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Can cyanobacteria use organic nutrients to thrive in future oceans? Marine cyanobacteria are central to regulating the global climate and underpin entire marine food webs. Though they possess genes necessary to uptake diverse organic nutrients, we know very little about whether and how organic nutrients shape the physiology and ecology of cyanobacteria. Using our innovative high-throughput approach, this project aims to systematically characterise organic nutrient uptake in picocyanobacteria. O ....Can cyanobacteria use organic nutrients to thrive in future oceans? Marine cyanobacteria are central to regulating the global climate and underpin entire marine food webs. Though they possess genes necessary to uptake diverse organic nutrients, we know very little about whether and how organic nutrients shape the physiology and ecology of cyanobacteria. Using our innovative high-throughput approach, this project aims to systematically characterise organic nutrient uptake in picocyanobacteria. Our molecules-to-ecosystems approach expects to transform our understanding of alternate nutrient acquisition in cyanobacteria and how it may shape populations of these important photosynthetic organisms in a rapidly-changing ocean landscape. Read moreRead less
Can eco-evolutionary theories explain outcomes of microbiome coalescence . Environmental microbial communities are among the most abundant and diverse natural communities, responsible for many ecologically and economically important ecosystem functions, including primary productivity and climate regulation. This project aims to identify the biotic and abiotic factors that regulate community and functional outcomes of microbiome coalescence (the mixing of two different communities) caused by natu ....Can eco-evolutionary theories explain outcomes of microbiome coalescence . Environmental microbial communities are among the most abundant and diverse natural communities, responsible for many ecologically and economically important ecosystem functions, including primary productivity and climate regulation. This project aims to identify the biotic and abiotic factors that regulate community and functional outcomes of microbiome coalescence (the mixing of two different communities) caused by natural and anthropogenic activities. The outcomes will provide a unifying ecological framework to predict variation in microbiomes across different scales, ecosystem types and disturbances, and will generate critical knowledge for the development of effective microbiome products, a rapidly growing industryRead moreRead less
Defining how inter-bacterial symbioses regulate aquatic ecosystem health. This project will determine how ecological relationships among aquatic bacteria govern the health of Australia’s marine and freshwater environments. Cyanobacteria support aquatic ecosystem productivity, but can have detrimental effects when they form harmful blooms, although the factors governing the balance of these contrasting impacts are largely undefined. By coupling sophisticated approaches including genomics, phenomi ....Defining how inter-bacterial symbioses regulate aquatic ecosystem health. This project will determine how ecological relationships among aquatic bacteria govern the health of Australia’s marine and freshwater environments. Cyanobacteria support aquatic ecosystem productivity, but can have detrimental effects when they form harmful blooms, although the factors governing the balance of these contrasting impacts are largely undefined. By coupling sophisticated approaches including genomics, phenomics, and microfluidics to examine how symbioses with other bacteria influence the growth and function of important species of cyanobacteria, this research will elucidate the importance of an over-looked factor in controlling the productivity, health and value of Australia’s aquatic estate.Read moreRead less
A novel microbial process breaking through the nitrogen cycling. Nitrogen transformation is central to life on Earth. This project will challenge a century-old paradigm that microorganisms must cooperate in a team to convert nitrogen from organic- to inorganic forms. We will carry out the first-ever systematic investigation of a novel process, where a single organism mediates complete ammonification and ammonia oxidation, directly connecting organic- and inorganic nitrogen. By revealing metaboli ....A novel microbial process breaking through the nitrogen cycling. Nitrogen transformation is central to life on Earth. This project will challenge a century-old paradigm that microorganisms must cooperate in a team to convert nitrogen from organic- to inorganic forms. We will carry out the first-ever systematic investigation of a novel process, where a single organism mediates complete ammonification and ammonia oxidation, directly connecting organic- and inorganic nitrogen. By revealing metabolic pathways, characterising ecophysiological properties, isolating key microorganisms and exploring their application potential, this project will change our fundamental understanding of global nitrogen cycling, improve the sustainability of water management, and contribute to the circular economy transitionRead moreRead less
Defining the biological boundaries to sustain extant life on Mars. Key challenges for life are access to water & energy, and in cold, arid environments trace gas chemotrophy is used by soil microbiomes to sustain life. Given the cold, hyper-arid conditions on the Martian surface are analogues to ice-free regions of Antarctica, atmospheric chemoautotrophic ecosystems are the most promising ecological model for Martian life in the present or recent past. This project is significant, as it aims to ....Defining the biological boundaries to sustain extant life on Mars. Key challenges for life are access to water & energy, and in cold, arid environments trace gas chemotrophy is used by soil microbiomes to sustain life. Given the cold, hyper-arid conditions on the Martian surface are analogues to ice-free regions of Antarctica, atmospheric chemoautotrophic ecosystems are the most promising ecological model for Martian life in the present or recent past. This project is significant, as it aims to define the limits to energy, water and carbon production via trace gas chemotrophy. We will integrate biology with astrophysics to identify at which point life ceases. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on the biological envelope, with benefits to include the identification of Martian regions for exploration.Read moreRead less
Defining the links between climate change, marine disease and food security. This project will deliver critical new knowledge on the causes of marine pathogen outbreaks that threaten Australia’s $1.6 billion aquaculture industry. Several members of the same genus of bacteria have been implicated in recent mass mortality events in aquaculture species, as well as human illness in consumers of seafood, yet the triggers for unprecedented outbreaks of these pathogens are unknown. By coupling a suite ....Defining the links between climate change, marine disease and food security. This project will deliver critical new knowledge on the causes of marine pathogen outbreaks that threaten Australia’s $1.6 billion aquaculture industry. Several members of the same genus of bacteria have been implicated in recent mass mortality events in aquaculture species, as well as human illness in consumers of seafood, yet the triggers for unprecedented outbreaks of these pathogens are unknown. By coupling a suite of sophisticated molecular biological tools and physiological measurements, this research will resolve the role of environmental disturbances including marine heat waves, floods and plastic pollution in stimulating marine pathogen outbreaks, thereby informing efforts to safeguard Australia’s food security and food safety.Read moreRead less