The genomics of adaptation in Wolbachia pipientis, an emerging biocontrol agent. Australians are increasingly exposed to insect-transmitted diseases such as dengue fever. Novel biocontrol methods using the bacterium Wolbachia aim to control insect populations to reduce disease transmission. Our research will be the first to investigate genomic variation and the process of adaptation to new insect hosts in Wolbachia. The novel data and understanding of evolutionary processes we generate will be c ....The genomics of adaptation in Wolbachia pipientis, an emerging biocontrol agent. Australians are increasingly exposed to insect-transmitted diseases such as dengue fever. Novel biocontrol methods using the bacterium Wolbachia aim to control insect populations to reduce disease transmission. Our research will be the first to investigate genomic variation and the process of adaptation to new insect hosts in Wolbachia. The novel data and understanding of evolutionary processes we generate will be critical for screening bacterial biocontrol candidates and designing biocontrol release strategies. It will also strengthen the position of Australian research as a world-leader in the fusion of post-genomics and applied microbiology. Read moreRead less
Evolutionary genetics of the immune system in social insects. Insects possess efficient innate immunity against pathogens, but social insects are suggested to be vulnerable due to their packed colonies of related individuals. We predict that pathogen pressure varies with life history and microhabitat details, and that this variation will be reflected in the molecular evolutionary rates of immune system genes. Sequence information will be obtained to test these predictions. The results should ....Evolutionary genetics of the immune system in social insects. Insects possess efficient innate immunity against pathogens, but social insects are suggested to be vulnerable due to their packed colonies of related individuals. We predict that pathogen pressure varies with life history and microhabitat details, and that this variation will be reflected in the molecular evolutionary rates of immune system genes. Sequence information will be obtained to test these predictions. The results should be of widespread interest as reflecting the importance of pathogens and life pattern, and increase our knowledge of insect immune systems, potentially enabling circumvention of pest defenses and better protection of beneficial species.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary immunology of social insects. Social insects are particularly abundant in Australia. They live in a wide range of habitats with social systems differing greatly in size and structure. They are both ecologically and economically important because they form a large part of terrestrial ecosystems and control much of the energy flow. Their immune system resembles the immune system of humans. Finding how the social insect immune system evolves will have the potential to help us manag ....Evolutionary immunology of social insects. Social insects are particularly abundant in Australia. They live in a wide range of habitats with social systems differing greatly in size and structure. They are both ecologically and economically important because they form a large part of terrestrial ecosystems and control much of the energy flow. Their immune system resembles the immune system of humans. Finding how the social insect immune system evolves will have the potential to help us manage them better, and yield functional insights into the human innate immune system. Placing the observed patterns in context also involves study of the associated microbes, finds how social insects interact with this important part of the environment, and may assist in land management.Read moreRead less
Origin of animal sensory and nervous systems: a case study in cell type evolution. The origin of the nerve cell and the nervous system allowed the first animals to interact with their biotic and abiotic environment in rapid and complex ways. These capabilities are the primary agents for success in the animal kingdom, underpinning the ability to capture food, avoid predation, and find a mate. These same nerve cells have bestowed on the human brain cognitive abilities that have driven our biologic ....Origin of animal sensory and nervous systems: a case study in cell type evolution. The origin of the nerve cell and the nervous system allowed the first animals to interact with their biotic and abiotic environment in rapid and complex ways. These capabilities are the primary agents for success in the animal kingdom, underpinning the ability to capture food, avoid predation, and find a mate. These same nerve cells have bestowed on the human brain cognitive abilities that have driven our biological and cultural evolution. Despite the phenomenal importance of the nerve cell, we know almost nothing about its origin and early evolution. This basic research project seeks to make a major contribution towards addressing this gap in knowledge.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101142
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Unravelling the structural evolution of centipede toxins. The project intends to improve understanding of venom evolution in centipedes, and uncover new families of peptides with potential application in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical sectors. Venoms have emerged as a rich source of pharmacological tools with potential for development into therapeutics and bioinsecticides. However, venoms-based discovery has been limited by the narrow taxonomical range studied, and many groups of venomous a ....Unravelling the structural evolution of centipede toxins. The project intends to improve understanding of venom evolution in centipedes, and uncover new families of peptides with potential application in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical sectors. Venoms have emerged as a rich source of pharmacological tools with potential for development into therapeutics and bioinsecticides. However, venoms-based discovery has been limited by the narrow taxonomical range studied, and many groups of venomous animals remain overlooked. One such group is centipedes, whose venoms contain diverse novel toxins. This project aims to provide an insight into centipede toxin evolution, and establish a structure-based approach to understanding their evolution and structural diversification. The outcomes may contribute to our understanding of protein evolution and support the development of new products.Read moreRead less
Recombination of mitochondrial genomes: what can we learn from chigger mites? This project will bring three benefits to Australia. First, it will enhance Australia's research capacity in the fields of organelle genomics and evolutionary biology. Second, it will yield highly skilled young researchers: a postdoctoral fellow (Shao), a PhD student and two BSc Honours students. Third, it will generate new knowledge about genome recombination in animal mitochondria. Recombination is a fundamental, yet ....Recombination of mitochondrial genomes: what can we learn from chigger mites? This project will bring three benefits to Australia. First, it will enhance Australia's research capacity in the fields of organelle genomics and evolutionary biology. Second, it will yield highly skilled young researchers: a postdoctoral fellow (Shao), a PhD student and two BSc Honours students. Third, it will generate new knowledge about genome recombination in animal mitochondria. Recombination is a fundamental, yet poorly understood issue in mitochondrial genomics and evolutionary biology. Knowledge from this project will also improve our understanding of other important issues that are associated with animal mitochondria; like the mechanisms of mitochondrial disease and ageing, and the evolution of modern humans and other animals.Read moreRead less
Organisation, expression and diversity of the sub-telomeric regions of the ancient eukaryote, Giardia duodenalis. We propose to extend our findings on the extreme plasticity of the structure and organisation of the sub-telomeric region of the complete genome of Giardia by more extensive chromosome walking, and comparison of different isolates. These regions are subject to gene conversion, transcriptional silencing, gene mobility, recombination, variable surface protein expression, subtelomeric i ....Organisation, expression and diversity of the sub-telomeric regions of the ancient eukaryote, Giardia duodenalis. We propose to extend our findings on the extreme plasticity of the structure and organisation of the sub-telomeric region of the complete genome of Giardia by more extensive chromosome walking, and comparison of different isolates. These regions are subject to gene conversion, transcriptional silencing, gene mobility, recombination, variable surface protein expression, subtelomeric instability and the insertion of transposable elements, a dynamic balance between structural conservation and rapid evolution. This is a rare opportunity to understand the forces at work in moulding eukaryotic sub-telomeric sequences because Giardia is not constrained by sexual homogenisation and the dynamic variability is retained.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101117
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$327,000.00
Summary
The functional impact of new genes acquired through retrotransposition. Novel copies of genes often arise through retrotransposition of processed messenger RNAs. Many thousands of gene copies have arisen over evolutionary time and some of these have retained functionality while diverging from the parental gene leading to new paralogs under different regulatory regimes. Through analysis of whole-genome sequence data, we are now able to identify very recent gene copies that are not present in the ....The functional impact of new genes acquired through retrotransposition. Novel copies of genes often arise through retrotransposition of processed messenger RNAs. Many thousands of gene copies have arisen over evolutionary time and some of these have retained functionality while diverging from the parental gene leading to new paralogs under different regulatory regimes. Through analysis of whole-genome sequence data, we are now able to identify very recent gene copies that are not present in the reference genomes for various species, giving us the opportunity to explore the effects of new copies on the regulation of the original gene and the surrounding genomic environment into which the new copy is inserted. This project aims to address these important open questions through computational and biochemical approaches.Read moreRead less
Fish venom as a model system for the molecular evolution of defensive toxins. The key aim of this study is to undertake a thorough investigation of venoms found in distinct fish lineages, including enigmatic species such as venomous and medically important species such as the stonefish. By characterising the biodiversity of toxins found in the venoms of different fish, the evolutionary history of venom in this major vertebrate lineage can be revealed. The investigations proposed here will also d ....Fish venom as a model system for the molecular evolution of defensive toxins. The key aim of this study is to undertake a thorough investigation of venoms found in distinct fish lineages, including enigmatic species such as venomous and medically important species such as the stonefish. By characterising the biodiversity of toxins found in the venoms of different fish, the evolutionary history of venom in this major vertebrate lineage can be revealed. The investigations proposed here will also determine the functional activities of different venoms and their components. This will not only help the understanding of the medical consequences of the annual thousands of fish envenomings but also explore a largely unstudied resource for the discovery of new pharmacological diagnostics and therapeutics.Read moreRead less
Evolutionary venomics: Venom system diversification in the animal kingdom. This proposal represents a tremendous opportunity for biodiscovery from the Australian toxic fauna. This will be achieved through the researcher's unique approach of investigating previously unmapped venom systems for divergent, bioactive proteins. An understanding of venomous animal protein evolution has practical implications for the treatment of envenomations - an enormous problem in Australia - as well as great pot ....Evolutionary venomics: Venom system diversification in the animal kingdom. This proposal represents a tremendous opportunity for biodiscovery from the Australian toxic fauna. This will be achieved through the researcher's unique approach of investigating previously unmapped venom systems for divergent, bioactive proteins. An understanding of venomous animal protein evolution has practical implications for the treatment of envenomations - an enormous problem in Australia - as well as great potential in drug discovery and other commercial applications. This project will provide Australian graduate and post-graduate students with finely tuned skills in cutting edge methodological techniques and a fluent understanding of molecular evolution, preparing them to be internationally competitive scientists.Read moreRead less