Pitts Singer, T., Greenlee, K.J., Bowsher, J.H. 2017. Diapause in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata: Environmental history impact on gene expression [abstract]. Proceedings of the XXV International Plant and Animal Genome, January 14-18, 2017, San Diego, CA. Poster # P0196.Genome of the Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis), a globally significant invasive species, reveals key functional and evolutionary innovations at the beetle-plant interface
                                                        

- (Peer Reviewed Journal)McKenna, D.D., Scully, E.D., Pauchet, Y., Hoover, K., Kirsch, R., Geib, S.M., Mitchell, R.F., Waterhouse, R.M., Ahn, S., Arsala, D., Childers, A.K., Benoit, J.B., Blackmon, H., Bledsoe, T., Bowsher, J., Busch, A., Calla Zalles, B., Chao, H., Childers, C., Clark, D.J., Cohen, L., Demuth, J.P., Dinh, H., Doddapaneni, H., Dolan, A., Duan, J.J., Dugan, S., Friedrich, M., Glastad, K.M., Goodisman, M.D., Haddad, S., Han, Y., Hughes, D.T., Ioannidis, P., Vargas Jentzsch, I.M., Johnston, J., Jones, J.W., Kuhn, L.A., Lance, D.R., Lee, C., Lee, S.L., Lin, H., Lynch, J.A., Moczek, A.P., Murali, S.C., Muzny, D.M., Nelson, D.R., Palli, S.R., Panfilio, K.A., Pers, D., Poelchau, M.F., Quan, H., Qu, J., Ray, A.M., Rinehart, J.P., Robertson, H.M., Roehrdanz, R.L., Rosendale, A.J., Shin, S., Silva, C., Torson, A., Werren, J.H., Worley, K.C., Yocum, G.D., Zdobnov, E.M., Gibbs, R.A., Richards, S. 2016. Genome of the Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis), a globally significant invasive species, reveals key functional and evolutionary innovations at the beetle-plant interface. Genome Biology. 17:227. doi:10.1186/s13059-016-1088-8.Variations in thermal history lead to dyssynchronous diapause development

- (Abstract Only)Yocum, G.D., Childers, A.K., Rinehart, J.P., Kemp, W.P., Pitts Singer, T., Bowsher, J.H. 2015. Variations in thermal history lead to dyssynchronous diapause development [abstract]. 63rd Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, November 15-18, 2015, Minneapolis, MN. p. 176.Variations in thermal history lead to dissynchronous diapause development

- (Abstract Only)Bennett, A.K., Yocum, G.D., Rinehart, J.P. 2015. Variations in thermal history lead to dissynchronous diapause development [abstract]. Arthropod Genomics Symposium, Kansas State University, June 17-19, 2015Paper. No. 3, page 17.Implications of season and management protocol on the landscape of gene regulation during diapause development in the Alfalfa Leaf Cutting Bee

- (Abstract Only)Yocum, G.D., Bennett, A.K., Rinehart, J.P., Kemp, W.P., Pitts Singer, T., Bowsher, J.H. 2014. Implications of season and management protocol on the landscape of gene regulation during diapause development in the Alfalfa Leaf Cutting Bee [abstract]. 8th Annual Arthropod Genomics Sympsium. 06/12-14/2014. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Paper No. 43.Acute and chronic effects of transportation stress in the honey bee, Apis mellifera

- (Abstract Only)Bennett, A.K., Yocum, G.D., Rinehart, J.P., Kemp, W.P., Peterson, S. 2014. Acute and chronic effects of transportation stress in the honey bee, Apis mellifera [abstract]. 8th Annual Arthropod Genomics Sympsium. 06/12-14/2014. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Paper No. 21.
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