Dr Stineke Van Houte
BBSRC Future Leadership Fellow
C.van-Houte@exeter.ac.uk
01326 259017
Environment and Sustainability Institute ESI 01.14
Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
Overview
I'm a BBSRC Future Leader Fellow in the Department of Biosciences. I have a broad interest in host-parasite interactions, and I have worked on various different model systems to tackle questions that are broadly related to how parasites manipulate their hosts (from behaviour to immune responses), and how hosts counteracts these processes. For my PhD I have worked on behavioural manipulation of insects by baculoviruses, while for my postdoc I have shifted to bacteria and their viruses (phages) as a model system for host-parasite interactions. Among other things, I have studied if, how and when bacteria use an adaptive immune response (CRISPR-Cas) to defend themselves against phages. More recently I have studied how phages manage to counteract the CRISPR-Cas immune response in bacterial hosts. My lab currently focuses on how we can use CRISPR-Cas systems to alter microbial communities, with a particular focus on removing antimicrobial resistance genes from these communities, a project which is funded by the BBSRC. You can find more information about my research group at my personal website: https://vanhoutelab.wordpress.com.
Qualifications
2014: PhD Wageningen University
2006: MSc Molecular Sciences Wageningen University
2004: BSc Molecular Sciences Wageningen University
Career
2018 - 2020: BBSRC Future Leader Fellow, Biosciences, University of Exeter
2016 - 2017: Marie Sklodowska Curie Research Fellow, Biosciences, University of Exeter
2014 - 2015: postdoctoral researcher, Biosciences, University of Exeter
2009 - 2013: PhD virology, defended on 21 January 2014, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
2007 - 2008: junior researcher, University of Bologna, Italy
2001 - 2006: Bachelor and Master degree in Molecular Sciences, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
Publications
Journal articles
Forsyth J, Barron N, Scott L, Bridget W, Chisnall M, Meaden S, Van Houte S, Raymond B (In Press). Decolonizing drug-resistant E. coli with phage and probiotics: breaking the frequency-dependent dominance of residents. Microbiology Abstract.
Watson BNJ, Capria L, Alseth EO, Pons BJ, Biswas A, Lenzi L, Buckling A, van Houte S, Westra ER, Meaden S, et al (2024). CRISPR-Cas in Pseudomonas aeruginosa provides transient population-level immunity against high phage exposures. The ISME Journal: Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology, 18(1).
Agapov A, Baker KS, Bedekar P, Bhatia RP, Blower TR, Brockhurst MA, Brown C, Chong CE, Fothergill JL, Graham S, et al (2024). Multi-layered genome defences in bacteria. Curr Opin Microbiol, 78 Abstract. Author URL.
Blower TR, van Houte S (2024). Viruses wrap up bacterial defence systems. Nature, 625(7994), 250-251. Author URL.
Pons BJ, Dimitriu T, Westra ER, van Houte S (2023). Antibiotics that affect translation can antagonize phage infectivity by interfering with the deployment of counter-defenses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 120(4). Abstract. Author URL.
Pons BJ, Westra ER, van Houte S (2023). Determination of Acr-mediated immunosuppression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. MethodsX, 10 Abstract. Author URL.
Pons BJ, van Houte S, Westra ER, Chevallereau A (2023). Ecology and evolution of phages encoding anti-CRISPR proteins. J Mol Biol, 435(7). Abstract. Author URL.
Sünderhauf D, Klümper U, Gaze WH, Westra ER, van Houte S (2023). Interspecific competition can drive plasmid loss from a focal species in a microbial community. The ISME Journal, 17(10), 1765-1773. Abstract.
Walker-Sünderhauf D, Klümper U, Pursey E, Westra ER, Gaze WH, van Houte S (2023). Removal of AMR plasmids using a mobile, broad host-range CRISPR-Cas9 delivery tool. Microbiology (Reading), 169(5). Abstract. Author URL.
Macdonald E, Wright R, Connolly JPR, Strahl H, Brockhurst M, van Houte S, Blower TR, Palmer T, Mariano G (2023). The novel anti-phage system Shield co-opts an RmuC domain to mediate phage defense across Pseudomonas species. PLOS Genetics, 19(6), e1010784-e1010784. Abstract.
Pursey E, Dimitriu T, Paganelli FL, Westra ER, van Houte S (2022). CRISPR-Cas is associated with fewer antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial pathogens. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 377(1842). Abstract. Author URL.
Chevallereau A, Pons BJ, van Houte S, Westra ER (2022). Interactions between bacterial and phage communities in natural environments. NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY, 20(1), 49-62. Author URL.
Pursey E, Dimitriu T, Paganelli FL, Westra ER, van Houte S (2021). CRISPR-Cas is associated with fewer antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial pathogens. Abstract.
Watson BNJ, Steens JA, Staals RHJ, Westra ER, van Houte S (2021). Coevolution between bacterial CRISPR-Cas systems and their bacteriophages. Cell Host Microbe, 29(5), 715-725. Abstract. Author URL.
van Houte S, Padfield D, Gómez P, Luján AM, Brockhurst MA, Paterson S, Buckling A (2021). Compost spatial heterogeneity promotes evolutionary diversification of a bacterium. J Evol Biol, 34(2), 246-255. Abstract. Author URL.
Meaden S, Capria L, Alseth E, Gandon S, Biswas A, Lenzi L, van Houte S, Westra ER (2021). Phage gene expression and host responses lead to infection-dependent costs of CRISPR immunity (vol 15, pg 523, 2021). ISME JOURNAL, 15(8), 2491-2491. Author URL.
Common J, Walker-Sünderhauf D, van Houte S, Westra ER (2020). Diversity in CRISPR-based immunity protects susceptible genotypes by restricting phage spread and evolution. J Evol Biol, 33(8), 1097-1108. Abstract. Author URL.
Chevallereau A, Meaden S, Fradet O, Landsberger M, Maestri A, Biswas A, Gandon S, van Houte S, Westra ER (2020). Exploitation of the Cooperative Behaviors of Anti-CRISPR Phages. Cell Host & Microbe, 27(2), 189-198.e6.
Meaden S, Capria L, Alseth E, Gandon S, Biswas A, Lenzi L, van Houte S, Westra ER (2020). Phage gene expression and host responses lead to infection-dependent costs of CRISPR immunity. The ISME Journal, 15(2), 534-544. Abstract.
Sünderhauf D, Pursey E, Klümper U, Westra E, Gaze W, van Houte S (2019). AMR gene removal by conjugative delivery of CRISPR-Cas9. Access Microbiology, 1(1A).
van Sluijs L, van Houte S, van der Oost J, Brouns SJ, Buckling A, Westra ER (2019). Addiction systems antagonize bacterial adaptive immunity. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 366(5). Abstract. Author URL.
Common J, Morley D, Westra ER, van Houte S (2019). CRISPR-Cas immunity leads to a coevolutionary arms race between Streptococcus thermophilus and lytic phage. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 374(1772). Abstract. Author URL.
Common J, Walker-Sünderhauf D, van Houte S, Westra ER (2019). Diversity in CRISPR-based immunity protects susceptible genotypes by restricting phage spread and evolution. Abstract.
Chevallereau A, Meaden S, Fradet O, Landsberger M, Maestri A, Biswas A, Gandon S, van Houte S, Westra ER (2019). Exploitation of the cooperative behaviours of anti-CRISPR phages. Abstract.
Klümper U, Maillard A, Hesse E, Bayer F, Houte SV, Longdon B, Gaze W, Buckling A (2019). Short-term evolution under copper stress increases probability of plasmid uptake. Abstract.
Pursey E, Sünderhauf D, Paganelli F, Gaze W, Westra E, van Houte S (2019). Targeting antimicrobial resistance genes in clinical isolates from healthcare-associated infections using CRISPR-Cas9. Access Microbiology, 1(1A).
Westra ER, van Houte S, Gandon S, Whitaker R (2019). The ecology and evolution of microbial CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 374(1772). Author URL.
Chevallereau A, Meaden S, van Houte S, Westra ER, Rollie C (2019). The effect of bacterial mutation rate on the evolution of CRISPR-Cas adaptive immunity. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 374(1772). Abstract. Author URL.
Landsberger M, Gandon S, Meaden S, Rollie C, Chevallereau A, Chabas H, Buckling A, Westra ER, van Houte S (2018). Anti-CRISPR Phages Cooperate to Overcome CRISPR-Cas Immunity. Cell, 174(4), 908-916.e12. Abstract. Author URL.
Landsberger M, Gandon S, Meaden S, Chabas H, Buckling A, Westra ER, Houte SV (2018). Anti-CRISPR phages cooperate to overcome CRISPR-Cas immunity. Abstract.
Han Y, van Houte S, van Oers MM, Ros VID (2018). Baculovirus PTP2 Functions as a Pro-Apoptotic Protein. Viruses, 10(4). Abstract. Author URL.
Pursey E, Sünderhauf D, Gaze WH, Westra ER, van Houte S (2018). CRISPR-Cas antimicrobials: Challenges and future prospects. PLoS Pathog, 14(6). Author URL.
Chabas H, Lion S, Nicot A, Meaden S, van Houte S, Moineau S, Wahl LM, Westra ER, Gandon S (2018). Evolutionary emergence of infectious diseases in heterogeneous host populations. PLoS Biol, 16(9). Abstract. Author URL.
Han Y, van Houte S, van Oers MM, Ros VID (2018). Timely trigger of caterpillar zombie behaviour: temporal requirements for light in baculovirus-induced tree-top disease. Parasitology, 145(6), 822-827. Abstract. Author URL.
Morley D, Broniewski JM, Westra ER, Buckling A, van Houte S (2017). Host diversity limits the evolution of parasite local adaptation. Mol Ecol, 26(7), 1756-1763. Abstract. Author URL.
Westra ER, Dowling AJ, Broniewski JM, Van Houte S (2016). Evolution and Ecology of CRISPR. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 47, 307-331. Abstract.
van Houte S, Buckling A, Westra ER (2016). Evolutionary Ecology of Prokaryotic Immune Mechanisms. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev, 80(3), 745-763. Abstract. Author URL.
Chabas H, van Houte S, Høyland-Kroghsbo NM, Buckling A, Westra ER (2016). Immigration of susceptible hosts triggers the evolution of alternative parasite defence strategies. Proc Biol Sci, 283(1837). Abstract. Author URL.
van Houte S, Ekroth AKE, Broniewski JM, Chabas H, Ashby B, Bondy-Denomy J, Gandon S, Boots M, Paterson S, Buckling A, et al (2016). The diversity-generating benefits of a prokaryotic adaptive immune system. Nature, 532(7599), 385-388. Abstract. Author URL.
Van Houte S, Van Oers MM, Han Y, Vlak JM, Ros VID (2015). Baculovirus infection triggers a positive phototactic response in caterpillars: a response to Dobson et al. (2015). Biology Letters, 11(10).
Ros VID, van Houte S, Hemerik L, van Oers MM (2015). Baculovirus-induced tree-top disease: how extended is the role of egt as a gene for the extended phenotype?. Mol Ecol, 24(1), 249-258. Abstract. Author URL.
Westra ER, Van houte S, Oyesiku-Blakemore S, Makin B, Broniewski JM, Best A, Bondy-Denomy J, Davidson A, Boots M, Buckling A, et al (2015). Parasite exposure drives selective evolution of constitutive versus inducible defense. Current Biology, 25(8), 1043-1049. Abstract.
Han Y, van Houte S, Drees GF, van Oers MM, Ros VID (2015). Parasitic manipulation of host behaviour: Baculovirus SeMNPV EGT facilitates tree-top disease in spodoptera exigua larvae by extending the time to death. Insects, 6(3), 716-731. Abstract.
van Houte S, van Oers MM, Han Y, Vlak JM, Ros VID (2014). Baculovirus infection triggers a positive phototactic response in caterpillars to induce 'tree-top' disease. Biol Lett, 10(12). Abstract. Author URL.
van Houte S, Ros VID, van Oers MM (2014). Hyperactivity and tree-top disease induced by the baculovirus AcMNPV in Spodoptera exigua larvae are governed by independent mechanisms. Naturwissenschaften, 101(4), 347-350. Abstract. Author URL.
Rispoli A, Cipollini E, Catania S, Di Giaimo R, Pulice G, van Houte S, Sparla F, Dal Piaz F, Roncarati D, Trost P, et al (2013). Insights in progressive myoclonus epilepsy: HSP70 promotes cystatin B polymerization. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1834(12), 2591-2599. Abstract. Author URL.
van Houte S, Ros VID, van Oers MM (2013). Walking with insects: molecular mechanisms behind parasitic manipulation of host behaviour. Mol Ecol, 22(13), 3458-3475. Abstract. Author URL.
van Houte S, Ros VID, Mastenbroek TG, Vendrig NJ, Hoover K, Spitzen J, van Oers MM (2012). Protein tyrosine phosphatase-induced hyperactivity is a conserved strategy of a subset of baculoviruses to manipulate lepidopteran host behavior. PLoS One, 7(10). Abstract. Author URL.
Chapters
Yue H, van Oers MM, Van Houte S, Ros VID (2015). Virus-induced behavioural changes in insects. In Mehlhorn H (Ed) Host Manipulations by Parasites and Viruses, Springer, Cham, 149-174. Abstract.
