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Dr Helge Schlüns

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Dr Helge Schluns

I did my undergraduate studies at the Technical University of Berlin.

I received my doctorate from the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.

Research Interests

  • Evolutionary biology of social insects

  • Molecular and evolutionary genetics

  • Innate immune systems

  • Reproductive biology and sexual selection

  • Biology of aculeate Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and certain wasps)

I have broad interests in evolutionary biology and genetics, especially of social Hymenoptera (bees, ants, and certain wasps). My research focuses on colony structure, reproductive biology, and immune systems of ants and bees. One of my favourite study species is the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera), an economically important insect. I studied its mating behaviour and sperm competition using DNA-microsatellite fingerprinting. At present, I investigate the function of immune genes in adult honeybees using RNA interference and “real time” RT-PCR. Furthermore, I work on the evolutionary genetics of the immune system of Australian bulldog ants (Myrmecia) in relation to habitat, colony and population structure.

Recent and current projects include

  • Evolution of immune genes in Australian bulldog ants (Myrmecia)

  • Reverse genetics of immune genes in the honeybee

  • Genetic structure of colonies in a queenless ant

  • Patriline frequencies in honeybee colonies

  • Evolution of mating behaviour in honeybees

  • Sperm competition in honeybees

http://medusa.jcu.edu.au/crozier/croziergrouphome/

http://www.jcu.edu.au/fmhms/school/pms/CGC/SociogenomicsHP.html

Selected Publications

Schlüns, E. A., Neumann, P., Schlüns, H., Hepburn, H. R. & Moritz, R. F. A. (2006) Nestmate recognition and genetic composition of nests in the queenless ponerine ant Streblognathus aethiopicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). African Entomology, 14, 95-102.

Schlüns, H., Moritz, R. F. A., Neumann, P., Kryger, P. & Koeniger, G. (2005) Multiple nuptial flights, sperm transfer and the evolution of extreme polyandry in honeybee queens. Animal Behaviour, 70, 125-131.

Schlüns, H., Moritz, R. F. A., Lattorff, H. M. G. & Koeniger, G. (2005) Paternity skew in seven species of honeybees (Hymenoptera : Apidae : Apis). Apidologie, 36, 201-209.

Schlüns, H., Koeniger, G., Koeniger, N. & Moritz, R. F. A. (2004) Sperm utilization pattern in the honeybee (Apis mellifera). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 56, 458-463.

Schlüns, H., Schlüns, E. A., van Praagh, J. & Moritz, R. F. A. (2003) Sperm numbers in drone honeybees (Apis mellifera) depend on body size. Apidologie, 34, 577-584.

Schlüns, H., Crozier, R. H. (2007) Relish regulates expression of antimicrobial peptide genes in the honeybee, Apis mellifera, shown by RNA interference. Insect Molecular Biology 16(6), 753–759.

Contact Details

Dr Helge Schlüns

Telephone: +61 7 4781 5582

Fax: +61 7 4725 1570

Email: Helge.Schluns@jcu.edu.au

Please direct all student enquiries through the School Secretary.