Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100310
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,533.00
Summary
Atmospheric trace gases: Fuelling the dormant microbial majority. This project aims to determine the physiological roles and ecological significance of hydrogen, methane and carbon monoxide scavenging. Bacteria adapt to adverse environmental conditions such as energy-starvation by entering dormant states. The fuel sources that sustain this dormant majority have yet to be resolved. Aerobic soil bacteria survive by scavenging trace gases from the atmosphere; they literally live on thin air. These ....Atmospheric trace gases: Fuelling the dormant microbial majority. This project aims to determine the physiological roles and ecological significance of hydrogen, methane and carbon monoxide scavenging. Bacteria adapt to adverse environmental conditions such as energy-starvation by entering dormant states. The fuel sources that sustain this dormant majority have yet to be resolved. Aerobic soil bacteria survive by scavenging trace gases from the atmosphere; they literally live on thin air. These trace gas scavengers are the major biological sinks in the global methane and hydrogen cycles. This project aims to study entire ecosystems of trace gas scavengers, which could enhance understanding of soil microbial ecology and biogeochemical cycling. By studying the regulation and distribution of gas scavenging, we can better model how these sinks respond to global change.Read moreRead less
Genetics and evolution of Shigella O antigens. We use genome scale sequencing techniques to sequence 26 O-antigen gene clusters from Shigella. With the seven already known, this will give sequences for every O-antigen of Shigella. This will be the first time that such set is fully sequenced. Shigella are human specific pathogens, have emerged with the evolution of humans. O-antigens are important for their life and pathogenicity. This project will greatly extend our knowledge of the genetic basi ....Genetics and evolution of Shigella O antigens. We use genome scale sequencing techniques to sequence 26 O-antigen gene clusters from Shigella. With the seven already known, this will give sequences for every O-antigen of Shigella. This will be the first time that such set is fully sequenced. Shigella are human specific pathogens, have emerged with the evolution of humans. O-antigens are important for their life and pathogenicity. This project will greatly extend our knowledge of the genetic basis and evolution of this important polymorphism. O-antigens are used for typing Shigella and also elicit strong immunity. The molecular data will help establish DNA based typing and vaccine development.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100911
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
The mechanisms driving microbial navigation in marine systems. This project aims to apply advanced video-microscopy to characterise microbial motion at the single cell level, interrogating their navigational responses in precisely controlled physical and chemical conditions. Ocean carbon cycling is driven by the concerted action of marine microbes, but the fine-scale interactions between these microbes and their physical and chemical environments remains elusive. The project findings will unrave ....The mechanisms driving microbial navigation in marine systems. This project aims to apply advanced video-microscopy to characterise microbial motion at the single cell level, interrogating their navigational responses in precisely controlled physical and chemical conditions. Ocean carbon cycling is driven by the concerted action of marine microbes, but the fine-scale interactions between these microbes and their physical and chemical environments remains elusive. The project findings will unravel the fundamental processes governing microbial motion in real environments, and develop the mechanistic modelling tools required to make quantitative ecosystem-level predictions of how soil-atmosphere-water-marine systems respond in the face of environmental change.Read moreRead less
Genome-level insight into the dynamics of a model coral microbiome. The aim of the project is to examine structural and functional microbiome dynamics in an ecologically important coral on the Great Barrier Reef along a natural temperature gradient. Microorganisms form an intimate symbiotic relationship with corals and are critical to their health. However, the microbiome can be disrupted by environmental perturbations, including higher-than-normal ocean temperatures, leaving the coral susceptib ....Genome-level insight into the dynamics of a model coral microbiome. The aim of the project is to examine structural and functional microbiome dynamics in an ecologically important coral on the Great Barrier Reef along a natural temperature gradient. Microorganisms form an intimate symbiotic relationship with corals and are critical to their health. However, the microbiome can be disrupted by environmental perturbations, including higher-than-normal ocean temperatures, leaving the coral susceptible to disease and bleaching. Currently, our understanding of how the microbiome composition and metabolic function change in response to seasonal temperature variation and disease is limited. This project is designed to provide insight into the role the microbiome plays in maintaining coral health and may aid in the long-term preservation of the reefs.Read moreRead less
Revealing the microbial process of iron-driven anaerobic ammonium oxidation. This project aims to gain fundamental understanding of the recently discovered microbially-facilitated process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation that is coupled to iron reduction. This process (called Feammox) is suggested to be responsible for significant nitrogen loss from soil and sediment ecosystems, resulting in pollution of the atmosphere and our water systems. In the project, the Feammox microorganisms will be enri ....Revealing the microbial process of iron-driven anaerobic ammonium oxidation. This project aims to gain fundamental understanding of the recently discovered microbially-facilitated process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation that is coupled to iron reduction. This process (called Feammox) is suggested to be responsible for significant nitrogen loss from soil and sediment ecosystems, resulting in pollution of the atmosphere and our water systems. In the project, the Feammox microorganisms will be enriched and characterised to reveal the metabolic details of the iron reduction and ammonium oxidation pathways. This will improve understanding of ecosystem nitrogen flux and benefit the management of nitrogen fertilizers used to meet the food and energy requirements of the world’s growing populations.Read moreRead less
Molecular insights into bacterial metal ion homeostasis and toxicity. This project aims to measure bacterial cellular metal concentrations, elucidate mechanisms cells use to adapt to changing extracellular metal concentrations, and reveal the molecular targets of metal toxicity. Metal ions are essential to all forms of life, and half of all proteins use metal ions for cellular chemical processes. However, how cells precisely balance sufficient metal ions for essential cellular chemistry without ....Molecular insights into bacterial metal ion homeostasis and toxicity. This project aims to measure bacterial cellular metal concentrations, elucidate mechanisms cells use to adapt to changing extracellular metal concentrations, and reveal the molecular targets of metal toxicity. Metal ions are essential to all forms of life, and half of all proteins use metal ions for cellular chemical processes. However, how cells precisely balance sufficient metal ions for essential cellular chemistry without accumulating a toxic excess (metal homeostasis) is poorly understood. Discovering the roles of metal ions in bacterial cells will be key to defining the chemical biology of living systems and will provide information essential to understanding how microbes adapt to changing environments.Read moreRead less
Bacterial Proteomics: From Cell Division to Novel Antibiotic Targets. When a cell divides it is essential that each newborn cell gets a complete copy of the DNA. To ensure that this happens, cell division must be tightly controlled. It is not known how this occurs in bacteria. However, if we knew what molecules were involved in this control, we could target them to kill harmful bacteria. This project aims to identify such regulatory molecules as candidate targets for antimicrobial agents, with a ....Bacterial Proteomics: From Cell Division to Novel Antibiotic Targets. When a cell divides it is essential that each newborn cell gets a complete copy of the DNA. To ensure that this happens, cell division must be tightly controlled. It is not known how this occurs in bacteria. However, if we knew what molecules were involved in this control, we could target them to kill harmful bacteria. This project aims to identify such regulatory molecules as candidate targets for antimicrobial agents, with a view to developing powerful, novel antibiotics to protect us from the imminent threat of bioterrorism and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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The effect of age on regulatory T cell control of the innate and adaptive antiviral immune responses. Viral pathogens are a lead cause of infant mortality in the world. This project will define how T regulatory cells limit protective antiviral immune responses in the young. This information is critical for the development of potent antiviral vaccines that are effective from the newborn period without inducing autoimmunity. It will also provide novel insight into the way T regulatory cells can b ....The effect of age on regulatory T cell control of the innate and adaptive antiviral immune responses. Viral pathogens are a lead cause of infant mortality in the world. This project will define how T regulatory cells limit protective antiviral immune responses in the young. This information is critical for the development of potent antiviral vaccines that are effective from the newborn period without inducing autoimmunity. It will also provide novel insight into the way T regulatory cells can be manipulated both to dampen immunity, which can be used to develop strategies to reduce immune mediated disease and limit transplant rejection. Read moreRead less
Developing a chlamydial vaccine for koalas. Developing a chlamydial vaccine for koalas . This project aims to produce an optimised, safe, field-tested, protective Chlamydia vaccine for koalas. In many regions of Australia, Chlamydia infection severely reduces female koala reproductive rates, threatening the species’ long term survival. This project builds on work developing a prototype vaccine for koala Chlamydia, and intends to produce a vaccine ready for potential registration and use by koala ....Developing a chlamydial vaccine for koalas. Developing a chlamydial vaccine for koalas . This project aims to produce an optimised, safe, field-tested, protective Chlamydia vaccine for koalas. In many regions of Australia, Chlamydia infection severely reduces female koala reproductive rates, threatening the species’ long term survival. This project builds on work developing a prototype vaccine for koala Chlamydia, and intends to produce a vaccine ready for potential registration and use by koala care centres, wildlife hospitals and government departments.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354702
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Australian Microbial Resources Research Network. The Australian Microbial Resources Research Network will provide integrated access to Australian collections of microorganisms and electronic access to bioinformation databases to meet national strategic needs for microbiological resources and to support the competitive development of the life sciences and biotechnology industries in Australia. The network will promote collaborative interactions and accelerate the discovery of Australian microorg ....Australian Microbial Resources Research Network. The Australian Microbial Resources Research Network will provide integrated access to Australian collections of microorganisms and electronic access to bioinformation databases to meet national strategic needs for microbiological resources and to support the competitive development of the life sciences and biotechnology industries in Australia. The network will promote collaborative interactions and accelerate the discovery of Australian microorganisms and microbial genomic information for innovative biotechnology and create new opportunities for bioindustries. The Network will link researchers and foster the discovery and exploitation of Australian microbial resources and make these resources and associated information available for applications in research, industry and education.Read moreRead less