People_

Associate Professor Alyson Ashe

ARC Future Fellow
School of Life and Environmental Sciences

Phone

+61 2 9114 1310

Email

alyson.ashe@sydney.edu.au

Address

G08 - Biochemistry and Microbiology Building

The University of Sydney

Details

Member of the Charles Perkins Centre

Websites

Room 772, G08 - Molecular Bioscience Building

Biographical details

A/Prof Ashe is an early career research fellow in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences. She is interested in all areas of epigenetics and small RNA molecules.

Research interests

Dr Ashe studies epigenetic regulation of gene expression: the interplay between the environment that an organism encounters during its lifetime, and the expression patterns of its genes. Importantly, these environmental signals can sometimes get passed between generations (Darwin was wrong!), and Dr Ashe's work is trying to understand how this occurs.

To do this Dr Ashe mainly uses the model organism C. elegans,a small nematode worm, but is also branching out into other species such as the honey bee.

Awards and honours

Lorne Genome Conference Women in Science Award 2016

Centenary Institute Lawrence Creative Prize (Shortlised) 2015

ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award 2014

Themes

Genetics and genomics, Molecular biology and biotechnology, Environment

PhD and master's project opportunities

Mechanisms of Transgenerational Epigenetic inheritance

Current research students

Project title	Research student
Investigating the Impact on Circannual Entrainment in Dogs by Integrating CRISPR-Cas-9 Engineered UROC Mutation in C. elegans Model	Urooj ALI
Modified unstable epialleles as a way to eliminate weeds.	Kuan-ting LIN

Publications

By Type

Expand all

Book Chapters

Oldroyd, B., Reid, R., Ashe, A., Remnant, E. (2018). Honey Bees, Royal Jelly, Epigenetics. Encyclopedia of Reproduction, (pp. 722-727). Oxford: Elsevier. [More Information]

Journals

Perez-Siles, G., Ellis, M., Ashe, A., Grosz, B., Vucic, S., Kiernan, M., Morris, K., Reddel, S., Kennerson, M. (2022). A Compound Heterozygous Mutation in Calpain 1 Identifies a New Genetic Cause for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 4 (SMA4). Frontiers in Genetics, 12, 801253. [More Information]
Watson, O., Buchmann, G., Young, P., Lo, K., Remnant, E., Yagound, B., Shambrook, M., Hill, A., Oldroyd, B., Ashe, A. (2022). Abundant small RNAs in the reproductive tissues and eggs of the honey bee, Apis mellifera. BMC Genomics, 23(1). [More Information]
Woodhouse, R., Frolows, N., Wang, G., Hawdon, A., Wong, E., Dansereau, L., Su, Y., Adair, L., New, E., Philp, A., Tan, W., Philp, A., Ashe, A. (2022). Mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase function is essential for sperm motility and male fertility. iScience, 25(12). [More Information]
Ashe, A., Colot, V., Oldroyd, B. (2021). How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 376(1826), 20200111. [More Information]
Frolows, N., Ashe, A. (2021). Small RNAs and chromatin in the multigenerational epigenetic landscape of Caenorhabditis elegans. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 376(1826), 20200112. [More Information]
Woodhouse, R., Ashe, A. (2020). How do histone modifications contribute to transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in C. elegans? Biochemical Society Transactions, 48(3), 1019-1034. [More Information]
Smith, N., Yagound, B., Remnant, E., Foster, C., Buchmann, G., Allsopp, M., Kent, C., Zayed, A., Rose, S., Lo, K., Ashe, A., Beekman, M., Oldroyd, B., et al (2020). Paternally-biased gene expression follows kin-selected predictions in female honey bee embryos. Molecular Ecology, 29(8), 1523-1533. [More Information]
Woodhouse, R., Buchmann, G., Hoe, M., Harney, D., Low, J., Larance, M., Boag, P., Ashe, A. (2018). Chromatin Modifiers SET-25 and SET-32 Are Required for Establishment but Not Long-Term Maintenance of Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance. Cell Reports, 25(8), 2259-2272.e5. [More Information]
Remnant, E., Shi, M., Buchmann, G., Blacquiere, T., Holmes, E., Beekman, M., Ashe, A. (2017). A Diverse Range of Novel RNA Viruses in Geographically Distinct Honey Bee Populations. Journal of Virology, 91(16), e00158-17. [More Information]
Remnant, E., Ashe, A., Young, P., Buchmann, G., Beekman, M., Allsopp, M., Suter, C., Drewell, R., Oldroyd, B. (2016). Parent-of-origin effects on genome-wide DNA methylation in the Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis) may be confounded by allele-specific methylation. BMC Genomics, 17(1), 1-14. [More Information]
Ashe, A., Sarkies, P., Le Pen, J., Tanguy, M., Miska, E. (2015). Antiviral RNA against Orsay virus is neither systemic nor transgenerational in Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Virology, 89(23), 12035-12046. [More Information]
Ashe, A., BÃ©licard, T., Le Pen, J., Sarkies, P., FrÃ©zal, L., Lehrbach, N., FÃ©lix, M., Miska, E. (2013). A deletion polymorphism in the Caenorhabditis elegans RIG-I homolog disables viral RNA dicing and antiviral immunity. eLife, 2(2), 1-21. [More Information]
Daxinger, L., Harten, S., Oey, H., Epp, T., Isbel, L., Huang, E., Whitelaw, N., Apedaile, A., Sorolla, A., Yong, J., et al (2013). An ENU mutagenesis screen identifies novel and known genes involved in epigenetic processes in the mouse. Genome Biology, 14(9), 1-17. [More Information]
Sarkies, P., Ashe, A., Le Pen, J., McKie, M., Miska, E. (2013). Competition between virus-derived and endogenous small RNAs regulates gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genome Research, 23(8), 1258-1270. [More Information]
Youngson, N., Epp, T., Roberts, A., Daxinger, L., Ashe, A., Huang, E., Lester, K., Harten, S., Kay, G., Cox, T., Matthews, J., et al (2013). No evidence for cumulative effects in a Dnmt3b hypomorph across multiple generations. Mammalian Genome, 24(5-6), 206-217. [More Information]
Daxinger, L., Oey, H., Apedaile, A., Sutton, J., Ashe, A., Whitelaw, E. (2012). A Forward Genetic Screen Identifies Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 3, Subunit H (eIF3h), as an Enhancer of Variegation in the Mouse. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 2(11), 1393-1396. [More Information]
Ashe, A., Butterfield, N., Town, L., Courtney, A., Cooper, A., Ferguson, C., Barry, R., Olsson, F., Liem, K., Parton, R., et al (2012). Mutations in mouse Ift144 model the craniofacial, limb and rib defects in skeletal ciliopathies. Human Molecular Genetics, 21(8), 1808-1823. [More Information]
Ashe, A., Sapetschnig, A., Weick, E., Mitchell, J., Bagijn, M., Cording, A., Doebley, A., Goldstein, L., Lehrbach, N., Le Pen, J., et al (2012). piRNAs Can Trigger a Multigenerational Epigenetic Memory in the Germline of C. elegans. Cell, 150(1), 88-99. [More Information]
Liem, K., Ashe, A., He, M., Satir, P., Moran, J., Beier, D., Wicking, C., Anderson, K. (2012). The IFT-A complex regulates Shh signalling through cilia structure and membrane protein trafficking. The Journal of Cell Biology, 197(6), 789-800. [More Information]
Felix, M., Ashe, A., Piffaretti, J., Wu, G., Nuez, I., Belicard, T., Jiang, Y., Zhao, G., Franz, C., Goldstein, L., et al (2011). Natural and Experimental Infection of Caenorhabditis Nematodes by Novel Viruses Related to Nodaviruses. PLoS Biology, 9(1), 1-14. [More Information]
Whitelaw, N., Chong, S., Morgan, D., Nestor, C., Bruxner, T., Ashe, A., Lambley, E., Meehan, R., Whitelaw, E. (2010). Reduced levels of two modifiers of epigenetic gene silencing, Dnmt3a and Trim28, cause increased phenotypic noise. Genome Biology, 11(11), R111. [More Information]
Ashe, A., Morgan, D., Whitelaw, N., Bruxner, T., Vickaryous, N., Cox, L., Butterfield, N., Wicking, C., Blewitt, M., Wilkins, S., et al (2008). A genome-wide screen for modifiers of transgene variegation identifies genes with critical roles in development. Genome Biology, 9(12), R182. [More Information]
Chong, S., Vickaryous, N., Ashe, A., Zamudio, N., Youngson, N., Hemley, S., Stopka, T., Skoultchi, A., Matthews, J., Scott, H., Blewitt, M., et al (2007). Modifiers of epigenetic reprogramming show paternal effects in the mouse. Nature Genetics, 39(5), 614-622. [More Information]
Blewitt, M., Vickaryous, N., Hemley, S., Ashe, A., Bruxner, T., Preis, J., Arkell, R., Whitelaw, E. (2005). An N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea screen for genes involved in variegation in the mouse. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102(21), 7629-7634. [More Information]
Ashe, A., Oldroyd, B. (2003). Do queens select sperm?: Response from Ashe and Oldroyd. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 18(3), 108-108. [More Information]
Ashe, A., Oldroyd, B. (2002). Genetic determination of caste in harvester ants. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 17(10), 448-449. [More Information]

show 23 more

By Year

Expand all

2022

Perez-Siles, G., Ellis, M., Ashe, A., Grosz, B., Vucic, S., Kiernan, M., Morris, K., Reddel, S., Kennerson, M. (2022). A Compound Heterozygous Mutation in Calpain 1 Identifies a New Genetic Cause for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 4 (SMA4). Frontiers in Genetics, 12, 801253. [More Information]
Watson, O., Buchmann, G., Young, P., Lo, K., Remnant, E., Yagound, B., Shambrook, M., Hill, A., Oldroyd, B., Ashe, A. (2022). Abundant small RNAs in the reproductive tissues and eggs of the honey bee, Apis mellifera. BMC Genomics, 23(1). [More Information]
Woodhouse, R., Frolows, N., Wang, G., Hawdon, A., Wong, E., Dansereau, L., Su, Y., Adair, L., New, E., Philp, A., Tan, W., Philp, A., Ashe, A. (2022). Mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase function is essential for sperm motility and male fertility. iScience, 25(12). [More Information]

2021

Ashe, A., Colot, V., Oldroyd, B. (2021). How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 376(1826), 20200111. [More Information]
Frolows, N., Ashe, A. (2021). Small RNAs and chromatin in the multigenerational epigenetic landscape of Caenorhabditis elegans. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 376(1826), 20200112. [More Information]

2020

Woodhouse, R., Ashe, A. (2020). How do histone modifications contribute to transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in C. elegans? Biochemical Society Transactions, 48(3), 1019-1034. [More Information]
Smith, N., Yagound, B., Remnant, E., Foster, C., Buchmann, G., Allsopp, M., Kent, C., Zayed, A., Rose, S., Lo, K., Ashe, A., Beekman, M., Oldroyd, B., et al (2020). Paternally-biased gene expression follows kin-selected predictions in female honey bee embryos. Molecular Ecology, 29(8), 1523-1533. [More Information]

2018

Woodhouse, R., Buchmann, G., Hoe, M., Harney, D., Low, J., Larance, M., Boag, P., Ashe, A. (2018). Chromatin Modifiers SET-25 and SET-32 Are Required for Establishment but Not Long-Term Maintenance of Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance. Cell Reports, 25(8), 2259-2272.e5. [More Information]
Oldroyd, B., Reid, R., Ashe, A., Remnant, E. (2018). Honey Bees, Royal Jelly, Epigenetics. Encyclopedia of Reproduction, (pp. 722-727). Oxford: Elsevier. [More Information]

2017

Remnant, E., Shi, M., Buchmann, G., Blacquiere, T., Holmes, E., Beekman, M., Ashe, A. (2017). A Diverse Range of Novel RNA Viruses in Geographically Distinct Honey Bee Populations. Journal of Virology, 91(16), e00158-17. [More Information]

2016

Remnant, E., Ashe, A., Young, P., Buchmann, G., Beekman, M., Allsopp, M., Suter, C., Drewell, R., Oldroyd, B. (2016). Parent-of-origin effects on genome-wide DNA methylation in the Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis) may be confounded by allele-specific methylation. BMC Genomics, 17(1), 1-14. [More Information]

2015

Ashe, A., Sarkies, P., Le Pen, J., Tanguy, M., Miska, E. (2015). Antiviral RNA against Orsay virus is neither systemic nor transgenerational in Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Virology, 89(23), 12035-12046. [More Information]

2013

Ashe, A., BÃ©licard, T., Le Pen, J., Sarkies, P., FrÃ©zal, L., Lehrbach, N., FÃ©lix, M., Miska, E. (2013). A deletion polymorphism in the Caenorhabditis elegans RIG-I homolog disables viral RNA dicing and antiviral immunity. eLife, 2(2), 1-21. [More Information]
Daxinger, L., Harten, S., Oey, H., Epp, T., Isbel, L., Huang, E., Whitelaw, N., Apedaile, A., Sorolla, A., Yong, J., et al (2013). An ENU mutagenesis screen identifies novel and known genes involved in epigenetic processes in the mouse. Genome Biology, 14(9), 1-17. [More Information]
Sarkies, P., Ashe, A., Le Pen, J., McKie, M., Miska, E. (2013). Competition between virus-derived and endogenous small RNAs regulates gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genome Research, 23(8), 1258-1270. [More Information]
Youngson, N., Epp, T., Roberts, A., Daxinger, L., Ashe, A., Huang, E., Lester, K., Harten, S., Kay, G., Cox, T., Matthews, J., et al (2013). No evidence for cumulative effects in a Dnmt3b hypomorph across multiple generations. Mammalian Genome, 24(5-6), 206-217. [More Information]

show 1 more

2012

Daxinger, L., Oey, H., Apedaile, A., Sutton, J., Ashe, A., Whitelaw, E. (2012). A Forward Genetic Screen Identifies Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 3, Subunit H (eIF3h), as an Enhancer of Variegation in the Mouse. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 2(11), 1393-1396. [More Information]
Ashe, A., Butterfield, N., Town, L., Courtney, A., Cooper, A., Ferguson, C., Barry, R., Olsson, F., Liem, K., Parton, R., et al (2012). Mutations in mouse Ift144 model the craniofacial, limb and rib defects in skeletal ciliopathies. Human Molecular Genetics, 21(8), 1808-1823. [More Information]
Ashe, A., Sapetschnig, A., Weick, E., Mitchell, J., Bagijn, M., Cording, A., Doebley, A., Goldstein, L., Lehrbach, N., Le Pen, J., et al (2012). piRNAs Can Trigger a Multigenerational Epigenetic Memory in the Germline of C. elegans. Cell, 150(1), 88-99. [More Information]
Liem, K., Ashe, A., He, M., Satir, P., Moran, J., Beier, D., Wicking, C., Anderson, K. (2012). The IFT-A complex regulates Shh signalling through cilia structure and membrane protein trafficking. The Journal of Cell Biology, 197(6), 789-800. [More Information]

show 1 more

2011

Felix, M., Ashe, A., Piffaretti, J., Wu, G., Nuez, I., Belicard, T., Jiang, Y., Zhao, G., Franz, C., Goldstein, L., et al (2011). Natural and Experimental Infection of Caenorhabditis Nematodes by Novel Viruses Related to Nodaviruses. PLoS Biology, 9(1), 1-14. [More Information]

2010

Whitelaw, N., Chong, S., Morgan, D., Nestor, C., Bruxner, T., Ashe, A., Lambley, E., Meehan, R., Whitelaw, E. (2010). Reduced levels of two modifiers of epigenetic gene silencing, Dnmt3a and Trim28, cause increased phenotypic noise. Genome Biology, 11(11), R111. [More Information]

2008

Ashe, A., Morgan, D., Whitelaw, N., Bruxner, T., Vickaryous, N., Cox, L., Butterfield, N., Wicking, C., Blewitt, M., Wilkins, S., et al (2008). A genome-wide screen for modifiers of transgene variegation identifies genes with critical roles in development. Genome Biology, 9(12), R182. [More Information]

2007

Chong, S., Vickaryous, N., Ashe, A., Zamudio, N., Youngson, N., Hemley, S., Stopka, T., Skoultchi, A., Matthews, J., Scott, H., Blewitt, M., et al (2007). Modifiers of epigenetic reprogramming show paternal effects in the mouse. Nature Genetics, 39(5), 614-622. [More Information]

2005

Blewitt, M., Vickaryous, N., Hemley, S., Ashe, A., Bruxner, T., Preis, J., Arkell, R., Whitelaw, E. (2005). An N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea screen for genes involved in variegation in the mouse. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102(21), 7629-7634. [More Information]

2003

Ashe, A., Oldroyd, B. (2003). Do queens select sperm?: Response from Ashe and Oldroyd. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 18(3), 108-108. [More Information]

2002

Ashe, A., Oldroyd, B. (2002). Genetic determination of caste in harvester ants. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 17(10), 448-449. [More Information]

Selected Grants

2024

Unlocking the potential for healthy ageing by modulating protein kinase C epsilon, Ashe A, Senior A, School of Life and Environmental Sciences (SOLES)/Strategic Partnership Seeding Grant
Beyond pineal melatonin: sensing the seasons without the eye, Wade C, Ashe A, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)

2023

Discovering the molecular controls of epigenetic inheritance, Ashe A, Francois M, Christie T, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)

2022

Silencing the immune defences of the honey bee parasite, Varroa destructor, Remnant E, Ashe A, Faculty of Science/SOLES Strategic Partnership Seeding Grants

2019

CSIRO Supplementary Scholarship for Natalya Belle Culgan Frolows SID: 430372111, Ashe A, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation/Research Project
How is molecular information passed between generations, Ashe A, Mackay J, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)
Epigenetic inheritance: how does it work, Ashe A, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Future Fellowships (FT)

2014

Parental imprinting and epigenetic inheritance in honey bees, Oldroyd B, Ashe A, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)
Determining the mechanisms of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance., Ashe A, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)