Doctor Markus Riegler

Dr Riegler’s research interest focuses on the biology and diversity of arthropod symbionts, their role in insect adaptions to the environment and their application for the management of pest and vector species.

Dr Riegler joined the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment in 2009, after conducting post doctoral research at the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland (2002-2008). Dr Riegler obtained his doctoral degree in Entomology (Dr. nat. tech.) from BOKU – University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, in 2002, where he also graduated in Agriculture (Diplom Ingenieur) in 1999. During his research career Dr Riegler has worked in several research institutions, including the IMBB-FORTH, Heraklion, Crete, Greece (2002), the Institute Jacques Monod, Universitee Paris 6 & 7, France (2001), Wageningen Agricultural University, Netherlands (1997), and the University of Reading, UK (1997).

At the Institute, Dr Riegler is studying the microbial symbionts of Australian insecs of ecological and economic importance, and is establishing entomological research in the context of the Hawkesbury Forest Experiment.

Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise

General & Applied Entomology, Insect Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Population and Ecological Genetics, Evolutionary Biology

Grants / Current Projects

Insect herbivore and plant responses in eucalypt forests under climate change at physiological, species and community scales
Researcher: Markus Riegler and David Ellsworth
Partner/Funding Body: Australian Research Council
Period 2010-2012

A phytotron for multitrophic interaction research on plant production systems
Researcher: Markus Riegler, Oula Ghannoum and Bill Bellotti
Partner/Funding Body: University of Western Sydney Research Infrastructure Funds Scheme
Period: 2009-2010

Exploring microbial symbionts of thrips and their potential use for a novel biological control strategy
Partner/Funding Body: University of Western Sydney Research Grant Scheme
Period: 2009-2010

Modifying mosquito population age structure to eliminate Dengue transmission
Researcher: Markus Riegler (O’Neill et al.)
Partner/Funding Body: Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Grand Challenges in Global Health program
Period: 2009

Wolbachia genome dynamics in the cherry fruit fly Rhagoletis
Researcher: Markus Riegler (Stauffer & Miller)Partner/Funding Body: International Partner Invesitgator on Austrian Science Foundation
Period: 2006-2008

A comparative genomics approach to understanding host-endosymbiont interactions
Researcher: Markus Riegler (O’Neill et al.)
Partner/Funding Body: Australian Research Council
Period: 2005-2007

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Awards and Recognition

2002 ‘Klaus Fischer’ Award for Innovative Research, BOKU-Vienna, Austria
2002 ‘Dr Berthold Pohl’ Award, Society of the Agronomists and Forestry Engineers of the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano (BZ), Italy

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Publications

Murray TJ, Ellsworth DS, Tissue DT, Riegler M, (2013) 'Interactive direct and plant-mediated effects of elevated atmospheric [CO2] and temperature on a eucalypt-feeding insect herbivore', Global Change Biology, vol.19, no.5, pp 1407-1416

Murray TJ, Tissue DT, Ellsworth DS, Riegler M, (2013) 'Interactive effects of pre-industrial, current and future [CO2] and temperature on an insect herbivore of Eucalyptus', Oecologia, vol.171, no.4, pp 1025-1035

Riegler M, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Woolfit M, Miller WJ, O'Neill SL, (2012) 'Tandem repeat markers as novel diagnostic tools for high resolution fingerprinting of Wolbachia', BMC Microbiology, vol.12, supplement 1, Article No.S12  

Arthofer W, Riegler M, Schuler H, Schneider D, Moder K, Miller WJ, Stauffer C, (2011), 'Allele intersection analysis: A novel tool for multi locus sequence assignment in multiply infected hosts', PLoS ONE, vol.6, no.7, e22198

Schuler H, Arthofer W, Riegler M, Bertheau C, Krumböck S, Köppler K, Vogt H, Teixeira LAF, Stauffer C, (2011) ‘Multiple Wolbachia infections in Rhagoletis pomonella’, Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, vol.139, no.2, pp 138-144

Arthofer W, Avtzis DN, Riegler M, Stauffer C, (2010) ‘Mitochondrial phylogenies in the light of pseudogenes and Wolbachia: re-assessment of a bark beetle dataset’, ZooKeys, vol.56, pp 269-280

Almany GR, De Arruda MP, Arthofer W, Atallah ZK, Beissinger SR, Berumen ML, Bogdanowicz SM, Brown SD, Bruford MW, Burdine C, Busch JW, Campbell NR, Carey D, Carstens BC, Chu KH, Cubeta MA, Cuda JP, Cui ZX, Datnoff LE, Davila JA, Davis ES, Davis RM, Diekmann OE, Eizirik E, Fargallo JA, Fernandes F, Fukuda H, Gale LR, Gallagher E, Gao YQ, Girard P, Godhe A, Goncalves EC, Gouveia L, Grajczyk AM, Grose MJ, Gu ZF, Hallden C, Harnstrom K, Hemmingsen AH, Holmes G, Huang CH, Huang CC, Hudman SP, Jones GP, Kanetis L, Karunasagar I, Karunasagar I, Keyghobadi N, Klosterman SJ, Klug PE, Koch J, Koopman MM, Koppler K, Koshimizu E, Krumbock S, Kubisiak T, Landis JB, Lasta ML, Lee CY, Li QQ, Li SH, Lin RC, Liu M, Liu N, Liu WC, Liu Y, Loiseau A, Luan WS, Maruthachalam KK, McCormick HM, Mellick R, Monnahan PJ, Morielle-Versute E, Murray TE, Narum SR, Neufeld K, de Nova PJG, Ojiambo PS, Okamoto N, Othman AS, Overholt WA, Pardini R, Paterson IG, Patty OA, Paxton RJ, Planes S, Porter C, Pratchett MS, Puttker T, Rasic G, Rasool B, Rey O, Riegler M, Riehl C, Roberts JMK, Roberts PD, Rochel E, Roe KJ, Rossetto M, Ruzzante DE, Sakamoto T, Saravanan V, Sarturi CR, Schmidt A, Schneider MPC, Schuler H, Serb JM, Serrao ETA, Shi YH, Silva A, Sin YW, Sommer S, Stauffer C, Strussmann CA, Subbarao KV, Syms C, Tan F, Tejedor ED, Thorrold SR, Trigiano RN, Trucco MI, Tsuchiya-Jerep MTN, Vergara P, van de Vliet MS, Wadl PA, Wang AM, Wang HX, Wang RX, Wang XW, Wang Y, Weeks AR, Wei FW, Werner WJ, Wiley EO, Williams DA, Wilkins RJ, Wisely SM, With KA, Wu DH, Yao CT, Yau C, Yeap BK, Zhai BP, Zhan XJ, Zhang GY, Zhang SY, Zhao R, Zhu LF, (2009) ‘Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 May 2009-31 July 2009’, Molecular Ecology Resources, vol.9, no.6, pp 1460-1466

Arthofer W, Krumböck S, Schuler H, Rasool B, Riegler M, Köppler K, Stauffer C, (2009) Thirteen new microsatellite loci in Rhagoletis cerasi (Diptera: Tephritidae), a model host species for Wolbachia symbiosis in field populations, as part of: Molecular Ecology Resources Primer Development Consortium (2009) 'Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 May 2009–31 July 2009', Molecular Ecology Resources, vol.9, pp 1460–1559

Arthofer W, Riegler M, Avtzis DN, Stauffer C, (2009) ‘Evidence for low titre infections in insect symbiosis: Wolbachia in the bark beetle Pityogenes chalcographus (Coleoptera, Scolytinae)’, Environmental Microbiology, vol.11, no.8, pp 1923-1933

Arthofer W, Riegler M, Schneider D, Krammer M, Miller WJ, Stauffer C, (2009) ‘Hidden Wolbachia diversity in field populations of the European cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi (Diptera, Tephritidae)’, Molecular Ecology, vol.18, no.18, pp 3816-3830

Beninati T*, Riegler M*, Vilcins I, McFadyen R, Sacchi L, Krockenberger M, Bandi C, O’Neill SL, Lo N, (2009) ‘Absence of the symbiont Candidatus Midichloriamitochondrii in themitochondria of the tickIxodes holocyclus’, FEMS Microbiology Letters, vol.299, no.2, pp 241-247 * equal first co-authors

Brownlie JC, Cass BN, Riegler M, Witsenburg JJ, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, McGraw EA, O’Neill SL, (2009) ‘Evidence for metabolic provisioning by a common invertebrate endosymbiont, Wolbachia pipientis, during periods of nutritional stress’, Public Library of Science Pathogens, vol.5, no.4, April 2009, e1000368

Moreira LA, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Jeffery JA, Lu G, Pyke AT, Hedges LM, Rocha BC, Hall-Mendelin S, Day A, Riegler M, Hugo LE, Johnson KN, Kay BH, McGraw EA, van den Hurk AF, Ryan PA, O'Neill SL, (2009) 'A Wolbachia symbiont in Aedes aegypti limits infection with dengue, Chikungunya and Plasmodium', Cell, vol.139, no.7, pp 1268-1278

Riegler M, O’Neill SL, (2007) 'Evolutionary dynamics of insect symbiont associations', Trends in Ecology & Evolution, vol.22, pp 625-627

Yamada R, Floate KD, Riegler M, O’Neill SL, (2007) 'Male development time influences the strength of Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility expression in Drosophila melanogaster', Genetics, vol.177, pp 801-808

Miller WJ, Riegler M, (2006) 'Evolutionary Dynamics of wAu-like Wolbachia variants in neotropical Drosophila spp.', Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol.72, pp 826-835

Riegler M, O’Neill SL, (2006) 'The Genus Wolbachia', in The Prokaryotes: A handbook on the biology of bacteria: Vol. 5: Proteobacteria: Alpha and Beta Subclass. 3rd edition, Dworkin M, Falkow S, Rosenberg E, Schleifer KH, Stackebrandt E, (Eds), Springer, New York, NY. pp 547–561

Riegler M, Sidhu M, Miller WJ, O'Neill SL, (2005) 'Evidence for a global Wolbachia replacement in Drosophila melanogaster', Current Biology, vol.15, pp 1428-1433

Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Burke GR, Riegler M, O'Neill SL, (2005) 'Distribution, expression, and motif variability of ankyrin domain genes in Wolbachia pipientis', Journal of Bacteriology, vol.187, pp 5136-5145

Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Riegler M, O'Neill SL, (2005) 'New names for old strains? Wolbachia wSim is actually wRi', Genome Biology, vol.6, p 401

Charlat S, Riegler M, Baures I, Poinsot D, Stauffer C, Merçot H, (2004) 'Incipient evolution of Wolbachia compatibility types', Evolution, vol.58, pp 1901-1908

Zabalou S, Riegler M, Theodorakopoulou M, Stauffer C, Savakis C, Bourtzis K, (2004) 'Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility as a means for insect pest population control', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, vol.101, pp 15042-15045

Wu M, Sun LV, Vamathevan J, Riegler M, Deboy R, Brownlie JC, McGraw EA, Martin W, Esser C, Ahmadinejad N, Wiegand C, Madupu R, Beanan MJ, Brinkac LM, Daugherty SC, Durkin AS, Kolonay JF, Nelson WC, Mohamoud Y, Lee P, Berry K, Young MB, Utterback T, Weidman J, Nierman WC, Paulsen IT, Nelson KE, Tettelin H, O'Neill SL, Eisen JA, (2004) 'Phylogenomics of the reproductive parasite Wolbachia pipientis wMel: a streamlined genome overrun by mobile genetic elements', Public Library of Science Biology, vol.2, pp 327-341

Riegler M, Charlat S, Stauffer C, Merçot H, (2004) 'Wolbachia transfer from Rhagoletis cerasi to Drosophila simulans: investigating the outcomes of host-symbiont coevolution', Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol.70, pp 273-279

Sun LV, Riegler M, O'Neill SL, (2003) 'Development of a physical and genetic map of the virulent Wolbachia strain wMelPop', Journal of Bacteriology, vol.185, pp 7077-7084

Riegler M, Stauffer C, (2002) 'Wolbachia infections and superinfections in cytoplasmic incompatible populations of the European cherry fruit fly Rhagoletis cerasi (Diptera, Tephritidae)', Molecular Ecology, vol.11, pp 2425-2434

Kohlmayr B*, Riegler M*, Wegensteiner R, Stauffer C, (2002) 'Morphological and genetic identification of the three pine pests of the genus Tomicus (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) in Europe', Agricultural and Forest Entomology, vol.4, pp 151-157 * equal first co-authors

Konrad H, Kirisits T, Riegler M, Halmschlager E, Stauffer C, (2002) 'Genetic evidence for natural hybridization between the Dutch elm disease pathogens Ophiostoma novo-ulmi ssp. novo-ulmi and ssp. americana', Plant Pathology, vol.51, pp 78-84

Book Chapter

Riegler M, O’Neill SL, (2006) The Genus Wolbachia. In: The Prokaryotes: A handbook on the biology of bacteria: Vol. 5: Proteobacteria: Alpha and Beta Subclass. 3rd edition. Dworkin M, Falkow S, Rosenberg E, Schleifer KH and Stackebrandt E (eds). Springer, New York, NY. pp 547–561

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Current Research Interests

Insects and other arthropods carry manifold microbial symbionts that contribute to their ecological success and economic importance. These symbionts can be seen as ‘acquired’ genomes that can synthesise required nutrients for hosts, protect their hosts against parasites and pathogens, or influence patterns of host plant use. Some of these symbionts can also act as parasites, for example, by hijacking the reproductive biology of hosts for their own transmission benefit. My research focuses on different aspects of arthropod symbiosis, with examples listed below.

Wolbachia

Transfer of Wolbachia symbionts into pest and vector insects
Wolbachia are maternally inherited, intracellular α-Proteobacteria, are extremely common in insects (with up to 70% of all species infected) and can manipulate host reproduction. The most common reproductive phenotype is cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) that occurs between Wolbachia infected males and uninfected females, leading to embryonic mortality in the offspring. This effect can be applied in pest and vector management by mass-releasing Wolbachia infected males into uninfected target populations. Wolbachia will then lead to local suppression of insect populations. We are currently establishing and testing this method as a new biocontrol strategy for fruit flies of economic importance. In another international research project, we are currently targeting the Dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti with a virulent Wolbachia strain that not only causes CI but also shortens the lifespan of mosquitoes – a phenotype that will stop mosquitoes from transmitting human pathogens.

Leaf Beetle

Climate change and insects
The Hawkesbury Forest Experiment (HFE) is the world’s leading experiment on how eucalypts will react and adapt to climate change within the next decades. The HFE demonstrates that increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and changed rainfall patterns dramatically affect the growth and biochemistry of eucalypt leaves. These changes will most likely cause stress in the broad array of insects that feed on Australian eucalypts. We are surveying the arthropod diversity and herbivorous activity in HFE plots that include several eucalypt species under different fertilization and irrigation treatments. We have established lab colonies of eucalypt leaf feeders (leaf beetles and geometrid moths) in order to assay physiological and developmental parameters of these herbivorous insects and their microbial associations on leaves from CO2 and drought treatments.

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Research Collaborations

Professor Scott O’Neill (UQ)
Professor Bill Foley (ANU)
Professor Christian Stauffer (BOKU, Austria)
Professor Wolfgang Miller (Medical University Vienna, Austria)
Dr Marianne Frommer (University of Sydney)
Dr Deborah Shearman (University of Sydney)
Professor David Ellsworth (UWS)
Professor Andrew Beattie (UWS)
Assoc. Prof. Robert Spooner-Hart (UWS)

Ms Sarah Bingham (Research assistant)

Student Supervision

Honours and PhD research projects are available for qualified and enthusiastic students. Feel free to approach me if you are interested in pursuing research in any of the areas listed above. Post-doctoral research candidates are invited to contact me with regard to potential research projects.

 

 

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Eucalyptus Leaf