Linda Shearwin

Dr Linda Shearwin

ARC Grant-Funded Researcher (B)

School of Biological Sciences

College of Science

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

My research career has focussed on the identification of genes and their functional characterisation using bioinformatic, molecular and synthetic biology techniques. I have also spent four years teaching and developing curriculum for the Masters in Biotechnology, Biomedical course from the inception of this program in the School of Biological Sciences (2012-2015). Currently in the Laboratory of Comparative Genome Biology, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, my research centres on the molecular analysis of monotremes, egg-laying mammals which diverged 166 million years ago from other mammals. The platypus and echidna are the only living representatives of this group and as such provide a unique system in which to study mammalian evolution. Research in the Laboratory of Comparative Genome Biology, led by Prof. Frank Grützner, has shown that monotremes have a unique sex determination system not found in other mammals. I am studying the chromosomes and candidate genes which control sex determination in these iconic Australian mammals. 

Year Citation
2025 Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Fenelon, J., Yu, H., Major, A., Qu, Z., Zhou, Y., . . . Grützner, F. (2025). AMHY and sex determination in egg-laying mammals. Genome Biology, 26(1), 144-1-144-21.
DOI Europe PMC2
2024 Dann, J., Qu, Z., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., van der Ploeg, R., & Grützner, F. (2024). Pseudogenization of NK3 homeobox 2 (Nkx3.2) in monotremes provides insight into unique gastric anatomy and physiology. Open Biology, 14(7), 240071-1-240071-8.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC3
2024 Lister, N. C., Milton, A. M., Patel, H. R., Waters, S. A., Hanrahan, B. J., McIntyre, K. L., . . . Waters, P. D. (2024). Incomplete transcriptional dosage compensation of chicken and platypus sex chromosomes is balanced by post-transcriptional compensation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 121(32), e2322360121-1-e2322360121-7.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC11
2024 Takii, R., Fujimoto, M., Pandey, A., Jaiswal, K., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Grutzner, F., & Nakai, A. (2024). HSF1 is required for cellular adaptation to daily temperature fluctuations. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 21361.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2021 Liu, S., Zhao, Y., Hayes, A., Hon, K., Zhang, G., Bennett, C., . . . Vreugde, S. (2021). Overcoming bacteriophage insensitivity in Staphylococcus aureus using clindamycin and azithromycinat sub-inhibitory concentrations. Allergy, 76(11), 3446-3458.
DOI Scopus18 WoS15 Europe PMC14
2021 Pajpach, F., Wu, T., Shearwin, L., Jones, K., & Grutzner, F. (2021). Flavors of non-random meiotic segregation of autosomes and sex chromosomes. Genes, 12(9), 1338-1-1338-22.
DOI Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC6
2021 Pajpach, F., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., & Grutzner, F. (2021). Evolution, expression and meiotic behavior of genes involved in chromosome segregation of monotremes. Genes, 12(9), 1-17.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2021 Zhou, Y., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Li, J., Song, Z., Hayakawa, T., Stevens, D., . . . Zhang, G. (2021). Platypus and echidna genomes reveal mammalian biology and evolution. Nature, 592(7856), 756-762.
DOI Scopus116 WoS117 Europe PMC118
2019 Truong, J. Q., Panjikar, S., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Bruning, J. B., & Shearwin, K. E. (2019). Combining random microseed matrix screening and the magic triangle for the efficient structure solution of a potential lysin from bacteriophage P68. Acta crystallographica Section D. Structural biology, 75(7), 670-681.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2008 Foot, N., Dalton, H., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Dorstyn, L., Tan, S., Yang, B., & Kumar, S. (2008). Regulation of the divalent metal ion transporter DMT1 and iron homeostasis by a ubiquitin-dependent mechanism involving Ndfips and WWP2. Blood, 112(10), 4268-4275.
DOI Scopus125 WoS119 Europe PMC114
2006 Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Dalton, H., Foot, N., & Kumar, S. (2006). Regulation of functional diversity within the Nedd4 family by accessory and adaptor proteins. Bioessays, 28(6), 617-628.
DOI Scopus142 WoS136 Europe PMC122
2004 Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Brown, D., Wylie, F., Stow, J., & Kumar, S. (2004). N4WBP5A (Ndfip2), a Nedd4-interacting protein, localizes to multivesicular bodies and the Golgi, and has a potential role in protein trafficking. Journal of Cell Science, 117(16), 3679-3689.
DOI Scopus65 WoS64 Europe PMC58
2002 Konstas, A., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Fotia, A., Degger, B., Riccardi, D., Cook, D., . . . Kumar, S. (2002). Regulation of the epithelial sodium channel by N4WBP5A, a novel Nedd4/Nedd4-2-interacting protein. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277(33), 29406-29416.
DOI Scopus87 WoS85 Europe PMC77
2002 Harvey, K., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Fotia, A., Parton, R., & Kumar, S. (2002). N4WBP5, a potential target for ubiquitination by the Nedd4 family of proteins, is a novel golgi-associated protein. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277(11), 9307-9317.
DOI Scopus108 WoS107 Europe PMC101
2001 Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Baliga, B., Doumanis, J., & Kumar, S. (2001). Chimeric caspase molecules with potent cell killing activity in apoptosis-resistant cells. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 282(5), 1114-1119.
DOI Scopus5 WoS6 Europe PMC5
2001 Whyatt, L. M., & Rathjen, P. D. (2001). Interferon-inducible ES cell expression systems.. Methods in Molecular Biology Clifton N J, 158, 301-318.
DOI Scopus1
2000 Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Harvey, N., & Kumar, S. (2000). Subcellular localization and CARD-dependent oligomerization of the death adaptor RAIDD. Cell Death and Differentiation, 7(2), 155-165.
DOI Scopus51 WoS49 Europe PMC48
1999 Haines, B., Rathjen, P., Hope, R., Whyatt, L., Holland, M., & Breed, W. (1999). Isolation and characterisation of a cDNA encoding a Zona Pellucida Protein (ZPB) from the marsupial Trichosurus vulpecula (Brushtail Possum). Molecular Reproduction and Development, 52(2), 174-182.
DOI Scopus22 WoS22 Europe PMC15
1999 Shearwin-Whyatt, L., & Kumar, S. (1999). Caspases in developmental cell death. IUBMB Life, 48(2), 143-150.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC2
1999 Shearwin-Whyatt, L. M., & Kumar, S. (1999). Caspases in Developmental Cell Death. International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Life, 48(2), 143-150.
DOI
1998 Colussi, P., Harvey, N., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., & Kumar, S. (1998). Conversion of procaspase-3 to an autoactivating caspase by fusion to the caspase-2 predomain. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 273(41), 26566-26570.
DOI Scopus72 WoS70 Europe PMC60
1997 Whyatt, L. M., & Rathjen, P. D. (1997). Introduction of precise alterations into the mouse genome with high efficiency by stable tag-exchange gene targeting: Implications for gene targeting in ES cells. Nucleic Acids Research, 25(12), 2381-2388.
DOI Scopus10 WoS8 Europe PMC4
1993 Whyatt, L. M., Düwel, A., Smith, A. G., & Rathjen, P. D. (1993). The responsiveness of embryonic stem cells to alpha and beta interferons provides the basis of an inducible expression system for analysis of developmental control genes. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 13(12), 7971-7976.
DOI Scopus24 WoS23 Europe PMC19

Year Citation
2019 Shearwin-Whyatt, L. M., Nguyen, N. M. H., Zhou, Q., Zhang, G., & Grützner, F. (2019). Analysis of novel Y-specific genes in monotremes. In 6th Australian Sex Summit. Lancefield, Victoria.
2002 Korbmacher, C., Konstas, A. A., Shearwin-Whyatt, L. M., Fotia, A. B., Degger, B., Riccardi, D., . . . Kumar, S. (2002). The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is regulated by N4WBP5A, a novel Nedd4/Nedd4-2-interacting protein.. In JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY Vol. 13 (pp. 21A-22A). AMER SOC NEPHROLOGY.
1998 Rathjen, P. D., Lake, J., Whyatt, L. M., Bettess, M. D., & Rathjen, J. (1998). Properties and uses of embryonic stem cells: Prospects for application to human biology and gene therapy. In Reproduction Fertility and Development Vol. 10 (pp. 31-47). ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: C S I R O PUBLICATIONS.
DOI Scopus89 WoS77 Europe PMC56

Year Citation
2025 McDougal, D., Pederick, J., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Grützner, F., & Bruning, J. (2025). Structural evolution of the estrogen receptor regulatory domain.
DOI Europe PMC1
2024 Dann, J., Qu, Z., Shearwin-Whyatt, L., van der Ploeg, R., & Grützner, F. (2024). Pseudogenisation of NK3 Homeobox 2 (<i>Nkx3.2</i>) in Monotremes Provides Insight into Unique Gastric Anatomy and Physiology.
DOI
2024 Shearwin-Whyatt, L., Fenelon, J., Yu, H., Major, A., Qu, Z., Zhou, Y., . . . Grützner, F. (2024). AMHY and sex determination in egg-laying mammals.
DOI
2023 Lister, N., Milton, A., Patel, H., Waters, S., Hanrahan, B., McIntyre, K., . . . Waters, P. (2023). Incomplete transcriptional dosage compensation of vertebrate sex chromosomes is balanced by post-transcriptional compensation.
DOI Europe PMC2

I currently co-supervise an Honours student and a Doctor of Philosophy Student. 

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Co-Supervisor Investigating the DMRT gene family in monotremes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Rachel Emily van der Ploeg

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Evolution and Organization of Monotreme Sex Chromosomes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Filip Pajpach

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