Maleszka Group - From molecules to behaviour
We are investigating diverse epigenetic mechanisms in the context of behaviour and developmental plasticity, mainly using the honey bee model, but we also have close interactions with groups working on other interesting systems.
Visiting Fellows
PhD Student
Divisional Visitor
Honorary Group Leader
Selected publications
- 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. Proc Royal Soc B. 283: 20160558.
- Wedd, L, Kucharski R, Maleszka R (2016) Differentially methylated obligatory epialleles modulate context-dependent LAM gene expression in the honey bee Apis mellifera. Epigenetics. 11: 1-10.
- Foret S, Kucharski R, Pellegrini M, Feng S, Jacobsen SE, Robinson GE, Maleszka R (2012) DNA methylation dynamics, metabolic fluxes, gene splicing, and alternative phenotypes in honey bees. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 109:4968-4973
- Lyko F, Maleszka R. (2011) Insects as innovative models for functional studies of DNA methylation.Trends in Genetics. 27:127-131 [Cover article]
- Lyko, F, Foret, S, Kucharski, R, Wolf, S, Falckenhayn, C, Maleszka, R (2010) The Honey Bee Epigenomes: Differential Methylation of Brain DNA in Queens and Workers. PloS Biol. 8, e1000506.
- Maleszka as a member of the Nasonia Genome Working Group (2010) Functional and evolutionary insights from the genomes of three parasitoid Nasonia species. Science. 327:343-348
- Maleszka, R (2008) Epigenetic integration of environmental and genomic signals in honey bees: the critical interplay of nutritional, brain and reproductive networks. Epigenetics. 3, 188-192
- Kucharski, R, Maleszka, J., Foret, S. Maleszka, R (2008) Nutritional control of reproductive status in honey bees via DNA methylation. Science. 319:1827-1830.
- Maleszka, R. as a member of the Tribolium Genome Sequencing Consortium (2008) The genome of the model beetle and pest Tribolium castaneum. Nature, 452, 949-955.
- Barron, A.B., Maleszka, R., Vander Meer, R. and G.E. Robinson. (2007) Octopamine modulates honey bee dance behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 104, 1703-1707.
- Wang, Y, Jorda, M. Jones, PL, Maleszka, R, et al (2006) Functional CpG Methylation System in a Social Insect. Science. 314, 645-647.
- Drapeau, M.D., Albert, S., Kucharski, R, Prusko, C., Maleszka, R. (2006) Evolution of the Yellow / Major Royal Jelly Protein family and the emergence of social behavior in honeybees. Genome Res. 16, 1385-1394. [Cover article]
- Maleszka as a member of the Honey Bee Genome Consortium (2006) Insights into social insects from the genome of the honey bee Apis mellifera. Nature, 443, 931-949. [Cover article]
- Foret, S. and Maleszka, R. (2006) Function and evolution of a gene family encoding odorant binding-like proteins in a social insect, the honey bee (Apis mellifera). Genome Res. 16, 1404- 1413.
Honey bees unravel nature-nurture mysteries
Story | Thursday 23 August 2018
They say leaders are born not made, but it seems the opposite is true for queen bees, according to a new study by researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) and Queen Mary University of London.
Nutritional control of organismal outcomes via an epigenetic mechanism
Story | Thursday 25 May 2017
In a landmark 2008 study, Maleszka and his group showed that by inhibiting DNA methylation and consequently modifying gene expression patterns, nutrition can have profound impact on organismal biology.
Bees reveal nature-nurture secrets
Story | Wednesday 3 November 2010
The nature-nurture debate is a “giant step” closer to being resolved after scientists studying bees documented how environmental inputs can modify our genetic hardware
