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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
A comparative genomics approach to understanding host-endosymbiont interactions. Australia's unique ecosystems are vulnerable to invasion by exotic pests that threaten agriculture and human health. The bacterial symbiont Wolbachia is found in many major pests of agricultural and medical importance. Our results will give insights into how Wolbachia spreads into host populations and improve its use as a tool to impair insect transmission of disease, e.g. as an agent to carry genes into an insect p ....A comparative genomics approach to understanding host-endosymbiont interactions. Australia's unique ecosystems are vulnerable to invasion by exotic pests that threaten agriculture and human health. The bacterial symbiont Wolbachia is found in many major pests of agricultural and medical importance. Our results will give insights into how Wolbachia spreads into host populations and improve its use as a tool to impair insect transmission of disease, e.g. as an agent to carry genes into an insect population that limit disease transmission. Our results will also make fundamental contributions to understanding host-parasite evolution, host-parasite communication, and insect developmental processes, and will be of interest to a large international community of researchers in this field. Read moreRead less
Developing new methods to retrieve and analyse preserved genetic information. This project will position Australia at the leading edge of research into preserved DNA, and will use innovative molecular biology approaches to develop a range of new forensic, archaeological and medical applications. It will build Australian knowledge and scientific capacity by developing core expertise and training personnel in areas important for biosecurity, customs and quarantine, forensics/counter-terrorism, and ....Developing new methods to retrieve and analyse preserved genetic information. This project will position Australia at the leading edge of research into preserved DNA, and will use innovative molecular biology approaches to develop a range of new forensic, archaeological and medical applications. It will build Australian knowledge and scientific capacity by developing core expertise and training personnel in areas important for biosecurity, customs and quarantine, forensics/counter-terrorism, and studies of climate change. It will also create and foster research innovation in molecular biology with spin-offs for evolution, archaeology, medical and conservation biology research, and will also encourage involvement with the rapidly expanding field of genomics and bioinformatics.Read moreRead less
Control of Wolbachia replication: maintaining a stable symbiosis. This project will use a comparative genomics approach to better understand how Wolbachia infections of insects are able to maintain themselves in insects without causing pathology. The results will allow us to better understand a distinguishing characteristic of an intracellular symbiont, namely replication control. The results also have the potential to lead to new approaches to insect pest control through a better understanding ....Control of Wolbachia replication: maintaining a stable symbiosis. This project will use a comparative genomics approach to better understand how Wolbachia infections of insects are able to maintain themselves in insects without causing pathology. The results will allow us to better understand a distinguishing characteristic of an intracellular symbiont, namely replication control. The results also have the potential to lead to new approaches to insect pest control through a better understanding of how Wolbachia might be used to skew insect population age structure.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101259
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$371,000.00
Summary
The impact of urbanisation on viral diversity and disease emergence. Urbanisation increases the risk of infectious disease emergence by rapidly altering contact rates between humans and other species. Fortunately, many consequences of urbanisation appear to be universal, suggesting that it is possible to identify factors likely to increase the risk of viral disease emergence and predict their impacts. This project aims to examine the viral response to changes in host and vector population struct ....The impact of urbanisation on viral diversity and disease emergence. Urbanisation increases the risk of infectious disease emergence by rapidly altering contact rates between humans and other species. Fortunately, many consequences of urbanisation appear to be universal, suggesting that it is possible to identify factors likely to increase the risk of viral disease emergence and predict their impacts. This project aims to examine the viral response to changes in host and vector population structure and dynamics that occur as a result of urbanisation, and identify viral characteristics that are associated with survival in an urban environment. This novel fusion of urban and viral ecology will have unprecedented impact on the development of predictive models of viral emergence for risk assessment and management.Read moreRead less
Molecular dissection of the functional regions of genes that encode actinins (ACTN2 and ACTN3) and their contribution to normal variation in skeletal muscle function. The project has discovered a common genetic variant that affects skeletal muscle structure, function and metabolism and influences athletic ability, and response to diet and exercise. The project will study how this gene influences muscle bulk and strength, the metabolic efficiency of muscle and the risk of obesity in the general ....Molecular dissection of the functional regions of genes that encode actinins (ACTN2 and ACTN3) and their contribution to normal variation in skeletal muscle function. The project has discovered a common genetic variant that affects skeletal muscle structure, function and metabolism and influences athletic ability, and response to diet and exercise. The project will study how this gene influences muscle bulk and strength, the metabolic efficiency of muscle and the risk of obesity in the general population.Read moreRead less
eGenomics - Next generation biomonitoring of threatened species. DNA is the molecule of life and exists everywhere in the environment as a largely untapped source of information on evolution, biodiversity, and ecosystem health. Our overriding aim is to start mining that information to benefit threatened species. Based on optimized ancient DNA methods, powerful sequencing technology, whole genome analyses, and RNA profiling, we present a novel and holistic framework for genetic biomonitoring. In ....eGenomics - Next generation biomonitoring of threatened species. DNA is the molecule of life and exists everywhere in the environment as a largely untapped source of information on evolution, biodiversity, and ecosystem health. Our overriding aim is to start mining that information to benefit threatened species. Based on optimized ancient DNA methods, powerful sequencing technology, whole genome analyses, and RNA profiling, we present a novel and holistic framework for genetic biomonitoring. In two parallel model systems we will study corals and reptiles to improve environmental detection while simultaneously obtaining information on their population health. This will foster more efficient conservation of endangered species that are of tremendous importance to our marine and terrestrial ecosystems.Read moreRead less
The molecular evolution of wings in flightless birds. The flightless Australian emu and New Zealand kiwi have small wings, while the extinct moa had none at all. This project will identify the genetic changes that have lead to wing reduction and loss in flightless birds. The results will shed light on the genetic control of forelimb development and how it has evolved.
Echoes of the earliest Homo sapiens movement out of Africa. The "Out of Africa" and "Multiregional Evolution" theories have proposed sharply different accounts for the origins of our species Homo sapiens. These have converged on opposite readings of the Australian human fossil record. Recent perspectives resulting from research on Pleistocene Australian mitochondrial DNA, and by osteologists on early Homo sapiens remains in Africa and Israel, hint at a chapter, as yet unwritten, in our species' ....Echoes of the earliest Homo sapiens movement out of Africa. The "Out of Africa" and "Multiregional Evolution" theories have proposed sharply different accounts for the origins of our species Homo sapiens. These have converged on opposite readings of the Australian human fossil record. Recent perspectives resulting from research on Pleistocene Australian mitochondrial DNA, and by osteologists on early Homo sapiens remains in Africa and Israel, hint at a chapter, as yet unwritten, in our species' Late Pleistocene dispersal from Africa. This project's collaborative research on fossils from Sri Lanka and Australasia will explore and test the implications for the colonisation history of the Indian Ocean region.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the biochemical fingerprint of Australian native plants for sustainable farm forestry and other applications. Dryland salinity is an issue of national significance due to its impact on primary industries which contribute billions of dollars to our economy. However, millions of hectares of arable land are now affected by salinity, with devastating effects on crops, native plants, water quality and wildlife. This project works with the rural community and exploits the unique gene poo ....Unravelling the biochemical fingerprint of Australian native plants for sustainable farm forestry and other applications. Dryland salinity is an issue of national significance due to its impact on primary industries which contribute billions of dollars to our economy. However, millions of hectares of arable land are now affected by salinity, with devastating effects on crops, native plants, water quality and wildlife. This project works with the rural community and exploits the unique gene pool of certain Australian salinity-tolerant plants for environmental benefits (revegetation, salinity control) and simultaneous economic returns through using these for timber and perennial fodder. The project thus addresses the national priorities of preventing the expansion of salinity, putting it to sustainable uses and preserving biodiversity.Read moreRead less