Dr Alan Bowman

Dr Alan Bowman
Dr Alan Bowman
Dr Alan Bowman

Senior Lecturer

About
Email Address
a.bowman@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone Number
+44 (0)1224 272877
Office Address

Room 103, Zoology Building

School/Department
School of Biological Sciences
Research

Research Overview

 

Varroa Mite Research

 A short video of the bee health crisis and our work is available here

Varroa mite on adult bee emerging from brood cell

The varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is the biggest global killer of honey bees.  The mite is an ectoparasite that sucks the blood from developing and adult bees whilst spitting viruses into the bee as well as immunosuppressants that render the bee more susceptible to normally benign bacteria and fungi.  Our lab works with DEFRA's National Bee Unit on several aspects of varroa research: (1) we have developed a method of gene knockdown in varroa that has potential as a control measure; (2) we have dissected out the "brain" of mites (not an easy task!!) and studied the genes expressed in that vital tissue by transcriptomics; (3) we have developed a method of collecting saliva from these tiny beasts and studied the effect of the saliva on insect immune cell function.

For full report on our gene knockdown see publicly available paper and as a pdf version.

Dietary Protection against Sea Lice

Sea lice remain major economic burden to the salmon aquaculture industry and have been implicated in wild salmon and sea trout stock declines. Various components in some salmon diets are reported to confer protection against sea louse infestation.  In a project funded by BioMar Ld, we aim to elucidate the underlying mechanism of this dietary protection employing next-generation sequencing and proteomics to assess changes in the transcriptome and proteome.

Employing semio-chemicals for sea louse control

Sea lice use semiochemicals ("smells") emanating from their preferred host for host location.  Conversely, the lice use semiochemicals from non-host fish species to avoid locating and settling on inappropriate hosts.  Funded by three industrial partners, our lab investigates the feasibility of moving semiochemical control approaches from the lab to the field.

Acaricide Targets:

Increased emergence of resistance to currently used acarcides ("tickicides"), together with the withdrawal of other aracicides, has necessitated the development of new acaricides.  We investigate the presence of new targets at the protein and gene level and the development of protocols for assessing their potential as targets for acaricides.  Transcriptome analysis of both salivary gland and synganglion ("brain") is performed to identify potential acaricide targets and these targets are then functionally characterised in hrterologous expression systems. Gene knockdown by double-stranded RNA-interference to "genetically validate" our putative targets is a useful approach in our studies

Water channels or Aquaporins: 

Cell membranes are, by default, impermeable to water.  Cells are rendered water-permeable by aquaporins or water-channels embedded in the membrane. Unsurprisingly, cells involved in the movement of large volumes of water have high levels of aquaporins.  Relatively little is known about aquaporins in invertebrates.  Our lab investigates aquaporins in ticks, earthworms and silkworms. We study the transport properties and regulation by the expression of aquaporins in frogs eggs and site-directed mutagenesis.   By depleting isolated tissues or whole animals of these aquaporins using RNA-interference "knock-down" we can study the functional role and importance of these aquaporins and, hence, genetically validate whether such aquaporins might be appropriate for drug development.

 

Fatty Acid Binding Proteins in Tick Salivary Glands: 

Tick salivary glands contain an intracellular fatty acid binding protein (FABP) postulated to play a role in arachidonate and eicosanoid metabolism. This project assesses the ligand binding characteristics of the recombinant tick FABP and investigates the regulation and localization of its expression.

 

Programmed Cell Death in Tick Salivary Glands: 

After adult ticks have fed on the host, the salivary glands are no longer needed and degenerate over the next few days. This project investigates the mechanisms of this deliberate and non-pathological process and studies the genes and proteins involved.

 

Immunomodulators in Tick Saliva: 

Ticks remain attached to the host for many days without eliciting an immune or inflammatory response capable of rejecting the tick. Compounds in the saliva suppress the host's inflammatory and immune response. This project investigates what these factors are and how they function.  

?

Collaborations

Sam Martin, University of Aberdeen

Stefan Hoppler, University of Aberdeen

Lucy Gilbert, Macaulay Institute

Ken Forbes, University of Aberdeen

David Sattelle, University of Oxford

Giles Budge, National Bee Unit, FERA

Elaine Richards, FERA, Sand Hutton, York

Funding and Grants

2014-2019: Veterinary Medicine Directive: Establishing off-host culturing methods for Varroa destructor as a tool to evaluate new veterinary medicines

2014-2018: EU-FP7 Sustainable Management of Resilient Bee Populations (SMARTBEES)

2014-2018: BBSRC EASTBIO with EARS2 PhD Studentship: How does deformed wing virus change as it passes between honey bees and Varroa?

2013-2017: Biosciences KTN BBSRC-CASE PhD Studentship with Pfizer Animal Health (now Zoetis) Drug target identification in the cat flea by transcriptomics and gene knockdown

2013-2017: Norwegian Research Council and Skretting Aquaculture Research, Norway PhD Studentship: Developing dietary protection against sea lice in the Atlantic salmon.

2012-2014: BBSRC-LINK (Industrial Partner: Vita Europe) : The potential of gene-knockdown for controlling varroa mites.

2012 – 2013: Meriden Animal Health: Assessing the potential and mode of action of essential plant oils on the sea louse, Lepeoptheirus salmonis

2011-2015: Raigmore Hospital, NHS PhD Studentship: Improving discriminatory specificity of patient diagnosis testing for early-, mid- and late-Lyme borreliosis

2011 Marine Harvest; Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation; Sainsbury's Supermarkets "Feasibility study of semiochemicals  for sea louse control"

2010/2014 BioMar Ltd "Understanding the molecular basis of dietary protection against sealice in Atlantic salmon: application of transcriptomics and proteomics"

2009 National Bee Unit, FERA "The Varroa mite: feasibilbity study of synganglion transcriptome analysis and gene knockdown"

2009 Genesis Faraday "The Varroa mite: feasibilbity study of synganglion transcriptome analysis and gene knockdown"

2009 CLSM Pump Priming Initiative "Gene knockdown in sea lice"

2008 Pfizer Animal Health "Functional characterisation of a nicotinic acetlycholine receptor from the dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus"

2007 Evolutec plc "EST analysis of a Ixodes ricinus salivary gland"

2006/2007 Evolutec plc "Generation of a cDNA library from the salivary glands of Ixodes ricinus and its validation"

2006/2009 BBSRC, "Tick salivary gland aquaporins"

2006/2010 BBSRC-DTG CASE studentship with the Macaulay Institute "Lyme borreliosis in Scotland"

2006/2009 Evolutec plc / College of Life Sciences and Medicine studentship "Bioactive factors in the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus"

2004/2007 BBSRC Committee studentship "Earthworm aquaporins"

2004/2007 BBSRC Industrial-CASE studentship (with Pfizer) "Drug targets in the tick synganglia"

2003/2006 NERC studentship (with CEH Banchory) "Ticks & pathogens in the Scottish Uplands)

2002/2005: BBSRC-CASE (with Pfizer) studentship, "Drug targets in tick salivary glands"

2002/2005: BBSRC, "Tick Fatty Acid Binding Proteins"

2001/2004: Leverhulme Trust, "Programmed Cell Death in Ticks"

2001/2003: Cunningham Trust, "Tick Salivary Immunomodulators"

Publications

Page 1 of 1 Results 1 to 48 of 48

  • Quantitative and Qualitative Changes in the Deformed Wing Virus Population in Honey Bees Associated with the Introduction or Removal of Varroa destructor.

    Woodford, L., Christie, C. R., Campbell, E. M., Budge, G. E., Bowman, A. S., Evans, D. J.
    Viruses, vol. 14, no. 8, 1597
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • RNAi gene knockdown in the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer 1778), a tool for functional genomics

    Chen, W., Bartley, K., Nunn, F., Bowman, A., Sternberg, J., Burgess, S. T. G., Nisbet, A. J., Price, D. R. G.
    Parasites & Vectors, vol. 14, no. 1, 57
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • A salivary chitinase of Varroa destructor influences host immunity and mite’s survival

    BecchimanziI, A., Tatè, R., Campbell, E., Gigliotti, S., Bowman, A., Pennacchio, F.
    PLoS Pathogens, vol. 16, no. 12, e1009075
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • RNA interference in the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae

    Chen, W., Price, D., Bartley, K., Nunn, F., Sternberg, J., Bowman, A., Nisbet, A. J., Burgess, S. T. G.
    74th Association for Veterinary Teaching and Research Work Annual Conference
    Contributions to Conferences: Abstracts
  • Green Bees: Reverse Genetic Analysis of Deformed Wing Virus Transmission, Replication, and Tropism

    Gusachenko, O. N., Woodford, L., Balbirnie-Cumming, K., Campbell, E. M., Christie, C. R., Bowman, A. S., Evans, D. J.
    Viruses, vol. 12, no. 5, 532
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • RNA interference in the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis: Approaches for sustained gene knockdown and evidence of involvement of Dicer-2 and Argonaute2

    Edwards, C. H., Baird, J., Zinser, E., Woods, D. J., Shaw, S., Campbell, E. M., Bowman, A. S.
    International Journal for Parasitology, vol. 48, no. 13, pp. 993-1002
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • The development of an IgG avidity Western blot with potential to differentiate patients with active Lyme borreliosis from those with past infection

    Mavin, S., Evans, R., Cornulier, T., Bowman, A. S.
    Journal of Microbiological Methods, vol. 146, pp. 71-76
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • A real-time PCR method for quantification of the total and major variant strains of the Deformed wing virus

    Bradford, E. L., Christie, C. R., Campbell, E. M., Bowman, A. S.
    PloS ONE, vol. 12, no. 12, pp. 1-19
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Dietary Yeast Cell Wall Extract Alters the Proteome of the Skin Mucous Barrier in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar): Increased Abundance and Expression of a Calreticulin-Like Protein

    Micallef, G., Cash, P., Fernandes, J. M. O., Rajan, B., Tinsley, J. W., Bickerdike, R., Martin, S. A., Bowman, A. S.
    PloS ONE, vol. 12, no. 1, e0169075
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Factors influencing the long-term dynamics of larval sea lice density at east and west coast locations in Scotland

    Harte, A. J., Bowman, A. S., Salama, N. K., Pert, C. C.
    Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, vol. 123, no. 3, pp. 181-192
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Reference gene selection and RNA preservation protocol in the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, for gene expression studies

    McIntosh, C. H., Baird, J., Zinser, E., Woods, D. J., Campbell, E. M., Bowman, A. S.
    Parasitology, vol. 143, no. 12, pp. 1532-1542
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Enhanced RNAI Mediated Gene Regulation

    Bowman, A. S., Campbell, E. M., Lewendon, A.
    Patents: Patents
  • Cyclical DNA Methyltransferase 3a Expression Is a Seasonal and Estrus Timer in Reproductive Tissues

    Lynch, E. W. J., Coyle, C. S., Lorgen, M., Campbell, E. M., Bowman, A. S., Stevenson, T. J.
    Endocrinology, vol. 157, no. 6, pp. 2469 –2478
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • A Toolbox for Quantitative Gene Expression in Varroa destructor: RNA Degradation in Field Samples and Systematic Analysis of Reference Gene Stability

    Campbell, E. M., McIntosh, C. H., Bowman, A. S.
    PloS ONE, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 1-19
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Transcriptome analysis of the synganglion from the honey bee mite, Varroa destructor and RNAi knockdown of neural peptide targets

    Campbell, E. M., Budge, G. E., Watkins, M., Bowman, A. S.
    Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 70, pp. 116-126
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • The Heterogeneity, Distribution, and Environmental Associations of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato, the Agent of Lyme Borreliosis, in Scotland

    James, M. C., Gilbert, L., Bowman, A. S., Forbes, K. J.
    Frontiers in public health, vol. 2, 129
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Functional characterisation of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit from the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus

    Lees, K., Jones, A. K., Matsuda, K., Akamatsu, M., Sattelle, D. B., Woods, D. J., Bowman, A. S.
    International Journal for Parasitology, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 75-81
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Prevalence and infection intensity of sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) host is reduced by the non-host compound 2-aminoacetophenone

    Hastie, L. C., Wallace, C., Birkett, M. A., Douglas, A., Jones, O., Mordue, A. J., Ritchie, G., Pickett, J. A., Webster, J. L., Bowman, A. S.
    Aquaculture, vol. 410-411, pp. 179-183
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Environmental determinants of Ixodes ricinus ticks and the incidence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the agent of Lyme borreliosis, in Scotland

    James, M. C., Bowman, A. S., Forbes, K. J., Lewis, F., Mcleod, J. E., Gilbert, L.
    Parasitology, vol. 140, no. 2, pp. 237-246
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Exploring the transcriptome of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) skin, a major defense organ

    Micallef, G., Bickerdike, R., Reiff, C., Fernandes, J. M. O., Bowman, A. S., Martin, S. A. M.
    Marine Biotechnology, vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 559-569
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Defining the concept of 'tick repellency' in veterinary medicine

    Halos, L., Baneth, G., Beugnet, F., Bowman, A. S., Chomel, B., Farkas, R., Franc, M., Guillot, J., Inokuma, H., Kaufman, R., Jongejan, F., Joachim, A., Otranto, D., Pfister, K., Pollmeier, M., Sainz, A., Wall, R.
    Parasitology, vol. 139, no. 4, pp. 419-423
    Contributions to Journals: Review articles
  • Alligator pepper, Aframomum melegueta, and ginger, Zingiber officinale, reduce stored maize infestation by the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais in traditional African granaries

    Ukeh, D. A., Umoetok, S. B., Bowman, A. S., Mordue (Luntz), A. J., Pickett, J. A., Birkett, M. A.
    Crop Protection, vol. 32, pp. 99-103
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • The importance of passerine birds as tick hosts and in the transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease: a case study from Scotland

    James, M. C., Furness, R. W., Bowman, A. S., Forbes, K. J., Gilbert, L.
    Ibis, vol. 153, no. 2, pp. 293-302
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Gene-knockdown in the honey bee mite Varroa destructor by a non-invasive approach: studies on a glutathione S-transferase

    Campbell, E. M., Budge, G. E., Bowman, A. S.
    Parasites & Vectors, vol. 3, pp. 73
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Transcriptome analysis of the synganglion from the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus

    Lees, K., Woods, D., Bowman, A. S.
    Insect Molecular Biology, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 273-282
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Role of an aquaporin in the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus: assessment as a potential control target

    Campbell, E. M., Burdin, M., Hoppler, S., Bowman, A. S.
    International Journal for Parasitology, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 15-23
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • The effect of host movement on viral transmission dynamics in a vector-borne disease system

    Watts, E. J., Palmer, S. C. F., Bowman, A. S., Irvine, J., Smith, A., Travis, J. M. J.
    Parasitology, vol. 136, no. 10, pp. 1221-1234
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • RNA-interference methods for gene-knockdown in the sea louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis: studies on a putative prostaglandin E synthase

    Campbell, E. M., Pert, C. C., Bowman, A. S.
    Parasitology, vol. 136, no. 8, pp. 867-874
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Repellent activity of alligator pepper, Aframomum melegueta, and ginger, Zingiber officinale, against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais

    Ukeh, D. A., Birkett, M. A., Pickett, J. A., Bowman, A. S., Luntz, A. J. M.
    Phytochemistry, vol. 70, no. 6, pp. 751-758
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Identification, functional characterization and expression patterns of a water-specific aquaporin in the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus

    Ball, A., Campbell, E. M., Jacob, J., Hoppler, S., Bowman, A. S.
    Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 105-112
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Preface - Ticks: biology, disease and control

    Bowman, A. S., Nuttall, P.
    Ticks: biology, disease and control. Bowman, A., Nuttall, P. (eds.). Cambridge University Press, pp. xi-xii, 2 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Ticks: Biology, Disease and Control

    Bowman, A. S. (ed.), Nuttall, P. A. (ed.)
    Cambridge University Press. 518 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Invertebrate aquaporins: a review

    Campbell, E. M., Ball, A., Hoppler, S., Bowman, A. S.
    Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology, vol. 178, no. 8, pp. 935-955
    Contributions to Journals: Literature Reviews
  • Tick salivary glands: the physiology of tick water balance and their role in pathogen trafficking and transmission

    Bowman, A. S., Ball, A., Sauer, J. R.
    Ticks: biology, disease and control. Bowman, A., Nuttall, P. (eds.). Cambridge University Press, pp. 73-91, 23 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Ticks: Biology, disease and control

    Bowman, A. S., Nuttall, P. A.
    Cambridge University Press. 506 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Virtual Practicals

    Bowman, A. S., Calder, C. J., Marston, P. G.
    Centre for Bioscience Bulletin, pp. 10
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
  • Characterisation of the B-cell inhibitory protein factor in Ixodes ricinus tick saliva:a potential role in enhanced Borrelia burgdoferi transmission

    Hannier, S., Liversidge, J. M., Sternberg, J. M., Bowman, A. S.
    Immunology, vol. 113, no. 3, pp. 401-408
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Tick salivary glands: function, physiology and future

    Bowman, A. S., Sauer, J. R.
    Parasitology, vol. 129, no. S1, pp. S67-S82
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Ticks: Biology, Disease and Control

    Bowman, A. S., Nuttall, P. A.
    Cambridge University Press. 455 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Ixodes ricinus tick salivary gland extract inhibits IL-10 secretion and CD69 expression by mitogen-stimulated murine splenocytes and induces hyporesponsiveness in B lymphocytes

    Hannier, S., Liversidge, J. M., Sternberg, J. M., Bowman, A. S.
    Parasite Immunology, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 27-37
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Ubiquitin-proteasome dependant proteolysis in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss: effect of food deprivation

    Martin, S. A. M., Blaney, S. C., Bowman, A. S., Houlihan, D. F. J.
    Pflugers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology, vol. 445, pp. 257-266
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Development and Implimentation of a Virtual Practical for Bio-Sciences

    Bowman, A. S., Calder, C. J., Marston, P. G.
    Society for Experimental Biology annual conference
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters
  • Identity and synthesis of prostaglandins in the lone star tick, Ambylomma americanum (L.), as assessed by radioimmunoassay and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

    Aljamali, M., Bowman, A. S., Dillwith, J. W., Tucker, J. S., Yates, G. W., Essenberg, R. C., Sauer, J. R.
    Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 331-341
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Identification of SNARE and cell trafficking regulatory proteins in the salivary glands of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.)

    Karim, S., Essenberg, R. C., Dillwith, J. W., Tucker, J. S., Bowman, A. S., Sauer, J. R.
    Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 32, no. 12, pp. 1711-1721
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Salivary fluid secretion in the ixodid tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus is inhibited by Thogoto virus infection

    Kaufman, W. R., Bowman, A. S., Nuttall, P. A.
    Experimental and Applied Acarology, vol. 25, no. 8, pp. 661-674
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Prostaglandin E-2-stimulated secretion of protein in the salivary glands of the lone star tick via a phosphoinositide signaling pathway

    Yuan, J., Bowman, A. S., Aljamali, M., Payne, M. R., Tucker, J. S., Dillwith, J. W., Essenberg, R. C., Sauer, J. R.
    Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 30, pp. 1099-1106
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Salivary glands in ixodid ticks: control and mechanism of secretion

    Sauer, J. R., Essenberg, R. C., Bowman, A. S.
    Journal of Insect Physiology, vol. 46, pp. 1069-1078
    Contributions to Journals: Literature Reviews
  • Phospholipase A2 Activity in Salivary Glands and Saliva of the Lone Star Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) during Tick Feeding

    Zhu, K., Bowman, A. S., Dillwith, J. W., Sauer, J. R.
    Journal of Medical Entomology, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 500-504
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

Refine

Books and Reports

Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings

Contributions to Conferences

Contributions to Journals

Contributions to Specialist Publications

Patents