Dr Collette Britton
- Reader (Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health & Comparative Medicine)
- Associate (School of Veterinary Medicine)
telephone: 01413302894
email: Collette.Britton@glasgow.ac.uk
Research interests
Our research is focused on understanding the biology of parasitic nematodes and applying this to the design of new therapeutics for parasite control. My laboratory combines molecular and functional studies on important veterinary nematodes and the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
Research Interests & Further Information
Google Scholar - Publications Profile
Grants
Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.
- Using C. elegans to determine the important roles of lipid binding proteins of parasitic nematodes
The Royal Society
2018 - 2020
- Tuft cells, sensors and effectors in immunity to helminths
Wellcome Trust
2018 - 2022
- Profiling small RNAs in equine sarcoids as novel biomarkers and potential therapeutic treatment
Wellcome Trust
2016 - 2017
- ISSF Catalyst: Profiling microRNAs associated with immunity to parasitic nematode infections
Wellcome Trust
2015 - 2016
- The BUG consortium Building Upon the Genome: using H. contortus genomic resources to develop novel interventions to control endemic GI parasites
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2015 - 2020
- microRNAs and drug resistance in parasitic nematodes
Wellcome Trust
2011 - 2015
- PARAVAC: Vaccines against helminth infections
European Commission
2011 - 2015
- Comparative genomics of nematodes: defining the role of miRNAs in development
Wellcome Trust
2009 - 2012
- Caenorhabditis elegans as an expression system for vaccine candidates of parasitic nematodes
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2008 - 2010
- Adaptation of caenorhabditis elegans technology to identification and expression of parasite target genes
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
2004 - 2007
Publications
2018
Sallé, G. et al. (2018) Transcriptomic profiling of nematode parasites surviving vaccine exposure. International Journal for Parasitology, 48(5), pp. 395-402. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.01.004) (PMID:29534987) (PMCID:PMC5909036)
Doyle, S. R. et al. (2018) A genome resequencing-based genetic map reveals the recombination landscape of an outbred parasitic nematode in the presence of polyploidy and polyandry. Genome Biology and Evolution, 10(2), pp. 396-409. (doi:10.1093/gbe/evx269) (PMID:29267942) (PMCID:PMC5793844)
2017
Gillan, V. et al. (2017) Increased expression of a microRNA correlates with anthelmintic resistance in parasitic nematodes. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 7, 452. (doi:10.3389/fcimb.2017.00452) (PMID:29209592) (PMCID:PMC5701612)
Terron-Canedo, N., Weir, W. , Nicolson, L., Britton, C. and Nasir, L. (2017) Differential expression of microRNAs in bovine papillomavirus type 1 transformed equine cells. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, 15(3), pp. 764-774. (doi:10.1111/vco.12216) (PMID:27039895)
Britton, C. (2017) microRNAs - key players in host-parasite interactions. Parasite Immunology, 39(2), e12418. (doi:10.1111/pim.12418) (PMID:28171701)
Gu, H. Y., Marks, N. D., Winter, A. D., Weir, W. , Tzelos, T., McNeilly, T. N., Britton, C. and Devaney, E. (2017) Conservation of a microRNA cluster in parasitic nematodes and profiling of miRNAs in excretory-secretory products and microvesicles of Haemonchus contortus. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 11(11), e0006056. (doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006056) (PMID:29145392) (PMCID:PMC5709059)
2016
Britton, C. , Roberts, B. and Marks, N.D. (2016) Functional genomics tools for Haemonchus contortus and lessons from other helminths. Advances in Parasitology, 93, pp. 599-623. (doi:10.1016/bs.apar.2016.02.017) (PMID:27238014)
2015
Britton, C. , Winter, A. D., Marks, N. D., Gu, H., McNeilly, T. N., Gillan, V. and Devaney, E. (2015) Application of small RNA technology for improved control of parasitic helminths. Veterinary Parasitology, 212(1-2), pp. 47-53. (doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.06.003) (PMID:26095949) (PMCID:PMC4535316)
Britton, C. (2015) Ascaris: The Neglected Parasite, by Celia Holland. Parasitology, 142(4), p. 633. (doi:10.1017/S0031182014001541) [Book Review]
Winter, A. D. et al. (2015) A novel member of the let-7 microRNA family is associated with developmental transitions in filarial nematode parasites. BMC Genomics, 16, 331. (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1536-y) (PMID:25896062) (PMCID:PMC4428239)
2014
Britton, C. , Winter, A. D., Gillan, V. and Devaney, E. (2014) microRNAs of parasitic helminths – identification, characterization and potential as drug targets. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance, 4(2), pp. 85-94. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpddr.2014.03.001)
2013
Britton, C. (2013) Proteases of nematodes: from free-living to parasite. In: Kennedy, M.W. and Harnett, W. (eds.) Parasitic Nematodes: Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Immunology. Cabi Publishing, pp. 354-374. ISBN 9781845937591 (doi:10.1079/9781845937591.0351)
Caffrey, C.R., Britton, C. and McKerrow, J.H. (2013) Helminth cysteine proteases. In: Rawlings, N.D. and Salvesen, G. (eds.) Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes. Elsevier Science, pp. 1949-1957. ISBN 9780123822192 (doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-382219-2.00444-0)
Laing, R. et al. (2013) The genome and transcriptome of haemonchus contortus, a key model parasite for drug and vaccine discovery. Genome Biology, 14(8), R88. (doi:10.1186/gb-2013-14-8-r88)
Roberts, B., Antonopoulos, A., Haslam, S.M., Dicker, A.J., Mcneilly, T.N., Johnston, S.L., Dell, A., Knox, D.P. and Britton, C. (2013) Novel expression of Haemonchus contortus vaccine candidate aminopeptidase H11 using the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Veterinary Research, 44(111), (doi:10.1186/1297-9716-44-111)
Saunders, G. I., Wasmuth, J. D., Beech, R., Laing, R., Hunt, M., Naghra, H., Cotton, J. A., Berriman, M., Britton, C. and Gilleard, J. S. (2013) Characterization and comparative analysis of the complete Haemonchus contortus β-tubulin gene family and implications for benzimidazole resistance in strongylid nematodes. International Journal for Parasitology, 43(6), pp. 465-475. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.12.011)
2012
Baker, R.H., Britton, C. , Roberts, B., Loer, C.M., Matthews, J.B. and Nisbet, A.J. (2012) Melanisation of Teladorsagia circumcincta larvae exposed to sunlight: a role for GTP-cyclohydrolase in nematode survival. International Journal for Parasitology, 42(10), pp. 887-891. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.06.005)
Baker, R.H., Britton, C. , Roberts, B., Loer, C.M., Matthews, J.B. and Nisbet, A.J. (2012) Melanisation of teladorsagia circumcincta larvae exposed to sunlight: a role for GTP-Cyclohydrolase in nematode survival. International Journal for Parasitology, 42(10), pp. 887-891. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.06.005)
Selkirk, M.E., Huang, S.C., Knox, D.P. and Britton, C. (2012) The development of RNA interference (RNAi) in gastrointestinal nematodes. Parasitology, 139(5), pp. 605-612. (doi:10.1017/S0031182011002332)
Britton, C. , Samarasinghe, B. and Knox, D.P. (2012) Ups and downs of RNA interference in parasitic nematodes. Experimental Parasitology, 132(1), pp. 56-61. (doi:10.1016/j.exppara.2011.08.002)
Britton, C. (2012) RNA interference: A potential discovery tool for therapeutic targets of parasitic nematodes. In: Parasitic helminths: Targets, screens, drugs and vaccines. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 89-103.
Winter, A.D., Weir, W. , Hunt, M., Berriman, M., Gilleard, J.S., Devaney, E. and Britton, C. (2012) Diversity in parasitic nematode genomes: the microRNAs of Brugia pahangi and Haemonchus contortus are largely novel. BMC Genomics, 13, p. 4. (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-13-4)
2011
Samarasinghe, S.B., Knox, D.P. and Britton, C. (2011) Factors affecting susceptibility to RNA interference in Haemonchus contortus and in vivo silencing of an H11 aminopeptidase gene. International Journal for Parasitology, 41(1), pp. 51-59. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2010.07.005)
2010
Devaney, E.A. , Winter, A.D. and Britton, C. (2010) microRNAs: a role in drug resistance in parasitic nematodes? Trends in Parasitology, 26(9), pp. 428-433. (doi:10.1016/j.pt.2010.05.003)
2008
Britton, C. (2008) Genetically modified parasites and the immune response. Parasite Immunology, 30(4), pp. 191-193. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-3024.2008.01018.x)
2007
Geldhof, P., Visser, A., Clark, D., Saunders, G., Britton, C. , Gilleard, J., Berriman, M. and Knox, D. (2007) RNA interference in parasitic helminths: current situation, potential pitfalls and future prospects. Parasitology, 134, pp. 609-619. (doi:10.1017/S0031182006002071)
Knox, D. P., Geldhof, P., Visser, A. and Britton, C. (2007) RNA interference in parasitic nematodes of animals: a reality check? Trends in Parasitology, 23(3), pp. 105-107. (doi:10.1016/j.pt.2007.01.007)
Murray, L., Geldhof, P., Clark, D., Knox, D. P. and Britton, C. (2007) Expression and purification of an active cysteine protease of Haemonchus contortus using Caenorhabditis elegans. Trends in Parasitology, 37(10), pp. 1117-1125. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2007.02.012)
2006
Britton, C. and Murray, L. (2006) Using Caenorhabditis elegans for functional analysis of genes of parasitic nematodes. International Journal for Parasitology, 36(6), pp. 651-659. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2006.02.010)
Geldhof, P., Murray, L., Couthier, A., Gilleard, J. S., McLauchlan, G., Knox, D. P. and Britton, C. (2006) Testing the efficacy of RNA interference in Haemonchus contortus. International Journal for Parasitology, 36(7), pp. 801-810. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2005.12.004)
2004
Britton, C. and Murray, L. (2004) Cathepsin L protease (CPL-1) is essential for yolk processing during embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Cell Science, 117, pp. 5133-5143. (doi:10.1242/jcs.01387)
2002
Britton, C. and Murray, L. (2002) A cathepsin L protease essential for Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis is functionally conserved in parasitic nematodes. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 122, pp. 21-33.
Gomez-Escobar, N., Gregory, W., Britton, C. , Murray, L., Corton, C., Hall, N., Daub, J., Blaxter, M. and Maizels, R. (2002) Abundant larval transcript-1 and -2 genes from Brugia malayi: diversity of genomic environments but conservation of 5 ' promoter sequences functional in Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 125, pp. 59-71.
Hashmi, S., Britton, C. , Liu, J., Guiliano, D., Oksov, Y. and Lustigman, S. (2002) Cathepsin L is essential for embryogenesis and development of Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277, pp. 3477-3486. (doi:10.1074/jbc.M106117200)
Thompson, F., Britton, C. , Wheatley, I., Maitland, K., Walker, G., Anant, S., Davidson, N. and Devaney, E. (2002) Biochemical and molecular characterization of two cytidine deaminases in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Biochemical Journal, 365, pp. 99-107.
2001
Thompson, F., Cockroft, A., Wheatley, I., Britton, C. and Devaney, E. (2001) Heat shock and developmental expression of hsp83 in the filarial nematode Brugia pahangi. European Journal of Biochemistry, 268, pp. 5808-5815.
1999
Britton, C. , Redmond, D. L., Knox, D. P., McKerrow, J. H. and Barry, J. D. (1999) Identification of promoter elements of parasitic nematodes in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 103(2), pp. 171-181. (doi:10.1016/S0166-6851(99)00121-8)
1998
Britton, C. , McKerrow, J. H. and Johnstone, I. L. (1998) Regulation of the Caenorhabditis elegans gut cysteine protease gene cpr-1: requirement for GATA motifs. Journal of Molecular Biology, 283(1), pp. 15-27. (doi:10.1006/jmbi.1998.2093) (PMID:9761670)
Articles
Sallé, G. et al. (2018) Transcriptomic profiling of nematode parasites surviving vaccine exposure. International Journal for Parasitology, 48(5), pp. 395-402. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.01.004) (PMID:29534987) (PMCID:PMC5909036)
Doyle, S. R. et al. (2018) A genome resequencing-based genetic map reveals the recombination landscape of an outbred parasitic nematode in the presence of polyploidy and polyandry. Genome Biology and Evolution, 10(2), pp. 396-409. (doi:10.1093/gbe/evx269) (PMID:29267942) (PMCID:PMC5793844)
Gillan, V. et al. (2017) Increased expression of a microRNA correlates with anthelmintic resistance in parasitic nematodes. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 7, 452. (doi:10.3389/fcimb.2017.00452) (PMID:29209592) (PMCID:PMC5701612)
Terron-Canedo, N., Weir, W. , Nicolson, L., Britton, C. and Nasir, L. (2017) Differential expression of microRNAs in bovine papillomavirus type 1 transformed equine cells. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, 15(3), pp. 764-774. (doi:10.1111/vco.12216) (PMID:27039895)
Britton, C. (2017) microRNAs - key players in host-parasite interactions. Parasite Immunology, 39(2), e12418. (doi:10.1111/pim.12418) (PMID:28171701)
Gu, H. Y., Marks, N. D., Winter, A. D., Weir, W. , Tzelos, T., McNeilly, T. N., Britton, C. and Devaney, E. (2017) Conservation of a microRNA cluster in parasitic nematodes and profiling of miRNAs in excretory-secretory products and microvesicles of Haemonchus contortus. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 11(11), e0006056. (doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006056) (PMID:29145392) (PMCID:PMC5709059)
Britton, C. , Roberts, B. and Marks, N.D. (2016) Functional genomics tools for Haemonchus contortus and lessons from other helminths. Advances in Parasitology, 93, pp. 599-623. (doi:10.1016/bs.apar.2016.02.017) (PMID:27238014)
Britton, C. , Winter, A. D., Marks, N. D., Gu, H., McNeilly, T. N., Gillan, V. and Devaney, E. (2015) Application of small RNA technology for improved control of parasitic helminths. Veterinary Parasitology, 212(1-2), pp. 47-53. (doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.06.003) (PMID:26095949) (PMCID:PMC4535316)
Winter, A. D. et al. (2015) A novel member of the let-7 microRNA family is associated with developmental transitions in filarial nematode parasites. BMC Genomics, 16, 331. (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1536-y) (PMID:25896062) (PMCID:PMC4428239)
Britton, C. , Winter, A. D., Gillan, V. and Devaney, E. (2014) microRNAs of parasitic helminths – identification, characterization and potential as drug targets. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance, 4(2), pp. 85-94. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpddr.2014.03.001)
Laing, R. et al. (2013) The genome and transcriptome of haemonchus contortus, a key model parasite for drug and vaccine discovery. Genome Biology, 14(8), R88. (doi:10.1186/gb-2013-14-8-r88)
Roberts, B., Antonopoulos, A., Haslam, S.M., Dicker, A.J., Mcneilly, T.N., Johnston, S.L., Dell, A., Knox, D.P. and Britton, C. (2013) Novel expression of Haemonchus contortus vaccine candidate aminopeptidase H11 using the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Veterinary Research, 44(111), (doi:10.1186/1297-9716-44-111)
Saunders, G. I., Wasmuth, J. D., Beech, R., Laing, R., Hunt, M., Naghra, H., Cotton, J. A., Berriman, M., Britton, C. and Gilleard, J. S. (2013) Characterization and comparative analysis of the complete Haemonchus contortus β-tubulin gene family and implications for benzimidazole resistance in strongylid nematodes. International Journal for Parasitology, 43(6), pp. 465-475. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.12.011)
Baker, R.H., Britton, C. , Roberts, B., Loer, C.M., Matthews, J.B. and Nisbet, A.J. (2012) Melanisation of Teladorsagia circumcincta larvae exposed to sunlight: a role for GTP-cyclohydrolase in nematode survival. International Journal for Parasitology, 42(10), pp. 887-891. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.06.005)
Baker, R.H., Britton, C. , Roberts, B., Loer, C.M., Matthews, J.B. and Nisbet, A.J. (2012) Melanisation of teladorsagia circumcincta larvae exposed to sunlight: a role for GTP-Cyclohydrolase in nematode survival. International Journal for Parasitology, 42(10), pp. 887-891. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.06.005)
Selkirk, M.E., Huang, S.C., Knox, D.P. and Britton, C. (2012) The development of RNA interference (RNAi) in gastrointestinal nematodes. Parasitology, 139(5), pp. 605-612. (doi:10.1017/S0031182011002332)
Britton, C. , Samarasinghe, B. and Knox, D.P. (2012) Ups and downs of RNA interference in parasitic nematodes. Experimental Parasitology, 132(1), pp. 56-61. (doi:10.1016/j.exppara.2011.08.002)
Winter, A.D., Weir, W. , Hunt, M., Berriman, M., Gilleard, J.S., Devaney, E. and Britton, C. (2012) Diversity in parasitic nematode genomes: the microRNAs of Brugia pahangi and Haemonchus contortus are largely novel. BMC Genomics, 13, p. 4. (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-13-4)
Samarasinghe, S.B., Knox, D.P. and Britton, C. (2011) Factors affecting susceptibility to RNA interference in Haemonchus contortus and in vivo silencing of an H11 aminopeptidase gene. International Journal for Parasitology, 41(1), pp. 51-59. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2010.07.005)
Devaney, E.A. , Winter, A.D. and Britton, C. (2010) microRNAs: a role in drug resistance in parasitic nematodes? Trends in Parasitology, 26(9), pp. 428-433. (doi:10.1016/j.pt.2010.05.003)
Britton, C. (2008) Genetically modified parasites and the immune response. Parasite Immunology, 30(4), pp. 191-193. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-3024.2008.01018.x)
Geldhof, P., Visser, A., Clark, D., Saunders, G., Britton, C. , Gilleard, J., Berriman, M. and Knox, D. (2007) RNA interference in parasitic helminths: current situation, potential pitfalls and future prospects. Parasitology, 134, pp. 609-619. (doi:10.1017/S0031182006002071)
Knox, D. P., Geldhof, P., Visser, A. and Britton, C. (2007) RNA interference in parasitic nematodes of animals: a reality check? Trends in Parasitology, 23(3), pp. 105-107. (doi:10.1016/j.pt.2007.01.007)
Murray, L., Geldhof, P., Clark, D., Knox, D. P. and Britton, C. (2007) Expression and purification of an active cysteine protease of Haemonchus contortus using Caenorhabditis elegans. Trends in Parasitology, 37(10), pp. 1117-1125. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2007.02.012)
Britton, C. and Murray, L. (2006) Using Caenorhabditis elegans for functional analysis of genes of parasitic nematodes. International Journal for Parasitology, 36(6), pp. 651-659. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2006.02.010)
Geldhof, P., Murray, L., Couthier, A., Gilleard, J. S., McLauchlan, G., Knox, D. P. and Britton, C. (2006) Testing the efficacy of RNA interference in Haemonchus contortus. International Journal for Parasitology, 36(7), pp. 801-810. (doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2005.12.004)
Britton, C. and Murray, L. (2004) Cathepsin L protease (CPL-1) is essential for yolk processing during embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Cell Science, 117, pp. 5133-5143. (doi:10.1242/jcs.01387)
Britton, C. and Murray, L. (2002) A cathepsin L protease essential for Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis is functionally conserved in parasitic nematodes. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 122, pp. 21-33.
Gomez-Escobar, N., Gregory, W., Britton, C. , Murray, L., Corton, C., Hall, N., Daub, J., Blaxter, M. and Maizels, R. (2002) Abundant larval transcript-1 and -2 genes from Brugia malayi: diversity of genomic environments but conservation of 5 ' promoter sequences functional in Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 125, pp. 59-71.
Hashmi, S., Britton, C. , Liu, J., Guiliano, D., Oksov, Y. and Lustigman, S. (2002) Cathepsin L is essential for embryogenesis and development of Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277, pp. 3477-3486. (doi:10.1074/jbc.M106117200)
Thompson, F., Britton, C. , Wheatley, I., Maitland, K., Walker, G., Anant, S., Davidson, N. and Devaney, E. (2002) Biochemical and molecular characterization of two cytidine deaminases in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Biochemical Journal, 365, pp. 99-107.
Thompson, F., Cockroft, A., Wheatley, I., Britton, C. and Devaney, E. (2001) Heat shock and developmental expression of hsp83 in the filarial nematode Brugia pahangi. European Journal of Biochemistry, 268, pp. 5808-5815.
Britton, C. , Redmond, D. L., Knox, D. P., McKerrow, J. H. and Barry, J. D. (1999) Identification of promoter elements of parasitic nematodes in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 103(2), pp. 171-181. (doi:10.1016/S0166-6851(99)00121-8)
Britton, C. , McKerrow, J. H. and Johnstone, I. L. (1998) Regulation of the Caenorhabditis elegans gut cysteine protease gene cpr-1: requirement for GATA motifs. Journal of Molecular Biology, 283(1), pp. 15-27. (doi:10.1006/jmbi.1998.2093) (PMID:9761670)
Book Sections
Britton, C. (2013) Proteases of nematodes: from free-living to parasite. In: Kennedy, M.W. and Harnett, W. (eds.) Parasitic Nematodes: Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Immunology. Cabi Publishing, pp. 354-374. ISBN 9781845937591 (doi:10.1079/9781845937591.0351)
Caffrey, C.R., Britton, C. and McKerrow, J.H. (2013) Helminth cysteine proteases. In: Rawlings, N.D. and Salvesen, G. (eds.) Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes. Elsevier Science, pp. 1949-1957. ISBN 9780123822192 (doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-382219-2.00444-0)
Britton, C. (2012) RNA interference: A potential discovery tool for therapeutic targets of parasitic nematodes. In: Parasitic helminths: Targets, screens, drugs and vaccines. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 89-103.
Book Reviews
Britton, C. (2015) Ascaris: The Neglected Parasite, by Celia Holland. Parasitology, 142(4), p. 633. (doi:10.1017/S0031182014001541) [Book Review]
R210A Level 2, Institute of III, Urquhart Building, Glasgow G61 1QH,