Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100001
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,475.00
Summary
Pushing the limits of fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics. This project aims to establish an adaptive optics, super-resolution optical microscopy facility to image cellular events with the highest possible spatial resolution, in a whole cell or tissue context. Sophisticated computer-controlled deformable mirrors will be used to correct the way light is distorted as it passes through specimens, thereby overcoming aberrations found in thick and complex samples. This adaptive optics system ....Pushing the limits of fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics. This project aims to establish an adaptive optics, super-resolution optical microscopy facility to image cellular events with the highest possible spatial resolution, in a whole cell or tissue context. Sophisticated computer-controlled deformable mirrors will be used to correct the way light is distorted as it passes through specimens, thereby overcoming aberrations found in thick and complex samples. This adaptive optics system will enable researchers to study complex behaviour of biological specimens, at the optical resolution limit in plant and animal tissues, leading to basic biology and biotechnology outcomes in biofuels, biomaterials and biomedicines.Read moreRead less
Proteome Analysis of Plant Response Pathways to Microbial Signals in the Model Legume, Medicago truncatula. This project will investigate plant responses to soil microbes in the model legume, Medicago truncatula, to provide fundamental information needed to design crops with improved abilities to interact beneficially with soil microbes. Plant development and performance are significantly influenced by soil microbes, but it is largely unknown how the information contained in microbial signalling ....Proteome Analysis of Plant Response Pathways to Microbial Signals in the Model Legume, Medicago truncatula. This project will investigate plant responses to soil microbes in the model legume, Medicago truncatula, to provide fundamental information needed to design crops with improved abilities to interact beneficially with soil microbes. Plant development and performance are significantly influenced by soil microbes, but it is largely unknown how the information contained in microbial signalling molecules is relayed to plants. Proteome analysis and immunocytochemistry will be combined to identify and localise differentially expressed proteins in roots treated with specific microbial signal molecules. Annotated Proteome databases will be generated to strengthen and complement an international project on M. truncatula genome analysis.Read moreRead less
Identifying components of a novel imprinting mechanism that regulates seed size in plants. Australia is a major exporter of agricultural food crops thus producers must maintain their competitive advantage in order to compete on the world stage. This project will study a fundamental biological process of seed development as seeds are a major food staple and an important export product for Australian farmers.
Developmental functions of oxygen and redox cues in plants. This project aims to transform our understanding of the regulation of meristem functions, with a central hypothesis that plant cell quiescence (repressed cell division) is governed by oxygen and oxidation/reduction (redox)-dependent cues. Meristems are the growing tips of plants, and thus the fundamental unit of plant growth and productivity. This project will develop new knowledge of how plants integrate changes in the environment to r ....Developmental functions of oxygen and redox cues in plants. This project aims to transform our understanding of the regulation of meristem functions, with a central hypothesis that plant cell quiescence (repressed cell division) is governed by oxygen and oxidation/reduction (redox)-dependent cues. Meristems are the growing tips of plants, and thus the fundamental unit of plant growth and productivity. This project will develop new knowledge of how plants integrate changes in the environment to regulate meristem activity. This project will define new paradigms of how oxygen and redox status interact with energy and other cues to regulate decisions to grow or quiesce. This will underpin the development of new strategies to optimise crop management and productivity, improve the efficiency of inputs, and reduce the risk of decision making in crop production.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the role of microRNAs during pathogen attack: new concepts for disease resistance in plants. Small non-coding RNAs called ‘microRNAs’ regulate diverse pathways in plants including plant defence against pathogens. This project will investigate the roles of plant microRNAs in response to four economically important viruses and compare these to a bacterial and a fungal pathogen. The aim is to dissect the underlying molecular mechanism of microRNA-based gene regulation during pathogen in ....Deciphering the role of microRNAs during pathogen attack: new concepts for disease resistance in plants. Small non-coding RNAs called ‘microRNAs’ regulate diverse pathways in plants including plant defence against pathogens. This project will investigate the roles of plant microRNAs in response to four economically important viruses and compare these to a bacterial and a fungal pathogen. The aim is to dissect the underlying molecular mechanism of microRNA-based gene regulation during pathogen infection and specifically identify common microRNAs which have evident impact during virus attack. This study is crucial due to its focus on virus diseases that cause severe damage to many crop plants; a global issue with strong implications for food security. This project is expected to provide basic new concepts for disease resistance in plants.Read moreRead less
Plant Transfer Cells - Discovering the Mechanisms of Wall Ingrowth Formation. This project seeks fundamental molecular understanding of how specialized plant cells that are designed for optimum transport of nutrients develop. So-called "transfer cells" are important for efficient nutrient transport and distribution in many crop species of significance to agriculture. Discovering the mechanisms that coordinate development of these specialized cells will maintain Australia's international reputat ....Plant Transfer Cells - Discovering the Mechanisms of Wall Ingrowth Formation. This project seeks fundamental molecular understanding of how specialized plant cells that are designed for optimum transport of nutrients develop. So-called "transfer cells" are important for efficient nutrient transport and distribution in many crop species of significance to agriculture. Discovering the mechanisms that coordinate development of these specialized cells will maintain Australia's international reputation in this field of research, as well as provide technological opportunities to enhance crop yields by manipulating the efficiency of nutrient distribution in crop species. Read moreRead less
Induction of Plant Transfer Cells - Discovering Regulatory Networks. This project seeks molecular understanding of regulatory mechanisms responsible for inducing formation of specialized plant cells that are of central importance in controlling nutrient transport. These so-called "transfer cells" play pivotal roles in determining crop nutrition and hence yield under normal and stressful environments such as soil nutrient deficiencies and salinity. Discovering regulatory mechanisms that control f ....Induction of Plant Transfer Cells - Discovering Regulatory Networks. This project seeks molecular understanding of regulatory mechanisms responsible for inducing formation of specialized plant cells that are of central importance in controlling nutrient transport. These so-called "transfer cells" play pivotal roles in determining crop nutrition and hence yield under normal and stressful environments such as soil nutrient deficiencies and salinity. Discovering regulatory mechanisms that control formation of these specialized cells will maintain Australia's international reputation in this field of research. In addition, the information platform generated may provide technological opportunities to optimise nutrient flows in healthy plants, combat certain environmental stresses and control pathogen attack.
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Integrated genetic regulation of photomorphogenesis in Pisum. This project will use a molecular genetic approach in garden pea to investigate the roles of photoreceptors that mediate developmental responses to light. It will define gene families encoding phytochrome, cryptochrome and phototropin photoreceptors, characterise photoreceptor gene expression, and identify mutants with impaired response to light. The mutants will be used in molecular, physiological and biochemical studies to examine h ....Integrated genetic regulation of photomorphogenesis in Pisum. This project will use a molecular genetic approach in garden pea to investigate the roles of photoreceptors that mediate developmental responses to light. It will define gene families encoding phytochrome, cryptochrome and phototropin photoreceptors, characterise photoreceptor gene expression, and identify mutants with impaired response to light. The mutants will be used in molecular, physiological and biochemical studies to examine how photoreceptors control and co-ordinate development throughout the plant via effects on plant hormone synthesis and response. Results from the project will be of practical importance in manipulating key aspects of plant growth to better suit particular environmental and agronomic objectives.Read moreRead less
Molecular pathways controlling light-regulated development in legumes. Legumes are widely grown as forage and grain crops and make a substantial contribution to the Australian economy. Light is an important determinant of plant architecture and productivity and we need to know more about how development is regulated by light in this important plant group. The natural light environment faced by plants is complex and varies with crop density, season and time of day. Understanding the interaction o ....Molecular pathways controlling light-regulated development in legumes. Legumes are widely grown as forage and grain crops and make a substantial contribution to the Australian economy. Light is an important determinant of plant architecture and productivity and we need to know more about how development is regulated by light in this important plant group. The natural light environment faced by plants is complex and varies with crop density, season and time of day. Understanding the interaction of photoreceptors and plant hormones in the control of growth is vital for manipulating crops to meet changing agronomic requirements. Training of students in state-of-the art techniques and the generation of new germplasm for use by other researchers and plant breeders will be other significant outcomes of the project.Read moreRead less
The role of plant hormones in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. The vast majority of plant species can form a beneficial symbiosis with specialised soil fungi, an association that can enhance the uptake of nutrients from the soil, improve tolerance to drought and disease and minimise soil erosion. An understanding of how plants establish and regulate this important symbiosis has the potential to contribute to the development of productive and sustainable farming systems by making efficient use o ....The role of plant hormones in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. The vast majority of plant species can form a beneficial symbiosis with specialised soil fungi, an association that can enhance the uptake of nutrients from the soil, improve tolerance to drought and disease and minimise soil erosion. An understanding of how plants establish and regulate this important symbiosis has the potential to contribute to the development of productive and sustainable farming systems by making efficient use of the limited water resources, reducing soil erosion, reducing reliance on pesticides and fertilisers and producing more nutritious fruits, vegetables and grains.Read moreRead less