Brief: The purpose of the Eukaryotic microbiology SIG is:

• to raise awareness of the importance of eukaryotic microbes to industry and as research tools
  
• to foster interactions and the exchange of information between groups and individuals who are interested in the genetics and cell biology of eukaryotic organisms
  
• to promote and further the transfer of this knowledge to the New Zealand public
  

Convenor:

Dr. Justin O'Sullivan
Institute of Molecular Biosciences
Massey University, Albany
Private Bag 102904, North shore Mail Centre
Auckland
email: J.M.OSullivan@massey.ac.nz

What's new in the Eukaryotic Microbiology SIG?

A Short Course in Clinical Parasitology

April 29 th to May 4 th, 2007

Presented by the
South Western Area Pathology Service

in conjunction with the NSW Branch of the
Australian Society for Microbiology

Keynote speakers include:

John Williams - London School of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene

Evelyne Kokoskin - McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Richard Russell - Entomology, ICPMR, Sydney

Graham Robertson - Concord Hospital, Sydney

Stephen Neville - SWAPS, Sydney

The course consists of 60% practical work and ~40% lectures and tutorials. All aspects of clinical parasitology will be covered including laboratory diagnosis, treatment, case presentations, epidemiology, management and training issues. Accommodation is available on-site at AUD125 per room per day (single, twin or double).

Application forms and more information can be obtained by contacting:

Stephen Neville

Phone: (02) 9828 5136
Fax: (02) 9828 5129
Email: stephen.neville@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

Gene Expression and Chromatin Symposium Report

J. M. O’Sullivan, SIG Convenor

On the 30 th of September 2006, over 60 scientists from New Zealand, Australia, and U.K. gathered at the Massey University campus, in Albany, for a one day symposium on Gene expression and Chromatin. The symposium was sponsored by the Massey University Institute of Molecular Biosciences (IMBS), the New Zealand Microbiological Society, the Maurice & Phyllis Paykel Trust, the National Centre for Growth and Development, Biolab, Bio-strategy, Roche, TLS and Invitrogen.

This was the first symposium organised under the auspices of the Eukaryotic Microbiology Special Interest Group (SIG) and it focused on Gene expression in Eukaryotes. Attendance at the symposium was free and fifteen high quality talks, covering different aspects of gene expression and chromatin, in a wide variety of eukaryotic organisms, were presented through-out the day. As such, it was an opportunity for different academic and industrial research groups to meet, share information and ideas within an area which is of central importance to our health, biotechnological and agricultural industries.

While all of the talks were of a high standard, several were noteworthy for a variety of reasons. Firstly, Dr David Tremethick (ANU, Australia) provided an excellent introduction to chromatin in the first address of the day. He expertly led the listeners from his initial analogy – that packing DNA into a mammalian nucleus is like putting 10,000 km of spaghetti into a soccer ball – through to the specific role of an acidic patch in the H2A variant histones on the control of DNA compaction and chromatin structure. Dr Max Scott provided an excellent insight into how the MSL chromatin modifying complex may have been adapted for X chromosome dosage compensation in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). He presented evidence that the specific motifs in the MSL1 and MSL2 proteins are essential for X chromosome binding. The motifs are well conserved among Drosophila species but not in vertebrate ortholgs. It appears that some of the motifs mediate binding to non-coding RNAs that guide the complex to the X chromosome.

Associate Professor Emma Whitelaw (QIMR, Australia) provided an interesting insight into metastable epialleles and the influence that diet, in particular, can have on gene expression. This was illustrated with respect to the Agouti viable yellow allele in mice, the expression of which correlates with epigenetic state. Emma then continued to explain a genetic screen her lab has been performing and discussed several of the dominant and recessive genes, including chromatin modifiers, which were identified as part of this screen.

Professor Nick Proudfoot ( Oxford, U.K.) presented a fascinating talk that began with reference to a paper he and Emma Whitelaw published in 1986, which was the first to demonstrate the link between transcription termination and poly(A) processing. He then continued this theme by presenting data on co-transcriptional cleavage, which supports a torpedo model for transcription termination. Following on from this Nick described some new results produced in his laboratory, which demonstrate that DNA loops form within the BRCA1 gene and around the HIV provirus.

Professor Phil Crosier ( Auckland) and Associate Professor Don Love ( Auckland) both highlighted the enormous power of the zebra-fish as a model system for the study of different aspects of gene expression. Phil and his group are using the zebrafish to study the regulation and function of the Runx genes in haematopoiesis, the immune system, bone development and pain pathways. Don and his group are focusing on the dystrophin gene and the multiple overlapping transcripts that are expressed from this gene.

Dr Klaus Lenhert (Vialactia) and Dr Allan Sheppard (AgResearch) gave very interesting talks outlining some of the work that is being performed using Cows in New Zealand. Part of Klaus’ talk related to an individual cow that was identified as an outlier based on a normal distribution that contained a “mere” 4 million individuals.

The day was completed by a series of three excellent talks on gene expression in plants (Drs Roger Hellens (HortResearch), Erica Varconyi-Gasic (HortResearch), and Mr Robert Day (Otago)). Erica presented evidence for the transport of miRNA within plant phloem, a very interesting phenomenon from gene regulation, defence and developmental points of view. Robert was one of 5 students who were partly funded to attend the symposium and his talk elegantly demonstrated the application of laser micro-dissection to the study of gene expression in the Arabidopsis thaliana endosperm.