Dr. Anne Lockyer

Qualifications

1992-1995 D. Phil. Genetics Laboratory, Dept of Biochemistry, University of Oxford. Thesis entitled "Molecular and biological analysis of the putative Golgi mannosidase II and other enzymes involved in N-linked glycosylation in Drosophila melanogaster".

1989-1992 BA Honours Degree in Pure & Applied Biology. Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. Chosen specializations: Genetics, Cell and Developmental Biology, Evolution and Taxonomy and Structural Molecular Biology. Honours Project:  Investigated a gene involved in N-linked glycosylation in Drosophila melanogaster. Awarded Dr G Cooney Scholarship (1990).

Career

• 2010-present: Post Doctoral Research Assistant, Institute for the Environment, Brunel University.
• 2000-2009: Post Doctoral Research Assistant, The Natural History Museum, London.
• 1996 -2000: Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Department
• 1992-1995: DPhil Student. Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford    

Research Interests

I have a strong interest mollusc functional genomics, in which genomic sequence information and gene expression analyses are used to decipher the functional meaning of genomes. My current research interests have developed from my PhD in molecular genetics at the Genetics Laboratory, University of Oxford, from where I moved to the University of Aberdeen to investigate gene expression in hosts in response to parasite infection. I have spent many years examining host-parasite interactions, most particularly into the interaction between schistosome parasites and their intermediate host snails. Continuing this research at the Natural History Museum, London, I established a new programme of gene discovery for the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, intermediate host for Schistosoma mansoni, which causes human intestinal schistosomiasis, to identify genes involved in the complex interactions between host and parasite using DNA microarrays and functional genomics.

In addition to gene expression studies, I also have a long standing interest in snail/schistosome systematics and was involved in producing one of the first molecular phylogenies of Biomphalaria and later a comprehensive phylogeny of the Schistosomatidae. I also used whole mitochondrial genome sequences to determine relationships in the phylum Platyhelminthes.

I have recently become interested in how snails response, not just to parasites, but to other environmental stresses, such as pollution and endocrine disrupting chemicals and in determining how mollusc immune and endocrine systems are affected at the level of gene expression. This has also led to a comparative genomic investigation of the genes involved in the snail endocrine and steroidogenesis pathways.

Research Activity

I am currently working on a project funded by the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3R’s). The aim of this project is to develop a reproductive toxicity test based on the snail response to androgens and anti-androgens, which could be used as a replacement for the Hershberger assay in rats. The Hershberger assay is the current gold standard pre-clinical test used in the development of drugs to treat hormone-dependent male cancers.

As part of this project, I am investigating changes in gene expression in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata and the dogwhelk Nucella lapillus response to androgen or anti-androgenic chemicals.  I am also examining the nuclear receptors of Biomphalaria glabrata and the owl limpet Lottia gigantea for which draft genomes are now available.

Lockyer AE, Spinks, J, Kane RA, Hoffmann, KF, Fitzpatrick JM, Rollinson D, Noble LR & Jones CS. Biomphalaria glabrata transcriptome: cDNA microarray profiling identifies resistant- and susceptible-specific gene expression in haemocytes from snail strains exposed to Schistosoma mansoni.(2008) BMC Genomics 9634.

Lockyer AE, Spinks, J, Noble LR, Rollinson D & Jones CS. Identification of genes involved in interactions between Biomphalaria glabrata and Schistosoma mansoni by suppression subtractive hybridization.(2007) Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 151 18-27.

Lockyer AE, Spinks JN, Walker AJ, Kane RA, Noble LR, Rollinson D, Dias-Neto E & Jones CS. Biomphalaria glabrata transcriptome: Identification of cell-signalling, transcriptional control and immune related genes from open reading frame expressed sequence tags (ORESTES). (2007) Developmental and Comparative Immunology.31 763-82.

Littlewood DJT, Lockyer AE, Webster BL, Johnston DA & Le TH. The complete mitochondrial genomes of Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma spindale and the evolutionary history of mitochondrial genome changes among parasitic flatworms. (2006) Molecular phylogenetics and Evolution 39 452-467.

Todaro, MA, Telford MJ, Lockyer AE & Littlewood DTJ Interrelationships of the Gastrotricha and their place among the Metazoa inferred from 18S rRNA genes. (2006) Zoologica Scripta 35 251-259.

Lockyer AE, Noble LR, Rollinson D & Jones CS. Isolation and characterization of the full-length cDNA encoding a member of a novel cytochrome p450 family (CYP320A1) from the tropical freshwater snail, Biomphalaria glabrata, intermediate host for Schistosoma mansoni. (2005) Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 100 259-262.

Rudolfova J, Hampl V, Bayssade-Dufour C, Lockyer AE, Littlewood DTL & Horak P. Validity reassessment of Trichobilharzia species using Lymnaea stagnalis as the intermediate host. (2005) Parasitology Research 95 79-89.

Lockyer, A.E., Jones, C.S., Noble, L.R. & Rollinson, D. Trematodes and snails, an intimate association. (2004) Canadian Journal of Zoology 82251-269.

Lockyer, A.E., Noble, L.R., Rollinson, D. & Jones, C.S. Schistosoma mansoni: Resistant specific infection-induced gene expression in Biomphalaria glabrata identified by fluorescent-based differential display. (2004) Experimental Parasitology 107 97-104.

Stothard, J.R., Lockyer, A.E., Kabatereine. N.B., Tukahebwa, E.M., Rollinson, D. & Fenwick, A.  Schistosoma bovis Sonsino, 1876 in western Uganda. (2004) Journal of Helminthology 78 281-284.

Lockyer, A.E., Olson, P.D., Østergaard, P., Rollinson, D., Johnston, D.J., Attwood, S.W., Southgate, V.R., Horak, P., Snyder, S.D., Le,T.H. Agatsuma, T., McManus, D.P., Carmichael, A.C., Naem, S & Littlewood, D.T.J. (2003) The phylogeny of the Schistosomatidae based on three genes with emphasis on the interrelationships of Schistosoma Weinland, 1858. Parasitology 126 203-224.

Bourlat, S.J., Nielsen, C., Lockyer, A.E., Littlewood, D.T.J. & Telford, M.J. Xenoturbella is a deuterostome that eats molluscs. (2003) Nature 424 925-928.

Lockyer, A.E., Olson, P.D. & Littlewood D.T.J. (2003) Utility of complete large and small subunit rRNA genes in resolving the phylogeny of the Neodermata: implications and a review of the cercomer theory. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 78 155-171.

Kane, R.A., Southgate, V.R., Rollinson, D., Littlewood, D.T.J., Lockyer, A.E. Pagès, J.R., Tchuem Tchuenté, L.A., Jourdane, J. A phylogeny based on three mitochondrial genes supports the division of Schistosoma intercalatum into two separate species. (2003) Parasitology 127 131-137.

Noble, L.R., Jones, C.S., Lockyer, A.E. Spinks, J. & Rollinson, D. Molluscs, molecules and Man: towards new perspectives in host parasite interactions and future control strategies, in ‘Slugs and Snails: Agricultural, Veterinary and Environmental Perspectives.’ (2003) BCPC symposium proceedings 80 3-12.

Telford, M.J., Lockyer, A.E., Cartwright-Finch, C. & Littlewood, D.T.J. Combined large and small subunit ribosomal RNA phylogenies support a basal position of the acoelomorph flatworms. (2003) Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 270 1077-1083

Jones C.S., Lockyer A.E., Verspoor E., Secombes C.J. & Noble L.R. (2002) Towards selective breeding of Atlantic salmon for sea louse resistance: approaches to identify trait markers. Pest Management Science 58 559-568.

Lockyer, A.E., Jones, C.S., Noble, L.R., Verspoor, E., Holland, J & Secombes, C.J. (2001) Isolation and characterization of a putative interleukin 13 receptor alpha-2 sequence from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Fish and Shellfish Immunology 11 541-546

Jones, C.S., Lockyer, A.E., Noble, L.R. & Rollinson, D. (2001) Molecular approaches in the study of Biomphalaria glabrata-Schistosoma mansoni interactions: linkage analysis and gene expression profiling. Parasitology 123 S181-S196

Lockyer, A.E., Jones, C.S., Noble, L.R. & Rollinson, D. (2000) Use of differential display to detect changes in gene expression in the intermediate snail host Biomphalaria glabrata upon infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Parasitology. 120 399-407.

Campbell, G., Jones C.S., Lockyer, A.E., Hughes, S, Brown, D, Noble, L.R. & Rollinson, D. (2000) Molecular evidence supports an African affinity of the Neotropical freshwater gastropod, Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818), an intermediate host for Schistosoma mansoni.  Proceedings of the Royal Society B 267 2351-2358.

Jones, C.S., Lockyer A.E., Piertney S.B., Rollinson D.  & Noble L.R. (1999) Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the freshwater gastropod, Biomphalaria glabrata, an intermediate host for Schistosoma mansoni.  Molecular Ecology 8 2149-2151.

Campbell, G., Jones, C.S., Lockyer, A.E., Rollinson, D & Noble, L.R. (1999) Reconstruction of the phylogenetic relationships between African and neotropical Biomphalaria species. In: Proceedings of the Workshop on Medical and veterinary Malacology in Africa, Harare, Zimbabwe. 33-42 (Eds Madsen, H, Appleton, C.C and Chimbari, M.) DBL.

Rabouille, C., Kuntz, D.A., Lockyer, A.E., Watson, R., Signorelli, T., Rose, D.R., van den Heuvel, M. & Roberts, D.B. (1999) The Drosophila GMII gene encodes a Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. Journal of Cell Science 112 3319-3330

Lockyer, A.E., Jones, C.S., Rollinson, D. & Noble, L.R. (1998) Identification and preliminary characterization of molecular markers linked to schistosome resistance in Biomphalaria glabrata. in: Proceedings of the Workshop on Medical Malacology in Africa. September 1997, Harare, Zimbabwe. 219-223.  (Eds Madsen, H, Appleton, C.C and Chimbari, M.) DBL.

Rollinson, D, Stothard, J.R., Jones, C.S., Lockyer, A.E., Pereira de Souza, C & Noble, L.R. (1998) Molecular characterization of intermediate snail hosts and the search for resistance genes. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 93 Suppl I 111-116.

Christodoulou, S., Lockyer, A.E., Foster, J.M., Hoheisel, J.D. & Roberts, D.B. (1997) Nucleotide sequence of a Drosophila melanogaster cDNA encoding a calnexin homologue. Gene, 191 143-148.

Jones, C.S., Noble, L.R., Lockyer, A.E., Brown, D.S. & Rollinson, D. (1997) Species-specific primers discriminate intermediate hosts of schistosomes: simple unambiguous PCR diagnosis of Bulinus forskalii group taxa (Gastropoda: Panorbidae). Molecular Ecology, 6 263-269.

Foster, J.M., Yudkin, B., Lockyer, A.E. & Roberts, D.B. (1995) Cloning and sequence analysis of GmII, a Drosophila melanogaster homologue of the cDNA encoding murine Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. Gene  154 183-186.