A5046124335- Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- thermodynamics and calorimetric analyses
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Plant and animal studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Gene Regulatory Network Analysis
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Hepatitis B Virus Studies
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- Micro and Nano Robotics
- Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
- Streptococcal Infections and Treatments
- Curcumin's Biomedical Applications
- Metabolism and Genetic Disorders
- Blood disorders and treatments
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
Centre for Life
2018-2022
University College London
2017-2022
University of Manchester
2011-2019
Medical Research Council
2011
J. Craig Venter Institute
2006
The ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila is a model organism for molecular and cellular biology. Like other ciliates, this species has separate germline soma functions that are embodied by distinct nuclei within single cell. germline-like micronucleus (MIC) its genome held in reserve sexual reproduction. soma-like macronucleus (MAC), which possesses processed from of the MIC, center gene expression does not directly contribute DNA to progeny. We report here shotgun sequencing, assembly, analysis...
Abstract Conflict is thought to play a critical role in the evolution of social interactions by promoting diversity or driving accelerated evolution. However, despite our sophisticated understanding how conflict shapes traits, we have limited knowledge it impacts molecular across underlying genes. Here address this problem analyzing genome-wide impact using genome sequences from 67 Dictyostelium discoideum strains. We find that genes tend exhibit enhanced polymorphism and these patterns are...
Abstract Cheaters disrupt cooperation by reaping the benefits without paying their fair share of associated costs. Cheater impact can be diminished if cooperators display a tag (‘greenbeard’) and recognise preferentially direct towards other carriers. Despite its popular appeal, feasibility such greenbeards has been questioned because complex patterns partner-specific cooperative behaviours seen in nature require to come different colours. Here we show that locus (‘Tgr’) social amoeba...
Significance Contributing to cooperation is costly, while its rewards are often available all members of a social group. Therefore, vulnerable exploitation by individuals that do not contribute but nevertheless share the benefits. So why cooperation? This dilemma can be resolved if modulate their ‟investment” into dependent on whether benefits go relatives or nonrelatives, which maximizes return investment genes. To evaluate this idea, we derived model for cooperative and tested predictions...
Bacterial persistence describes a heterogeneous response to antibiotics in clonal populations of bacteria due phenotypic variation within the population, with small proportion cells surviving treatment even at very high concentrations drug. The aim this study was determine whether different natural isolates Escherichia coli, selected random from collection representing spectrum genetic diversity species, generate fractions persister cells. Despite comparable minimum inhibitory (MICs) between...
Cell-cell heterogeneity can facilitate lineage choice during embryonic development because it primes cells to respond differentiation cues. However, remarkably little is known about the origin of or whether intrinsic and extrinsic variation be controlled generate reproducible cell type proportioning seen in vivo. Here, we use experimentation modeling D. discoideum demonstrate that population-level cycle optimized robust fate proportioning. First, position quantitatively linked responsiveness...
Organisms often cooperate through the production of freely available public goods. This can greatly benefit group but is vulnerable to "tragedy commons" if individuals lack motivation make necessary investment into goods production. Relatedness groupmates motivate individual because success ultimately benefits their genes' own self-interests. However, systems mechanisms that reliably ensure relatedness high enough promote cooperation. Consequently, groups face a persistent threat from...
Abstract Background Genomes can be sequenced with relative ease, but ascribing gene function remains a major challenge. Genetically tractable model systems are crucial to meet this One powerful is the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum , eukaryotic microbe widely used study diverse questions in cell, developmental and evolutionary biology. Results We describe REMI-seq, an adaptation of Tn-seq, which allows high throughput, en masse quantitative identification genomic site insertion drug...
ABSTRACT Natural compounds often have complex molecular structures and unknown targets. These characteristics make them difficult to analyse using a classical pharmacological approach. Curcumin, the main curcuminoid of turmeric, is molecule possessing wide-ranging biological activities, cellular mechanisms roles in potential therapeutic treatment, including Alzheimer's disease cancer. Here, we investigate physiological effects targets curcumin Dictyostelium discoideum. We show that exerts...
Epidiolex™, a form of highly purified cannabidiol (CBD) derived from Cannabis plants, has demonstrated seizure control activity in patients with Dravet syndrome, without fully elucidated mechanism action. We have employed an unbiased approach to investigate this at cellular level.
Lamivudine (3TC) is a potent inhibitor of both Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) replication part first-line highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the Gambia. Unfortunately, effectiveness 3TC against HBV limited by emergence resistant strains.The aim this retrospective study was to characterise 3TC-resistant mutations from co-infected patients receiving HAART, generating polymerase sequence data viral loads genotype E infected patients, at initiation...
Abstract Natural selection should favour generalist predators that outperform specialists across all prey types. Two genetic solutions could explain why intraspecific variation in predatory performance is, nonetheless, widespread: mutations beneficial on one type are costly another (antagonistic pleiotropy), or mutational effects prey-specific, which weakens selection, allowing to persist (relaxed selection). To understand the relative importance of these alternatives, we characterised...
The mechanisms of resistance to ciprofloxacin and grepafloxacin were studied in 54 clinical isolates Streptococcus pneumoniae. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis following Hinfl digestion was used with DNA sequencing identify mutations the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) parC gyrA genes. Ciprofloxacin MICs up 16 mg/L not associated these genes approximately half isolates. In other isolates, moderate levels (MIC 8-16 mg/L) an alteration ParC, most commonly...
Abstract Genomes can be sequenced with relative ease, but ascribing gene function remains a major challenge. Genetically tractable model systems are crucial to meet this One powerful is the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum , eukaryotic microbe widely used study diverse questions in cell, developmental and evolutionary biology. However, its utility hampered by inefficiency which sequence, transcriptome or proteome variation linked phenotype. To address this, we have developed methods...