Ryszard Maleszka

Contacts

Group membership

Honorary Group Leader, Maleszka Group - From molecules to behaviour

Ryszard Maleszka received his MSc and a PhD from the Department of Genetics, University of Warsaw and has done postdoctoral work at the National Research Council of Canada before moving to Australia in 1987. Since 1998 he has been spearheading a research theme called ‘From Molecules to Memory’ that uses invertebrate model systems to study the genotype to phenotype link, and to understand how epigenetic modifications contribute to environmentally-driven phenotypic plasticity and the maintenance of memory. He is a member of several genomic consortia and advisor to genomic databases. He has published over 100 papers including research and popular articles, reviews and book chapters.

Research interests

  • Integration of genomic and environmental stimuli via epigenomic modifications
  • Epigenetic mechanisms controlling behavioural development and memory storage in the brain
  • How contrasting phenotypic and behavioural outputs are produced from the same genome.

Recent grants

  • Integration of genomic and environmental stimuli via epigenomic modifications
  • Epigenetic mechanisms controlling behavioural development and memory storage in the brain
  • How contrasting phenotypic and behavioural outputs are produced from the same genome.

Projects

  • Kucharski, R, Ellis, N, Jurkowski, T et al. 2023, 'The PWWP domain and the evolution of unique DNA methylation toolkits in Hymenoptera', iScience, vol. 26, no. 11.
  • Maleszka, R 2022, 'Clinical Epigenetics on the Baltic Coast', Epigenomes, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 1-4.
  • Wedd, L, Kucharski, R & Maleszka, R 2022, 'DNA Methylation in Honey Bees and the Unresolved Questions in Insect Methylomics', Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol. 1389, pp. 159-176.
  • Maleszka, R & Kucharski, R 2022, 'Without mechanisms, theories and models in insect epigenetics remain a black box', Trends in Genetics, vol. 38, no. 11, pp. 1108-1111.
  • Hurd, P, Grubel, K, Wojciechowski, M et al. 2021, 'Novel structure in the nuclei of honey bee brain neurons revealed by immunostaining', Scientific Reports, vol. 11, no. 1.
  • Karouta, C, Kucharski, R, Hardy, K et al. 2021, 'Transcriptome-based insights into gene networks controlling myopia prevention', FASEB Journal, vol. 35, no. 9.
  • Kucharski, R & Maleszka, R 2020, 'Exploring DNA Methylation Diversity in the Honey Bee Brain by Ultra-Deep Amplicon Sequencing', Epigenomes, vol. 4, no. 2.
  • Zhang, V, Kucharski, R, Landers, C et al 2019, 'Characterization of a Dopamine Transporter and Its Splice Variant Reveals Novel Features of Dopaminergic Regulation in the Honey Bee', Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 10, pp. -.
  • Sovik, E, Berthier, P, Klare, W et al 2018, 'Cocaine directly impairs memory extinction and alters brain DNA methylation dynamics in honey bees', Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 9, pp. 1-11pp.
  • Wojciechowski, M, Lowe, R, Maleszka, J et al. 2018, 'Phenotypically distinct female castes in honey bees are defined by alternative chromatin states during larval development', Genome Research, vol. 28, no. 10, pp. 1532-1542.
  • Maleszka, R 2018, 'Beyond Royalactin and a master inducer explanation of phenotypic plasticity in honey bees', Communications Biology, vol. 1, no. 8, pp. 1-7.
  • Wedd, L, Ashby, R, Foret, S et al 2017, 'Developmental and loco-like effects of a swainsonine-induced inhibition of a-mannosidase in the honey bee, apis mellifera', PeerJ, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 1-22pp.
  • Wang, W, Ashby, R, Ying, H et al. 2017, 'Contrasting Sex-and Caste-Dependent piRNA Profiles in the Transposon Depleted Haplodiploid Honeybee Apis mellifera', Genome Biology and Evolution, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 1341-1356pp.
  • Welsh, L, Maleszka, R & Foret, S 2017, 'Detecting rare asymmetrically methylated cytosines and decoding methylation patterns in the honeybee genome', Royal Society Open Science, vol. 4, no. 9, pp. 170248-170248.
  • Mason, P, Maleszka, R & Dominguez, J 2017, 'Another stage of development: Biological degeneracy and the study of bodily ageing', Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. 163:46-51. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2016.12.007. Epub 2016 Dec 21.
  • Kucharski, R, Maleszka, R & Wedd, L 2016, 'Differentially methylated obligatory epialleles modulate context-dependent LAM gene expression in the honeybee Apis mellifera', Epigenetics, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1-10.
  • Becker, N, Kucharski, R, Rossler, W et al 2016, 'Age-dependent transcriptional and epigenomic responses to light exposure in the honey bee brain', FEBS Open Bio, vol. 6, no. 7, pp. 622-639.
  • Kucharski, R, Maleszka, J & Maleszka, R 2016, 'A possible role of DNA methylation in functional divergence of a fast evolving duplicate gene encoding odorant binding protein 11 in the honeybee', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 283, no. 1833, pp. 20160558-20160558.
  • Wedd, L & Maleszka, R 2016, 'DNA methylation and gene regulation in honeybees: From genome-wide analyses to obligatory epialleles', Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol. 945, pp. 193-211.
  • Ashby, R, Foret, S, Searle, I et al 2016, 'MicroRNAs in Honey Bee Caste Determination', Scientific Reports, vol. 6, pp.18794
  • Maleszka, R 2016, 'Epigenetic code and insect behavioural plasticity', Current Opinion in Insect Science, vol. 15, pp. 45-52.
  • Kucharski, R, Foret, S & Maleszka, R 2015, 'EGFR gene methylation is not involved in Royalactin controlled phenotypic polymorphism in honey bees', Scientific Reports, vol. 5, pp. 14070-14070.
  • Maleszka, R, Mason, P & Barron, A 2014, 'Epigenomics and the concept of degeneracy in biological systems', Briefings in Functional Genomics, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 191-202.
  • Lockett, G, Wilkes, F, Helliwell, P et al 2014, 'Contrasting effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors on reward and aversive olfactory memories in the honey bee', Insects, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 377-398.
  • Elsik, C, Worley, K, Bennett, A et al 2014, 'Finding the missing honey bee genes: Lessons learned from a genome upgrade', BMC Genomics, vol. 15, no. 86, pp. 1-29.
  • Wojciechowski, M, Rafalski, D, Kucharski, R et al 2014, 'Insights into DNA hydroxymethylation in the honeybee from in-depth analyses of TET dioxygenase', Open Biology, vol. 4, no. 8, p. 140110.
  • Maleszka, R 2014, 'The social honey bee in biomedical research: realities and expectations', Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models, vol. Available online: 23 Aug 14, p. 7.
  • Dickman, M, Kucharski, R, Maleszka, R et al. 2013, 'Extensive histone post-translational modification in honey bees', Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 125-137.
  • Evans, J, Schwarz, R, Chen, Y et al 2013, 'Standard methods for molecular research in Apis mellifera', Journal of Apicultural Research, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 1-54.
  • Maleszka, R 2012, 'Elucidating the Path from Genotype to Behavior in Honey Bees: Insights from Epigenomics', in Galizia, C. Giovanni, Eisenhardt, Dorothea and Giurfa, Martin (ed.), Honeybee Neurobiology and Behavior: a tribute to Randolf Menzel, Springer, Dordrecht Germany, pp. 373-386.
  • Lockett, G, Kucharski, R & Maleszka, R 2012, 'DNA methylation changes elicited by social stimuli in the brains of worker honey bees', Genes, Brain and Behavior, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 235-242.
  • Foret, S, Kucharski, R, Pellegrini, M et al 2012, 'DNA methylation dynamics, metabolic fluxes, gene splicing, and alternative phenotypes in honey bees', PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 109, no. 13, pp. 4968-4973.
  • Lyko, F & Maleszka, R 2011, 'Insects as innovative models for functional studies of DNA methylation', Trends in Genetics, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 127-131.
  • Gabor Miklos, G & Maleszka, R 2011, 'Epigenomic communication systems in humans and honey bees: From molecules to behavior', Hormones and Behavior, vol 59, no 3 pp. 399-406
  • Lyko, F, Foret, S, Kucharski, R et al 2010, 'The honey bee epigenomes: Differential methylation of brain DNA in queens and workers', PLoS Biology, vol. 8, no. 11, pp. e1000506-e1000506.
  • Lockett, G, Wilkes, F & Maleszka, R 2010, 'Brain plasticity, memory and neurological disorders: an epigenetic perspective', NeuroReport, vol. 21, no. 14, pp. 909-913.
  • Werren, J, Richards, S, Desjardins, C et al 2010, 'Functional and evolutionary insights from the genomes of three parasitoid nasonia species', Science, vol. 327, no. 5963, pp. 343-348.
  • Lockett, G, Helliwell, P & Maleszka, R 2010, 'Involvement of DNA methylation in memory processing in the honey bee', NeuroReport, vol. 21, no. 12, pp. 812-816.
  • Lyko, F, Foret, S, Kucharski, R et al 2010, 'The Honey Bee Epigenomes: Differential Methylation of Brain DNA in Queens and Workers', PLoS Biology, vol. 8, no. 11, pp. e1000506-e1000506.
  • Werren, J, Richards, S, Desjardins, C et al 2010, 'Functional and Evolutionary Insights from the Genomes of Three Parasitoid Nasonia Species', Science, vol. 327, no. 5963, pp. 343-348.
  • Maleszka, R 2007, 'A queen is made, not born', Australasian Science, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 22-24.
  • Koywiwattrakul, P, Thompson, G, Sitthipraneed, S et al 2005, 'Effects of carbon dioxide narcosis on ovary activation and gene expression in worker honeybees, Apis mellifera', Journal of Insect Science, vol. 5, pp. 36-.
  • Kucharski, R, Maleszka, R, Hayward, D et al 1998, 'A royal jelly protein is expressed in a subset of Kenyon cells in the mushroom bodies of the honey bee brain', Naturwissenschaften, vol. 85, no. 7, pp. 343-346.
  • Kucharski, R & Maleszka, R 1998, 'Arginine kinase is highly expressed in the compound eye of the honey bee, Apis mellifera', Gene, vol. 211, no. 2, pp. 343-349.
  • Barron, A, Maleszka, R, Helliwell, P et al 2009, 'Effects of cocaine on honey bee dance behaviour', Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 212, pp. 163-168.
  • Maleszka, J, Barron, A, Helliwell, P et al 2009, 'Effect of age, behaviour and social environment on honey bee brain plasticity', Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology, vol. 195, no. 8, pp. 1-8.
  • Foret, S, Kucharski, R, Pittelkow, Y et al 2009, 'Epigenetic regulation of the honey bee transcriptome: unravelling the nature of methylated genes', BMC Genomics, vol. 10, p. 472.
  • Kucharski, R, Maleszka, J, Foret, S et al 2008, 'Nutritional Control of Reproductive Status in Honeybees via DNA Methylation', Science, vol. 319, no. 5871, pp. 1827-30.
  • Thompson, G, Kucharski, R, Maleszka, R et al 2008, 'Genome-wide analysis of genes related to ovary activation in worker honey bees', Insect Molecular Biology, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 657-665.
  • Maleszka, R 2008, 'Epigenetic integration of environmental and genomic signals in honey bees: the critical interplay of nutritional, brain and reproductive networks', Epigenetics, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 188-192.
  • Richards, S, Gibbs, R, Weinstock, G et al. 2008, 'The genome of the model beetle and pest Tribolium castaneum', Nature, vol. 452, pp. 949-955.
  • Barron, A, Maleszka, J, Vander Meer, R et al 2007, 'Comparing injection, feeding and topical application methods for treatment of honeybees with octopamine', Journal of Insect Physiology, vol. 53, pp. 187-194.
  • Kucharski, R, Maleszka, J & Maleszka, R 2007, 'Novel cuticular proteins revealed by the honey bee genome', Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 37, pp. 128-134.
  • Barron, A, Maleszka, R, Vander Meer, R et al 2007, 'Octopamine modulates honey bee dance behavior', PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 104, no. 5, pp. 1703-1707.
  • Maleszka, J, Foret, S, Saint, R et al 2007, 'RNAi-induced phenotypes suggest a novel role for a chemosensory protein CSP5 in the development of embryonic integument in the honeybee (Apis mellifera)', Development Genes and Evolution, vol. 217, pp. 189-196.
  • Kucharski, R, Mitri, C, Grau, Y et al 2007, 'Characterization of a metabotropic glutamate receptor in the honeybee (Apis mellifera): implications for memory formation', Invertebrate Neuroscience, vol. 7, pp. 99-108.
  • Barchuk, A, Cristino, A, Kucharski, R et al 2007, 'Molecular determinants of caste differentiation in the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera', BMC Developmental Biology, vol. 7, no. 70, pp. 1-19.
  • Foret, S, Wanner, K & Maleszka, R 2007, 'Chemosensory proteins in the honey bee: Insights from the annotated genome, comparative analyses and expressional profiling', Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 37, pp. 19-28.
  • Ashby, R, McCarthy, C, Maleszka, R et al. 2007, 'A muscarinic cholinergic antagonist and a dopamine agonist rapidly increase ZENK mRNA expression in the form-deprived chicken retina', Experimental Eye Research, vol. 85, pp. 15-22.
  • Vidovic, M, Nighorn, A, Koblar, S et al 2007, 'Eph Receptor and Ephrin Signaling in Developing and Adult Brain of the Honeybee (Apis mellifera)', Developmental Neurobiology, vol. 67, no. 2, pp. 233-251.
  • Kunieda, T, Fujiyuki, T, Kucharski, R et al 2006, 'Carbohydrate metabolism genes and pathways in insects: insights from the honey bee genome', Insect Molecular Biology, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 563-576.
  • Weinstock, G, Robinson, G, Gibbs, R et al. 2006, 'Insights into social insects from the genome of the honeybee Apis mellifera', Nature, vol. 443, no. 26 October 2006, pp. 931-949.
  • Foret, S & Maleszka, R 2006, 'Function and evolution of a gene family encoding odorant binding-like proteins in a social insect, the honey been (Apis melliera)', Genome Research, vol. 16, pp. 1404-1413.
  • Robinson, G, Evans, J, Maleszka, R et al 2006, 'Sweetness and light: illluminating the honey bee genome', Insect Molecular Biology, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 535-539.
  • Wang, Y, Jorda, M, Jones, P et al 2006, 'Functional CpG Methylation system in a Social Insect', Science, vol. 314, no. 27 October 2006, pp. 645.7.
  • Thompson, G, Kucharski, R, Maleszka, R et al 2006, 'Towards a molecular definition of worker sterility: differential gene expression and reproductive plasticity in honey bees', Insect Molecular Biology, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 637-644.
  • Drapeau, M, Albert, S, Kucharski, R et al 2006, 'Evolution of the Yellow/Major Royal Jelly Protein family and the emergence of social behavior in honey bees', Genome Research, vol. 16, pp. 1385-1394.
  • Si, A, Zhang, S & Maleszka, R 2005, 'Effects of caffeine on olfactory and visual learning in the Honey bee (Apis mellifera)', Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, vol. 82, pp. 664-672.
  • Jones, J, Helliwell, P, Beekman, M et al 2005, 'The effects of rearing temperature on developmental stability and learning and memory in the honey bee, Apis mellifera', Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology, vol. 191, no. 12, pp. 1121-1129.
  • Kucharski, R & Maleszka, R 2005, 'Microarray and Real-Time PCR Analysis of Gene Expression in the Honeybee Brain Following Caffeine Treatment', Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, vol. 27, pp. 269-276.
  • Koywiwattrakul, P, Thompson, G, Sitthipraneed, S et al 2005, 'Effects of carbon dioxide narcosis on ovary activation and gene expression in worker honeybees, Apis mellifera', Journal of Insect Science, vol. 5, p. 36.
  • Miklos, G & Maleszka, R 2004, 'Microarray reality checks in the context of a complex disease', Nature Biotechnology, vol. 22, pp. 615-621.
  • Si, A, Helliwell, P & Maleszka, R 2004, 'Effects of NMDA receptor antagonists on olfactory learning and memory in the honeybee', Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, vol. 77, pp. 191-197.
  • Barchuk, A, Maleszka, R & Simoes, Z 2004, 'Apis mellifera ultraspiracle: cDNA sequence and rapid up-regulation by juvenile hormone', Insect Molecular Biology, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 459-467.
  • Morgan, I, Kucharski, R, Krongkaew, N et al. 2004, 'Screening for differential gene expression during the development of form-deprivation myopia in the chicken', Optometry and Vision Science, vol. 81, no. 2, pp. 148-155.
  • Kucharski, R & Maleszka, R 2003, 'Transcriptional profiling reveals multifunctional roles for transerrin in the honeybee, Apis mellifera', Journal of Insect Science, vol. 3, no. 27, pp. 1-8.
  • McGinn, P, Price, G, Maleszka, R et al. 2003, 'Inorganic carbon limitation and light control the expression of transcripts related to the CO2-concentrating mechanism in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803', Plant Physiology, vol. 132, pp. 218-229.
  • Guez, D, Belzunces, L & Maleszka, R 2003, 'Effects of imidacloprid metabolites on habituation in honeybees suggest the existence of two subtypes of nicotinic receptors differentially expressed during adult development', Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, vol. 75, no. 1, pp. 217-222.
  • Kucharski, R & Maleszka, R 2002, 'Molecular profiling of behavioural development: differential expression of mRNAs for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase isoforms in naive and experienced honeybees (Apis mellifera)', Molecular Brain Research, vol. 99, pp. 92-101.
  • Kucharski, R & Maleszka, R 2002, 'Evaluation of differential gene expression during behavioural development in the honeybee using microarrays and northern blots', Genome Biology, vol. 3, pp. 0007-1-0007.9.
  • Miklos, G & Maleszka, R 2001, 'Protein functions and biological contexts', Proteomics, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 169-178.
  • Guez, D, Suchail, S, Gauthier, M et al 2001, 'Contrasting effects of Imidacloprid on habituation in 7-day and 8-day old honeybees', Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, vol. 76, pp. 183-191.
  • Maleszka, R & Helliwell, P 2001, 'Effect of juvenile hormone on short-term olfactory memory in young honeybees (Apis mellifera)', Hormones and Behavior, vol. 40, pp. 403-408.
  • Miklos, G & Maleszka, R 2001, 'Integrating molecular medicine with functional proteomics: Realities and expectations', Proteomics, vol. 1, pp. 30-41.
  • Morgans, C, Gaughwin, P & Maleszka, R 2001, 'Expression of the α1F calcium channel subunit by photoreceptors in the rat retina', Molecular Vision, vol. 7, no. 28, pp. 202-209.
  • Kucharski, R, Ball, E, Hayward, D et al 2000, 'Molecular cloning and expression analysis of a cDNA encoding a glutamate transporter in the honeybee brain', Gene, vol. 244, pp. 399-405.
  • Maleszka, R & Kucharski, R 2000, 'Analysis of Drosophila yellow-B cDNA reveals a new family of proteins related to the Royal Jelly proteins in the honeybee and to an orphan protein in an unusual bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans', Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol. 270, pp. 773-776.
  • Maleszka, R, Helliwell, P & Kucharski, R 2000, 'Pharmacological interference with glutamate re-uptake impairs long-term memory in the honeybee Apis mellifera', Behavioural Brain Research, vol. 115, pp. 49-53.

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