About

Luciano M. Matzkin is a professor at the University of Arizona, holding appointments in the Department of Entomology, the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and the BIO5 Institute. He has been a faculty member at the University of Arizona since 2017, initially as an Associate Professor and then as a Professor from 2024 onward. Dr. Matzkin earned his PhD in 2003 from Stony Brook University in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and completed his undergraduate studies with a BS in 1996 at the University of California Irvine in the same field. His professional contact information includes an office in the Marley Building 641F and a phone number at the University of Arizona. The information provided does not include specific details about his research focus or key contributions.

Research topics

• Biology
• Genetics
• Computer Science
• Ecology
• Computational biology
• Neuroscience
• Demography
• Zoology
• Evolutionary biology

Selected publications

• Additional file 1 of Transcriptomic divergences of larval labial salivary glands facilitate host-plant range oscillations between specialist and generalist Helicoverpa species

  Figshare · 2026-04-02

  articleOpen access

  Supplementary Material 1.

  PublisherDOI

• Transcriptomic divergences of larval labial salivary glands facilitate host-plant range oscillations between specialist and generalist Helicoverpa species

  Figshare · 2026-04-02

  otherOpen access

  Abstract Host plant range of insect herbivores may evolve towards generalization and specialization. However, how generalist herbivores achieve polyphagy and what facilitate host-plant range oscillation remains elusive. Our recent finding of a negative correlation between host-plant range and genome size in the Helicoverpa lineage predicts that the generalist Helicoverpa armigera, rather than its ancestral specialist sibling Helicoverpa assulta, should have a larger secretome size to modify host defenses, nutrients and/or structure, and should purge a significant amount of transposable elements (TEs) to minimize pseudogenization of genes associated with host utilization. To test these two predictions, we compared the sizes and compositions of the larval labial salivary gland transcriptomes of these two species, as well as the numbers of pseudogenes in four host defense detoxification gene families in their genomes. Indeed, the labial salivary gland transcriptome of H. armigera was significantly greater than that of H. assulta at both the contig and gene levels, especially for the Gene Ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathways associated the main functions of the larval salivary gland, such as protein synthesis and secretion, herbivore offence, digestion, detoxification. By contrast, H. assulta had more contigs inserted with TEs, more transcripts involved in transposition of TEs, and more pseudogenized host defense detoxification genes. These results not only match the predictions but also demonstrate that oscillation of host plant range evolution in Helicoverpa species is at least in part facilitated by TE-mediate pseudogenization (shutdown) and reactivation (on) of host use and secretion-related genes.

  PublisherDOI

• Evolution of the reproductive interactome and the origins of postmating–prezygotic reproductive divergence

  BMC Biology · 2026-04-16

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Reproductive proteins evolve rapidly, making them strong candidates for driving postmating-prezygotic (PMPZ) reproductive mismatches between populations. While most previous studies have focused on protein sequence divergence as a likely driver of PMPZ disruptions, reproductive proteomes may also diverge compositionally and/or quantitatively. RESULTS: Here, we combine quantitative proteomics, molecular evolutionary analyses, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) modeling to predict the molecular basis of reproductive mismatches between Drosophila mojavensis and D. arizonae. We demonstrate multidimensional divergence in reproductive proteomes including changes at the sequence, compositional, and quantitative levels. We further demonstrate that three divergent male seminal fluid proteins affect the size of the insemination reaction mass and/or fertilization success in D. arizonae. Despite high sequence divergence, predicted protein-protein interactions involving a conserved set of proteases and/or protease inhibitors were predicted to be maintained in heterospecific crosses. In contrast, predicted interspecies protein mismatches arose from proteome compositional divergence, suggesting that such changes may play a disproportionate role in PMPZ isolation, at least for the subset of the interactome that we tested. Furthermore, extensive quantitative divergence, particularly for proteases and inhibitors, suggests pervasive stoichiometric mismatches in heterospecific matings. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, our findings indicate that reproductive proteins are evolutionarily labile at multiple levels, and that compositional and quantitative divergence, rather than sequence changes alone, may be central to the early evolution of reproductive isolation.

  PublisherDOI

• Transcriptomic divergences of larval labial salivary glands facilitate host-plant range oscillations between specialist and generalist Helicoverpa species

  BMC Genomics · 2026-04-02

  articleOpen access

  Host plant range of insect herbivores may evolve towards generalization and specialization. However, how generalist herbivores achieve polyphagy and what facilitate host-plant range oscillation remains elusive. Our recent finding of a negative correlation between host-plant range and genome size in the Helicoverpa lineage predicts that the generalist Helicoverpa armigera, rather than its ancestral specialist sibling Helicoverpa assulta, should have a larger secretome size to modify host defenses, nutrients and/or structure, and should purge a significant amount of transposable elements (TEs) to minimize pseudogenization of genes associated with host utilization. To test these two predictions, we compared the sizes and compositions of the larval labial salivary gland transcriptomes of these two species, as well as the numbers of pseudogenes in four host defense detoxification gene families in their genomes. Indeed, the labial salivary gland transcriptome of H. armigera was significantly greater than that of H. assulta at both the contig and gene levels, especially for the Gene Ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathways associated the main functions of the larval salivary gland, such as protein synthesis and secretion, herbivore offence, digestion, detoxification. By contrast, H. assulta had more contigs inserted with TEs, more transcripts involved in transposition of TEs, and more pseudogenized host defense detoxification genes. These results not only match the predictions but also demonstrate that oscillation of host plant range evolution in Helicoverpa species is at least in part facilitated by TE-mediate pseudogenization (shutdown) and reactivation (on) of host use and secretion-related genes.

  PublisherDOI

• Data From: Evolution of the reproductive interactome and the origins of postmating–prezygotic reproductive divergence

  Open MIND · 2026-01-01

  otherOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Background: Reproductive proteins evolve rapidly, making them strong candidates for driving postmating-prezygotic (PMPZ) reproductive mismatches between populations. While most previous studies have focused on protein sequence divergence as a likely driver of PMPZ disruptions, reproductive proteomes may also diverge compositionally and/or quantitatively. Results: Here, we combine quantitative proteomics, molecular evolutionary analyses, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) modeling to predict the molecular basis of reproductive mismatches between Drosophila mojavensis and D. arizonae. We demonstrate multidimensional divergence in reproductive proteomes including changes at the sequence, compositional, and quantitative levels. We further demonstrate that three divergent male seminal fluid proteins affect the size of the insemination reaction mass and/or fertilization success in D. arizonae. Despite high sequence divergence, predicted protein-protein interactions involving a conserved set of proteases and/or protease inhibitors were predicted to be maintained in heterospecific crosses. In contrast, predicted interspecies protein mismatches arose from proteome compositional divergence, suggesting that such changes may play a disproportionate role in PMPZ isolation, at least for the subset of the interactome that we tested. Furthermore, extensive quantitative divergence, particularly for proteases and inhibitors, suggests pervasive stoichiometric mismatches in heterospecific matings. Conclusions: Altogether, our findings indicate that reproductive proteins are evolutionarily labile at multiple levels, and that compositional and quantitative divergence, rather than sequence changes alone, may be central to the early evolution of reproductive isolation.

  PublisherDOI

• Additional file 2 of Transcriptomic divergences of larval labial salivary glands facilitate host-plant range oscillations between specialist and generalist Helicoverpa species

  Figshare · 2026-04-02

  datasetOpen access

  Supplementary Material 2.

  PublisherDOI

• Data From: Evolution of the reproductive interactome and the origins of postmating–prezygotic reproductive divergence

  OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) · 2026-04-02

  otherSenior author

  Background: Reproductive proteins evolve rapidly, making them strong candidates for driving postmating-prezygotic (PMPZ) reproductive mismatches between populations. While most previous studies have focused on protein sequence divergence as a likely driver of PMPZ disruptions, reproductive proteomes may also diverge compositionally and/or quantitatively. Results: Here, we combine quantitative proteomics, molecular evolutionary analyses, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) modeling to predict the molecular basis of reproductive mismatches between Drosophila mojavensis and D. arizonae. We demonstrate multidimensional divergence in reproductive proteomes including changes at the sequence, compositional, and quantitative levels. We further demonstrate that three divergent male seminal fluid proteins affect the size of the insemination reaction mass and/or fertilization success in D. arizonae. Despite high sequence divergence, predicted protein-protein interactions involving a conserved set of proteases and/or protease inhibitors were predicted to be maintained in heterospecific crosses. In contrast, predicted interspecies protein mismatches arose from proteome compositional divergence, suggesting that such changes may play a disproportionate role in PMPZ isolation, at least for the subset of the interactome that we tested. Furthermore, extensive quantitative divergence, particularly for proteases and inhibitors, suggests pervasive stoichiometric mismatches in heterospecific matings. Conclusions: Altogether, our findings indicate that reproductive proteins are evolutionarily labile at multiple levels, and that compositional and quantitative divergence, rather than sequence changes alone, may be central to the early evolution of reproductive isolation.

  Publisher

• Additional file 2 of Transcriptomic divergences of larval labial salivary glands facilitate host-plant range oscillations between specialist and generalist Helicoverpa species

  Figshare · 2026-04-02

  datasetOpen access

  Supplementary Material 2.

  PublisherDOI

• Additional file 1 of Transcriptomic divergences of larval labial salivary glands facilitate host-plant range oscillations between specialist and generalist Helicoverpa species

  Figshare · 2026-04-02

  articleOpen access

  Supplementary Material 1.

  PublisherDOI

• Transcriptomic divergences of larval labial salivary glands facilitate host-plant range oscillations between specialist and generalist Helicoverpa species

  Figshare · 2026-04-02

  otherOpen access

  Abstract Host plant range of insect herbivores may evolve towards generalization and specialization. However, how generalist herbivores achieve polyphagy and what facilitate host-plant range oscillation remains elusive. Our recent finding of a negative correlation between host-plant range and genome size in the Helicoverpa lineage predicts that the generalist Helicoverpa armigera, rather than its ancestral specialist sibling Helicoverpa assulta, should have a larger secretome size to modify host defenses, nutrients and/or structure, and should purge a significant amount of transposable elements (TEs) to minimize pseudogenization of genes associated with host utilization. To test these two predictions, we compared the sizes and compositions of the larval labial salivary gland transcriptomes of these two species, as well as the numbers of pseudogenes in four host defense detoxification gene families in their genomes. Indeed, the labial salivary gland transcriptome of H. armigera was significantly greater than that of H. assulta at both the contig and gene levels, especially for the Gene Ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathways associated the main functions of the larval salivary gland, such as protein synthesis and secretion, herbivore offence, digestion, detoxification. By contrast, H. assulta had more contigs inserted with TEs, more transcripts involved in transposition of TEs, and more pseudogenized host defense detoxification genes. These results not only match the predictions but also demonstrate that oscillation of host plant range evolution in Helicoverpa species is at least in part facilitated by TE-mediate pseudogenization (shutdown) and reactivation (on) of host use and secretion-related genes.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• RIG: Genetic mechanisms of detoxification in the cactophilic Drosophila mojavensis

  NSF · $128k · 2011–2014

Frequent coauthors

• Carson W. Allan

  University of Arizona

  30 shared

• Therese A. Markow

  University of California, San Diego

  23 shared

• Coline C. Jaworski

  Institut Sophia Agrobiotech

  16 shared

• Jeremy M. Bono

  University of Colorado Colorado Springs

  15 shared

• Fernando Dı́az

  Ensenada Institute of Technology

  14 shared

• Kyle M. Benowitz

  Arizona State University

  11 shared

• Walter F. Eanes

  Stony Brook University

  10 shared

• Joshua M. Coleman

  University of Arizona

  8 shared

Labs

• Matzkin LabPI

Education

• PhD, Ecology and Evolution

  Stony Brook University

  2003

• BS, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

  University of California Irvine

  1996