Prof Scott O'Neill
Position: Head of School, Life Sciences - University of Queensland
Major area of interest: Biology of Wolbachia, an inherited parasite
of invertebrates. Professor O'Neill is associated with ACITHN through its WHO Collaborating Centre status.
Overview
Our lab focuses on the biology of Wolbachia, an inherited bacterial parasite of invertebrates. Wolbachia are capable of exerting profound effects on the hosts they infect such as inducing developmental defects like cytoplasmic incompatibility, inducing parthenogenetic development, overriding chromosomal sex determination, selectively killing males and even functioning as classical mutualists. Our lab is interested in determining the molecular mechanisms by which these agents exert these effects. An applied aspect of this work is the potential utilization of these systems to manipulate the ability of insect disease vectors to transmit pathogens to humans. This might be achieved by using Wolbachia to drive transmission blocking genotypes into wild populations or to use Wolbachia to modify the age structure of vector populations.Projects
Wolbachia GenomicsOur lab is actively involved in a project to sequence the genomes of two Wolbachia strains. One from the insect host Drosophila melanogaster and the other from the nematode host Brugia malayi. We are in the process of preparing whole genome microarrays of Wolbachia for functional genomics studies seeking to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the Wolbachia / host interaction. We are also preparing physical maps of related Wolbachia strains for the same purpose.
Collaborators: Jonathan Eisen, Ph.D. - TI GR, Barton Slatko, Ph.D. & Jeremy Foster, Ph.D. - New England, Biolabs, Inc
Virulent Wolbachia infections in Drosophila
Some Wolbachia strains are known to drastically shorten
adult lifespan. We are interested in using these strains in different
host backgrounds to investigate the evolution of virulence. In
addition these strains are being examined as a potential way to
shift the age structure of insect populations and as such greatly
reduce their ability to serve as efficient vectors of disease.
Collaborators: David Merritt, Ph.D. - The University of Queensland, Australia, Kevin White, Ph.D. - Yale University, USA
Wolbachia Transformation
The ability to integrate foreign DNA into the Wolbachia chromosome
will be central to future studies wishing to both understand Wolbachia
function as well as utilise it as an applied tool. We have a major
program underway aiming to develop transformation technologies
for Wolbachia.
Wolbachia and Aedes albopictus in Thailand
Aedes albopictus is an important vector of dengue fever
in s. e. Asia. We are involved in projects seeking to better understand
the population dynamics of Wolbachia in this vector in
the field.
Collaborators: Pattamaporn Kittayapong, Ph.D. - Mahidol University, Thailand
Wolbachia and Rice Stripe virus transmission in China
We are involved in a consortium project to use Wolbachia as a
tool to block the ability of the small brown planthopper to transmit
rice stripe virus to rice plants in China. This virus can have
major impacts on rice yields and food production
Collaborators: Changben Li, Ph.D. and Daleng Shen, Ph.D. - Fudan, University, P.R. China, Roger Hull, Ph.D. - John Innes Institute, U.K.
Teaching
Undergraduate courses and postgraduate supervision.External Committees and Appointments
2002 - present: Member ACITHN (Australian Centre for International
& Tropical Health & Nutrition) Consultative Council
1994 - present: Professor, Morgan-Tan International Institute,
Fudan University, Shanghai, P. R. China