Dr Tariq Ezaz
Associate Professor in Genetics
ARC Future Fellow
|
University of Canberra |
 |
Education
PhD, Genetics and Reproduction, University of Stirling, UK
MSc, Fisheries, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
BSc Honours, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research and Professional Interests
My main areas of research are sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in non-mammalian vertebrates. These include comparative genomics of sex chromosome evolution, understanding evolutionary mechanisms related to transitions between modes of sex determination, and sex chromosome systems.
I also have keen interests in sex determination and its control in genetic management and selective breeding, particularly in fish and amphibians; chromosome set manipulations; production and propagations of polyploid, gynogenetic, androgenetic and clonal lines in fish; molecular cytogenetics; development and application of molecular markers; and genetic management of both threatened native and invasive pest species.
My current research projects are investigating sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in lizards from the Agamidae (dragon), Gekkonidae (gecko) and Scincidae (skink) Families. I am also interested in temperature dependent sex determination in reptiles, in particular understanding the genomic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms involved in this remarkable mode of sex determination.
Teaching Interests
My teaching interests are molecular genetics, cytogenetics, comparative genomics, and bioinformatics. I convene and teach the undergraduate Genetics unit and lecture the undergraduate Bioinformatics and Plants and Animals units. I supervise PhD and Honours students working on research projects related to sex determination, sex chromosome evolution and comparative genomics in wide range of non-mammalian vertebrates from fish to birds.
Selected Recent Publications
Frère CH, Prentis, PJ, Ezaz T, Georges A. 2011. Isolation and characterisation of novel microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers for the Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii). Conservation Genetics Resources, in press and online, DOI: 10.1007/s12686-011-9487-3.
Sarre, S.D., Ezaz, T. and Georges, A. 2011. Transitions between sex determining systems in reptiles and amphibians. Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics 12:391-406.
Janes, D.E., Valenzuela, N., Ezaz, T., Amemiya, C. and Edwards, S.V. 2011. Sex chromosome evolution in Amniotes: Applications for BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) libraries. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2011 doi:10.1155/2011/132975.
Quinn, A.E., Sarre, S.D., Ezaz, T.,Marshall-Graves, J. and Georges, A. 2011. Evolutionary transitions between mechanisms of sex determination in vertebrates. Biology Letters 7:443-448.Ezaz T., Sarre S.D., O’Meally and Graves J.A.M. and Georges A. (2010). Sex chromosome evolution in lizards: independent origins and rapid transitions. Cytogenetic and Genome Research 127:249-260.
O’Meally D., Miller H., Patel H.R., Graves J.A.M., Ezaz T. (2010). The first cytogenetic map of the tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus. Cytogenetic and Genome Research 127:213-223.
Georges A., Ezaz T., Quinn A.E. and Sarre S.D. (2010). Are reptiles predisposed to temperature-dependent sex determination? Sexual Development 4:7-15.
Quinn A.E., Ezaz T., Sarre S.D., Graves J.A.M. and Georges A. (2010). Extension, single locus conversion and physical mapping of sex chromosome sequences identify the Z microchromosome and pseudo-autosomal region in a dragon lizard Pogona vitticeps. Heredity 204: 410-417.
Abramyan J., Ezaz T., Graves J.A.M. and Koopman P. (2009). Z and W sex chromosomes in the cane toad (Bufo marinus). Chromosome Research 17:1015- 1024.
Ezaz T., Moritz B., Waters P.D., Graves J.A.M., Georges A. and Sarre S.D. (2009). The ZW sex microchromosomes of an Australian dragon lizard share no homology with those of other reptiles or birds. Chromosome Research 17:965-973.
Miura I., Ezaz T., Ohtani H., Uno Y., Nishida C., Matsuda Y. and Graves J.A.M. (2009). The W chromosome evolution and sex-linked gene expression in the Japanese frog Rana rugosa In: Weingarten CN and SE Jefferson (eds), Sex chromosomes: genetics, abnormalities, and disorders, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., Hauppauge, NY. pp.123-140.
Quinn A.E., Radder R.S., Sarre S.D., Georges A., Ezaz T., Shine R. (2009). Isolation and development of a molecular sex marker for Bassiana duperreyi, a lizard with XX/XY sex chromosomes and temperature-induced sex reversal. Molecular Genetics and Genomics 281:665–672.
Ezaz T., Quinn A.E., Georges A., Sarre S.D., O’Meally and Graves J.A.M. (2009). Molecular marker suggests rapid changes of sex-determining mechanisms in Australian dragon lizards. Chromosome Research 17:91-98.
Janes D.E., Ezaz T., Graves J.A.M. and Edwards S.V. (2009). Recombination and nucleotide diversity in the pseudoautosomal region of minimally differentiated sex chromosomes in the Emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae. Journal of Heredity 100:125-136.
Ezaz T., O’Meally, Quinn A.E., Georges A., Sarre S.D. and Graves J.A.M. (2008). A simple non-invasive protocol to establish primary cell lines from tail and toe explants for cytogenetic studies in Australian dragon lizards (Squamata: Agamidae). Cytotechnology 58:135-139.
Martinez P.A., Ezaz T., Valenzuela, N., Georges A., and Graves J.A.M. (2008). An XX/XY heteromorphic sex chromosome system in the Australian chelid turtle Emydura macquarii, a new piece in the puzzle of sex chromosome evolution in turtles. Chromosome Research 16:815-825.
Waters P.D., Graves J.A.M., Thompson K., Sankovic N. and Ezaz T. (2008). Identification of cryptic sex chromosomes and isolation of X and Y borne genes In: W.J. Murphy (ed) Methods in molecular biology: Phylogenomics, Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. pp.239-251.
Quinn A., Georges A., Sarre S.D., Guarino F., Ezaz T. and Graves J.A.M. (2007). Sex chromosomes and incubation temperature interact to determine sex in a reptile. Science 316 (5823): 411.
Ezaz T., Stiglec R., Veyrunes F. and Graves J.A.M. (2006). Relationships between vertebrate ZW and XY sex chromosome systems. Current Biology 16: R736-R743.
Go to full list of publications and reprints.