The Fine Tuned Physiology of Microaerophilic Gastric Spirilla. The aim of the project is to understand the molecular basis of fundamental properties of the physiology of enterogastric spiral bacteria of the genera Campylobacter and Helicobacter. The characteristics of these obligate microaerophiles which will be investigated are their aerobic respiratory chains, the special metabolites and enzymes involved in thiol-disulphide redox balance, and their essential requirement for carbon dioxide. Mic ....The Fine Tuned Physiology of Microaerophilic Gastric Spirilla. The aim of the project is to understand the molecular basis of fundamental properties of the physiology of enterogastric spiral bacteria of the genera Campylobacter and Helicobacter. The characteristics of these obligate microaerophiles which will be investigated are their aerobic respiratory chains, the special metabolites and enzymes involved in thiol-disulphide redox balance, and their essential requirement for carbon dioxide. Microaerobes include some bacteria, archea and protozoa. Realisation of the widespread habitats and importance of microaerophiles, has led recently to a vigorous interest in understanding their physiology. Knowledge of the basic properties of microaerophily has potential applications to Environmental Microbiology, Agriculture, Industrial Microbiology, Veterinary Science and Medicine.Read moreRead less
Novel mechanisms of bacterial arsenic metabolism - arsenate reduction and arsenite oxidation. Novel arsenic metabolising bacteria (i.e., arsenate respiring and arsenite oxidising), which are both phylogenetically and physiologically unique, have been isolated from arsenic-contaminated areas in Australia. The arsenate respiring bacterium, Chrysiogenes arsenatis, is of particular interest as it is the only organism reported able to respire with arsenate using the respiratory substrate acetate as t ....Novel mechanisms of bacterial arsenic metabolism - arsenate reduction and arsenite oxidation. Novel arsenic metabolising bacteria (i.e., arsenate respiring and arsenite oxidising), which are both phylogenetically and physiologically unique, have been isolated from arsenic-contaminated areas in Australia. The arsenate respiring bacterium, Chrysiogenes arsenatis, is of particular interest as it is the only organism reported able to respire with arsenate using the respiratory substrate acetate as the electron donor. It is proposed that physiological, biochemical and molecular biological studies be carried out to better understand the mechanisms by which these organisms metabolise arsenic. The knowledge gained from these studies will have worldwide application in the development of an arsenic bioremediation system.Read moreRead less
Structural analysis and functional inactivation of bacterial transcription complexes. RNA polymerase is an essential enzyme in all living cells. Its role is to convert the genetic information stored in genes into a message that can be converted into protein. As such, the bacterial RNA polymerase represents an ideal target for the development of new antibiotics which will be important in maintaining the health of the Australian community and also in protecting the community from the very real thr ....Structural analysis and functional inactivation of bacterial transcription complexes. RNA polymerase is an essential enzyme in all living cells. Its role is to convert the genetic information stored in genes into a message that can be converted into protein. As such, the bacterial RNA polymerase represents an ideal target for the development of new antibiotics which will be important in maintaining the health of the Australian community and also in protecting the community from the very real threat of bioterrorism organisms such as anthrax. This project is designed to identify molecules for development as new antibiotics that are effective against RNA polymerase.Read moreRead less
A Unique Target in the Purine Biosynthesis of the Pathogen Helicobacter pylori. The uptake systems of purine and analogues of the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori will be characterised because they can be utilised to introduce cytotoxic compounds into the cells. The first step in de novo purine biosynthesis of the bacterium is catalysed by two different enzymes, which are components of other biosynthetic pathways. These unique properties make them excellent potential therapeutic targets. Their ....A Unique Target in the Purine Biosynthesis of the Pathogen Helicobacter pylori. The uptake systems of purine and analogues of the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori will be characterised because they can be utilised to introduce cytotoxic compounds into the cells. The first step in de novo purine biosynthesis of the bacterium is catalysed by two different enzymes, which are components of other biosynthetic pathways. These unique properties make them excellent potential therapeutic targets. Their individual combined activities in purine biosynthesis will be characterised in situ and in vitro. Isogenic mutants with inactivated genes encoding for these enzymes will be constructed to investigate their role in the survival of the organism.Read moreRead less