Identifying genes causing thermal evolution of ectotherm body size. Cold-blooded animals increase in body size as they are found in populations at greater distances from the equator. These patterns are due to populations adapting to temperature. The aim of this project is to identify the genes involved in this adaptation process. We will do this by taking advantage of a well-studied body size cline in the vinegar fly on the east coast of Australia, and by building on an international collaborati ....Identifying genes causing thermal evolution of ectotherm body size. Cold-blooded animals increase in body size as they are found in populations at greater distances from the equator. These patterns are due to populations adapting to temperature. The aim of this project is to identify the genes involved in this adaptation process. We will do this by taking advantage of a well-studied body size cline in the vinegar fly on the east coast of Australia, and by building on an international collaboration between a leading UK and two Australian research groups. In doing so we will provide an explanation at the molecular level for one of the great unresolved phenomena in biology: why do cold-blooded animals get bigger in the cold? The research also leads to the potential to manipulate body size in animals.Read moreRead less
A Genomic Dissection of Natural Adaptation in Mate Recognition. Adaptation is a fundamental area of evolutionary biology but we know surprisingly little about its underlying genetic basis. As a process, adaptation poses several challenges for Australian society including bacterial evolution of resistance to antibiotics, HIV resistance to antiviral medications and the evolution of pesticide resistance in agricultural pests. This study will use a model system and genomic tools to test theoretical ....A Genomic Dissection of Natural Adaptation in Mate Recognition. Adaptation is a fundamental area of evolutionary biology but we know surprisingly little about its underlying genetic basis. As a process, adaptation poses several challenges for Australian society including bacterial evolution of resistance to antibiotics, HIV resistance to antiviral medications and the evolution of pesticide resistance in agricultural pests. This study will use a model system and genomic tools to test theoretical models of the genetic basis of adaptation. This integrative approach will enhance Australia's research profile in genomics and evolutionary biology. The project will provide emerging scientists with skills in areas including genomics, molecular biology, evolutionary biology and agricultural genetics.Read moreRead less
Maximising knowledge from dense SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) data using multi-locus analysis. The genomics revolution has made it possible to measure thousands of DNA variants in individuals. This information can be used in many ways, including to find genes that cause variation between individuals in a population and to estimate the size of the population in the past. Our study will lead an analysis method that will extract more information out of such data. This will improve the effi ....Maximising knowledge from dense SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) data using multi-locus analysis. The genomics revolution has made it possible to measure thousands of DNA variants in individuals. This information can be used in many ways, including to find genes that cause variation between individuals in a population and to estimate the size of the population in the past. Our study will lead an analysis method that will extract more information out of such data. This will improve the efficiency of gene mapping methods, including applications in humans for traits related to productive ageing and a healthy start to life, will allow the estimation of genetic relatedness and genetic variation in natural populations, and will lead to more efficient selection programs in agricultural populations.Read moreRead less
Population dynamics and genetic variation of plants with contrasting fire responses. We combine the traditional concerns of population viability analyses with the modern techniques of DNA fingerprinting for precise genotyping of individual plants and their seeds. We expect major breakthroughs in our understanding of how fire-killed species have survived thousands of years of frequent burning by Aborigines (by identifying seeds dispersed long distances from burnt parents); how paternity of offspr ....Population dynamics and genetic variation of plants with contrasting fire responses. We combine the traditional concerns of population viability analyses with the modern techniques of DNA fingerprinting for precise genotyping of individual plants and their seeds. We expect major breakthroughs in our understanding of how fire-killed species have survived thousands of years of frequent burning by Aborigines (by identifying seeds dispersed long distances from burnt parents); how paternity of offspring changes over the lifespan of plants which retain their seeds for many years; at what age within-plant genetic variation is at a maximum as a guide to optimal fire management; and the extent that deleterious somatic mutations explain low seed set among long-lived species.Read moreRead less
Sex, parthenogenesis and adaptation: a novel laboratory 'natural selection' experiment testing the adaptive significance of sexual and asexual reproduction. One of the greatest challenges for evolutionary biology is explaining the widespread occurrence of sexual reproduction. Many theoretical models show some inherent benefits of sex, however these models make assumptions that little or no empirical data exists for. Using a novel phenomenon found in the parasitoid wasp genus Trichogramma, I will ....Sex, parthenogenesis and adaptation: a novel laboratory 'natural selection' experiment testing the adaptive significance of sexual and asexual reproduction. One of the greatest challenges for evolutionary biology is explaining the widespread occurrence of sexual reproduction. Many theoretical models show some inherent benefits of sex, however these models make assumptions that little or no empirical data exists for. Using a novel phenomenon found in the parasitoid wasp genus Trichogramma, I will investigate the adaptive significance of sexual and asexual reproduction in a laboratory natural selection experiment and therefore directly test the theory for the evolution and maintenance of sex. This will be the first such test in a higher organism.Read moreRead less
The genetics of four ancient 'Kings' of Sahul and Sunda. This project aims to recover all the genetic information from four ancient humans. Two of these iconic specimens come from Australia and two from Malaysia. We will sequence the entire DNA (genomes) and proteins (proteome) of Mungo Man (Willandra), the Yidinji King (Cairns), the Deep Skull (Borneo) and the Bewah specimen (Malaysian Peninsula). This will provide a better understanding of the settlement of Australia and new knowledge about th ....The genetics of four ancient 'Kings' of Sahul and Sunda. This project aims to recover all the genetic information from four ancient humans. Two of these iconic specimens come from Australia and two from Malaysia. We will sequence the entire DNA (genomes) and proteins (proteome) of Mungo Man (Willandra), the Yidinji King (Cairns), the Deep Skull (Borneo) and the Bewah specimen (Malaysian Peninsula). This will provide a better understanding of the settlement of Australia and new knowledge about the ancient people of Australasia and their relationship to other human populations worldwide. The research will use cutting-edge methods of DNA and protein sequencing of ancient human material and will provide critical reference genomes / proteomes that will anchor future research.Read moreRead less
Genetic architecture of species divergence and hybridisation in eucalypts. Eucalypts are an icon of Australia and are of great economic and ecological significance to the nation. They are the most widely planted hardwood trees in the world, but Australia is the centre of origin of most species and the custodian of this important native bioresource. Understanding the evolutionary processes that shape diversity in this internationally significant genus is important for its long-term management a ....Genetic architecture of species divergence and hybridisation in eucalypts. Eucalypts are an icon of Australia and are of great economic and ecological significance to the nation. They are the most widely planted hardwood trees in the world, but Australia is the centre of origin of most species and the custodian of this important native bioresource. Understanding the evolutionary processes that shape diversity in this internationally significant genus is important for its long-term management and conservation. This project links to large international initiatives currently underway for high-density mapping and sequencing of the eucalypt genome, to enhance the flow of information gained back to Australia for scientific, economic and environmental benefit.Read moreRead less
Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations. This project aims to examine critical mechanisms that affect mitochondrial DNA variation within species. It aims to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA haplotypes have the potential to be under nutritionally induced balancing selection as a consequence of cellular signalling and/or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria. Diet can vary both seasonally and geographically and is a key environmental param ....Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations. This project aims to examine critical mechanisms that affect mitochondrial DNA variation within species. It aims to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA haplotypes have the potential to be under nutritionally induced balancing selection as a consequence of cellular signalling and/or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria. Diet can vary both seasonally and geographically and is a key environmental parameter that influences the ability of a species to colonise new habitats. The project plans to characterise the functional links between specific mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, mitochondrial functions and organismal traits. The expected outcome is a more precise grasp of the processes influencing genetic variation within and among species, which would inform current issues in ecology and genetics.Read moreRead less
Testing the DNA decay hypothesis of ecological specialization. Australia's biodiversity has been increasingly threatened by climate change and fragmentation from habitat loss. To conserve biodiversity we need to identify species most at risk of extinction. One way species avoid extinction is to evolve and adapt to changing conditions, however, it now appears that many species have a limited adaptive potential. Here we develop and test a new idea that helps to predict species most threatened b ....Testing the DNA decay hypothesis of ecological specialization. Australia's biodiversity has been increasingly threatened by climate change and fragmentation from habitat loss. To conserve biodiversity we need to identify species most at risk of extinction. One way species avoid extinction is to evolve and adapt to changing conditions, however, it now appears that many species have a limited adaptive potential. Here we develop and test a new idea that helps to predict species most threatened by climate change and other types of stresses. We also identify the sets of genes that are involved in adapting to dry/cold conditions and toxins. This information provides a rapid way of identifying species most at risk and least likely to adapt, and a new perspective on Australia's biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Drosophila Quantitative Genomics. This research proposal will be a key element in the emerging program in evolutionary and ecological functional genomics at the University of Queensland. Our studies utilize modern genomics approaches to address diverse national priorities from conservation of biological resources in the face of climate change, to understanding how genetic history contributes to drug susceptibility. The research will contribute to the intellectual foundation upon which rigorous ....Drosophila Quantitative Genomics. This research proposal will be a key element in the emerging program in evolutionary and ecological functional genomics at the University of Queensland. Our studies utilize modern genomics approaches to address diverse national priorities from conservation of biological resources in the face of climate change, to understanding how genetic history contributes to drug susceptibility. The research will contribute to the intellectual foundation upon which rigorous environmental and biomedical research is built. Social impact will be seen in the training of a new generation of integrative genome biologists, and the shaping of attitudes toward the role of genetics in human biology.Read moreRead less