The development of a two-colour flow cytometric assay for the detection of whole cell biosensors in environmental samples. Macquarie University and the University of Copenhagen have expertise in fluorescence detection and whole cell biosensors respectively. The project will take advantage of these skills and develop a sensitive assay for monitoring biosensor bacteria in soil. The technology will be significant as it will enable real time analysis of antibiotic production in situ through the de ....The development of a two-colour flow cytometric assay for the detection of whole cell biosensors in environmental samples. Macquarie University and the University of Copenhagen have expertise in fluorescence detection and whole cell biosensors respectively. The project will take advantage of these skills and develop a sensitive assay for monitoring biosensor bacteria in soil. The technology will be significant as it will enable real time analysis of antibiotic production in situ through the detection of GFP expression. This work will then be used to isolate new antibiotic produces and will be extended to research into the bioavailability of toxic compounds and stress. An existing collaboration between the two institutions will be extended enabling the transfer and application of biosensor technology to Australia.Read moreRead less
Sociogenomics of honeybees. From genes to society. This project will show how complex social behaviour of honeybees like dance communication and thermoregulation is genetically controlled. The complete sequence of the honeybee genome will be published in 2003, and a gene chip based on it will be created shortly afterwards. These new technologies will make our project technically feasible. By backcrossing, workers with different genetic tendencies to do a task can be generated within an otherwi ....Sociogenomics of honeybees. From genes to society. This project will show how complex social behaviour of honeybees like dance communication and thermoregulation is genetically controlled. The complete sequence of the honeybee genome will be published in 2003, and a gene chip based on it will be created shortly afterwards. These new technologies will make our project technically feasible. By backcrossing, workers with different genetic tendencies to do a task can be generated within an otherwise uniform background. Age-matched workers that perform a behaviour like thermoregulation can be compared to sisters that do not, and the genes that are switched on in the two groups compared.Read moreRead less
The genetics of social regulation of reproduction in honey bees. The aim is to characterise the genes that regulate worker reproduction in honeybees and to understand how the effects of these genes are regulated by the social environment. There is an inherent conflict between the interests of each worker (that can increase its biological fitness by laying eggs) and the collective workers (that are disadvantaged by their half sister's reproduction). How sterility is normally maintained in socia ....The genetics of social regulation of reproduction in honey bees. The aim is to characterise the genes that regulate worker reproduction in honeybees and to understand how the effects of these genes are regulated by the social environment. There is an inherent conflict between the interests of each worker (that can increase its biological fitness by laying eggs) and the collective workers (that are disadvantaged by their half sister's reproduction). How sterility is normally maintained in social insects remains an important unsolved mystery of biology. To solve this mystery we will use genomic techniques characterize the genes that control sterility and show how they are regulated by the social environment.Read moreRead less