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Molecular analysis of photosynthetically-linked, active CO2 uptake and CO2 signal transduction by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) have evolved a very efficient means of capturing and concentrating CO2 for photosynthetic fixation into sugars, the basic building blocks for cell growth. This process is dependent on the operation of several unique, active uptake systems for CO2 and HCO3-, with their genetic expression regulated by CO2 supply. This proposal will cap ....Molecular analysis of photosynthetically-linked, active CO2 uptake and CO2 signal transduction by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) have evolved a very efficient means of capturing and concentrating CO2 for photosynthetic fixation into sugars, the basic building blocks for cell growth. This process is dependent on the operation of several unique, active uptake systems for CO2 and HCO3-, with their genetic expression regulated by CO2 supply. This proposal will capitalize on our progress in describing the functional genetics of this process and aims to elucidate the mechanism of active CO2 uptake and the way that cells sense the ambient CO2 concentration. The information gained is likely to be useful for designing improved crops.Read moreRead less
Combinatorial controlled gene expression delivering crops resistant to nematodes. Root-knot nematodes cause US$130 billion crop losses worldwide pa, and at least AUS$ 450 pa in Australia. Current control methods involve fumigation, chemicals (mainly carbamates and organophosphates), natural plant resistance and biological control. The fumigants (eg methyl bromide) are being phased out because they damage the ozone layer, most of the non-fumigants are being banned because of environmental damag ....Combinatorial controlled gene expression delivering crops resistant to nematodes. Root-knot nematodes cause US$130 billion crop losses worldwide pa, and at least AUS$ 450 pa in Australia. Current control methods involve fumigation, chemicals (mainly carbamates and organophosphates), natural plant resistance and biological control. The fumigants (eg methyl bromide) are being phased out because they damage the ozone layer, most of the non-fumigants are being banned because of environmental damage and persistence in groundwater, and biological control has had limited success. These problems are addressed in this project with development of synthetic plant resistance to nematodes, which will benefit horticultural and broadacre farming by reducing pathogen losses and improving quality.Read moreRead less
The link between environmental stress and disease onset in prawn aquaculture. The federal government has set a target for prawn aquaculture production to increase fourfold by 2010. A major barrier is disease: losses of 20% of production to viral diseases are not uncommon. To be internationally competitive, Australia needs to develop high health production systems. Most prawn stock carry chronic viral infections, but only exhibit disease symptoms following environmental stress. This project will ....The link between environmental stress and disease onset in prawn aquaculture. The federal government has set a target for prawn aquaculture production to increase fourfold by 2010. A major barrier is disease: losses of 20% of production to viral diseases are not uncommon. To be internationally competitive, Australia needs to develop high health production systems. Most prawn stock carry chronic viral infections, but only exhibit disease symptoms following environmental stress. This project will identify environmental stressors that activate viral disease in Penaeus monodon. Outcomes will be incorporated into on-farm managerial regimes to minimize risk of crop loss to disease. Development of biomarkers as indicators of stress related risks may be commercialized.Read moreRead less
PKC-zeta-dependent Sp1 Phosphorylation: Regulatory Insights using Novel Phospho-Specific Sp1 Antibodies and Peptide Decoys. This project will demonstrate the value of novel phospho-specific Sp1 antibodies and phospho-Sp1 peptide decoys as new molecular tools to provide invaluable insights into the regulatory roles of phosphorylated Sp1 in the control of gene expression, an area poorly defined at the present time. These agents will be used to increase our fundamental understanding of Sp1 activity ....PKC-zeta-dependent Sp1 Phosphorylation: Regulatory Insights using Novel Phospho-Specific Sp1 Antibodies and Peptide Decoys. This project will demonstrate the value of novel phospho-specific Sp1 antibodies and phospho-Sp1 peptide decoys as new molecular tools to provide invaluable insights into the regulatory roles of phosphorylated Sp1 in the control of gene expression, an area poorly defined at the present time. These agents will be used to increase our fundamental understanding of Sp1 activity by identifying physiologic agonists of the PKC-zeta-phospho-Sp1 axis and FasL-dependent apoptosis, interactions of phospho-Sp1 with the authentic FasL promoter and its recruitment of collaborative factors. The commercial exploitation of phospho-specific Sp1 antibodies and phospho-Sp1 peptide decoys will generate economic returns to Australia.Read moreRead less
PKC-zeta-dependent Sp1 phosphorylation: Identification of phosphorylated amino acids, demonstration of functional significance, generation and use of novel phospho-specific Sp1 antibodies. Sp1 is a widely expressed transcription factor that controls the basal expression of virtually every mammalian gene, including that of PDGF-B. We recently reported that PDGF-B expression atypical protein kinase C-zeta phosphorylation of Sp1. Building on these seminal findings, this project will first, delinea ....PKC-zeta-dependent Sp1 phosphorylation: Identification of phosphorylated amino acids, demonstration of functional significance, generation and use of novel phospho-specific Sp1 antibodies. Sp1 is a widely expressed transcription factor that controls the basal expression of virtually every mammalian gene, including that of PDGF-B. We recently reported that PDGF-B expression atypical protein kinase C-zeta phosphorylation of Sp1. Building on these seminal findings, this project will first, delineate the specific amino acid residues in the zinc finger region of Sp1 phosphorylated by PKC-zeta; second, demonstrate the functional importance of these site-specific modifications in the PKC-zeta-Sp1-PDGF-B system and the expression of other genes, and third, generate and use novel antibodies uniquely recognising phosphorylated Sp1 as molecular and diagnostic agents.Read moreRead less
Expression and characterisation of nutrient transporters from the intracellular malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. The malaria parasite invades the red blood cells of its host and this provides it with a safe haven in which to grow and replicate. Within the red blood cell, the parasite takes up nutrients and excretes metabolic wastes via specialised membrane transport proteins which are, as yet, very poorly understood. The sequencing of the malaria parasite genome has enabled us to ident ....Expression and characterisation of nutrient transporters from the intracellular malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. The malaria parasite invades the red blood cells of its host and this provides it with a safe haven in which to grow and replicate. Within the red blood cell, the parasite takes up nutrients and excretes metabolic wastes via specialised membrane transport proteins which are, as yet, very poorly understood. The sequencing of the malaria parasite genome has enabled us to identify candidates for a wide variety of these proteins. The aim of this project is to establish systems in which the functional properties of these transporter proteins may be characterised in detail.Read moreRead less
Biochemical, Genomic and Phenomic Analysis of Gastric Parietal Cells from Wildtype and Mutant Mice. The interface between the cell and its environment is the cell membrane. Signals, nutrients, and ions all have to cross this barrier. In addition, the cells contain many specialized intracellular membranous compartments. We know little about the signals that direct the synthesis of these structures and determine their final composition and shape. This grant will utilize acid secretory cells in the ....Biochemical, Genomic and Phenomic Analysis of Gastric Parietal Cells from Wildtype and Mutant Mice. The interface between the cell and its environment is the cell membrane. Signals, nutrients, and ions all have to cross this barrier. In addition, the cells contain many specialized intracellular membranous compartments. We know little about the signals that direct the synthesis of these structures and determine their final composition and shape. This grant will utilize acid secretory cells in the stomach to examine these questions because they contain a very extensive membrane system. We will use a state-of-the-art genetic and cell biological technologies to manipulate and analyse these cells in a whole animal setting.Read moreRead less
Genetic and Hormonal Regulation of Plant Growth. Leguminous plants make a substantial contribution to the Australian economy. To ensure future growth, we need to know more about how legume development is regulated. Genetic mutants, typically affecting the growth-promoting gibberellin plant hormones, played a key role in the green revolution, which transformed agriculture world-wide. Recent results show that gibberellin acts in concert with another hormone, auxin. We will generate new auxin-relat ....Genetic and Hormonal Regulation of Plant Growth. Leguminous plants make a substantial contribution to the Australian economy. To ensure future growth, we need to know more about how legume development is regulated. Genetic mutants, typically affecting the growth-promoting gibberellin plant hormones, played a key role in the green revolution, which transformed agriculture world-wide. Recent results show that gibberellin acts in concert with another hormone, auxin. We will generate new auxin-related mutants that will help us to understand how auxin and auxin-mediated interactions affect crop architecture and performance. Further benefit will accrue from training of students in state-of-the-art techniques, and the generation of new germplasm for use by other researchers and plant breeders. Read moreRead less
Genetic and Hormonal Interactions Controlling Shoot Growth. This project will determine how plant growth is regulated at the genetic, biochemical, and physiological levels, and how plant hormones provide key links between the genotype and overall phenotype (phenome). The work uses peas as a model because of the wealth of mutants available and the suitability of the species for physiological and biochemical studies. Our results will allow comparison of development in the caulescent pea plant wi ....Genetic and Hormonal Interactions Controlling Shoot Growth. This project will determine how plant growth is regulated at the genetic, biochemical, and physiological levels, and how plant hormones provide key links between the genotype and overall phenotype (phenome). The work uses peas as a model because of the wealth of mutants available and the suitability of the species for physiological and biochemical studies. Our results will allow comparison of development in the caulescent pea plant with other model species with different growth habits, such as Arabidopsis. The project is significant because it will enable shoot growth to be modified either genetically or chemically to meet particular agronomic objectives.Read moreRead less
Development and regulation of thermogenesis in thermoregulating flowers. Flowers of certain primitive plants produce enough heat to raise their temperatures up to 40 C above the air, and regulate it at a nearly constant level. Like warm-blooded mammals, the flowers increase heat production as environmental temperature falls. However, they thermoregulate on a cellular level, unlike mammals with their complex nervous system. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms involved in regulation of heat-prod ....Development and regulation of thermogenesis in thermoregulating flowers. Flowers of certain primitive plants produce enough heat to raise their temperatures up to 40 C above the air, and regulate it at a nearly constant level. Like warm-blooded mammals, the flowers increase heat production as environmental temperature falls. However, they thermoregulate on a cellular level, unlike mammals with their complex nervous system. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms involved in regulation of heat-production, with molecular, biochemical and stable isotope techniques. We will investigate spatial and temporal patterns of gene expression and activity of putative regulatory enzymes. The results will have implications for human physiology and agriculture.Read moreRead less