Old genes learning new tricks: characterising regulatory changes driving increased heart complexity during vertebrate evolution. The heart has dramatically increased in morphological complexity during vertebrate evolution but the molecular basis driving these major changes remains unknown. Using comparative genomics approaches, this project will explore changes in the regulation of genes involved in heart formation that lead to changes in cardiac structure. It will elucidate for the first time t ....Old genes learning new tricks: characterising regulatory changes driving increased heart complexity during vertebrate evolution. The heart has dramatically increased in morphological complexity during vertebrate evolution but the molecular basis driving these major changes remains unknown. Using comparative genomics approaches, this project will explore changes in the regulation of genes involved in heart formation that lead to changes in cardiac structure. It will elucidate for the first time the cardiac regulatory repertoire in zebrafish and will compare it with that of fly and mouse using cutting-edge bioinformatics pipelines. This work will unravel cardiac-specific regulatory modifications that give rise to evolutionary changes. On a broader scale, it will shed new light on the role of regulatory innovations over gene innovations in the emergence of new traits.Read moreRead less
Developing the Dunnart as a Model Species for Marsupial Research. The project aims to develop a marsupial model capable of genome manipulations to take our understanding of marsupial biology to the next level. In doing so, the project would produce the first comprehensive transcriptome data defining early cell lineage specification in a marsupial. Combined with similar data from mouse and human, it would enable us to examine diversity in early mammals. In addition, it would identify cohorts of g ....Developing the Dunnart as a Model Species for Marsupial Research. The project aims to develop a marsupial model capable of genome manipulations to take our understanding of marsupial biology to the next level. In doing so, the project would produce the first comprehensive transcriptome data defining early cell lineage specification in a marsupial. Combined with similar data from mouse and human, it would enable us to examine diversity in early mammals. In addition, it would identify cohorts of genes with fundamental roles in differentiation of the earliest cell lineages: trophoblast, pluriblast and hypoblast. The project may identify maternally localised transcripts with a marsupial-specific role in trophoblast–pluriblast specification, giving new insights into the fundamental pathways maintaining pluripotency in mammals and the evolution of the mammalian genome.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the regulatory principles of metazoan development. This proposal aims to elucidate how regulatory elements in the genome, known as enhancers, determine the identity and function of animal tissues. Currently, it is believed that enhancers cannot be traced across evolutionarily distant animals. The project uses novel concepts, computational and molecular approaches to identify deeply conserved enhancers. It further dissects the mechanism of function by proteomics and high-throughput ge ....Deciphering the regulatory principles of metazoan development. This proposal aims to elucidate how regulatory elements in the genome, known as enhancers, determine the identity and function of animal tissues. Currently, it is believed that enhancers cannot be traced across evolutionarily distant animals. The project uses novel concepts, computational and molecular approaches to identify deeply conserved enhancers. It further dissects the mechanism of function by proteomics and high-throughput genomics. The expected outcomes will overturn our current view on enhancer evolution and reposition our understanding of how enhancers are functionally encoded in the genome. The work is an important contribution to understanding cellular complexity and species evolution with wide-ranging impact in genetics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100755
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$371,000.00
Summary
Evolution of genome architecture. The project aims to understand how changes to genome architecture over evolutionary time are linked to the diversity of animal morphology. Our genome sequence is arranged into higher order structures that enable coordinated gene expression. The appropriate expression of genes in time and space is necessary to produce the multitude of cell types that make up a multicellular organism. Yet, to date, genome topology is poorly explored, especially between species. Th ....Evolution of genome architecture. The project aims to understand how changes to genome architecture over evolutionary time are linked to the diversity of animal morphology. Our genome sequence is arranged into higher order structures that enable coordinated gene expression. The appropriate expression of genes in time and space is necessary to produce the multitude of cell types that make up a multicellular organism. Yet, to date, genome topology is poorly explored, especially between species. The project involves comparisons of the 3D structure of genomes in divergent species. These findings are expected to inform the underlying principles of gene regulation in animals and species evolution.Read moreRead less
Developing the dunnart as a marsupial model for conservation research. The Australian bushfire crisis of 2020 has taken an enormous toll on our unique wildlife. With no halt in sight to rising global temperatures, more extreme weather events are predicted to increase in frequency and severity. We simply must act now to preserve our unique native mammals in Australia and safeguard against species loss and irreversible declines in genetic diversity. This project will develop methods for the genera ....Developing the dunnart as a marsupial model for conservation research. The Australian bushfire crisis of 2020 has taken an enormous toll on our unique wildlife. With no halt in sight to rising global temperatures, more extreme weather events are predicted to increase in frequency and severity. We simply must act now to preserve our unique native mammals in Australia and safeguard against species loss and irreversible declines in genetic diversity. This project will develop methods for the generation and preservation of stem cells from a range of our most endangered and vulnerable marsupial species. These cells not only allow us to ‘bank’ species and genetic diversity but also provide a route to enabling genetic manipulation, opening up a completely new niche for conservation biology in marsupials.Read moreRead less
The genetic basis of leaf lamina establishment and growth. This study will help reveal how the development of leaves is coordinated by tissue patterning genes and the plant growth hormone auxin. All plants grow in this way, and the findings, made using a model laboratory plant, will be applicable to crop species as well.
The evolution of the alternation of generations in land plants. This project aims to investigate how a genetic system, comprised of a homeodomain protein encoding gene family controlling the haploid to diploid transition, has evolved during land plant evolution.
The project expects to generate new knowledge concerning the evolution of land plants from which our food and fibre are derived.
The intended outcomes include an elucidation of how an ancestral genetic network was elaborated during the e ....The evolution of the alternation of generations in land plants. This project aims to investigate how a genetic system, comprised of a homeodomain protein encoding gene family controlling the haploid to diploid transition, has evolved during land plant evolution.
The project expects to generate new knowledge concerning the evolution of land plants from which our food and fibre are derived.
The intended outcomes include an elucidation of how an ancestral genetic network was elaborated during the evolution of a multicelluar organism, including the retention of ancestral functions and the origins of new functions.
An anticipated benefit is the ability to manipulate the the growth and development of plants based on fundamental principles, which has broad agricultural implications.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100190
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$388,600.00
Summary
Tracing the Evolutionary History of Plant Developmental Mechanisms. Knowledge of the evolutionary history of genes involved in developmental processes provides a foundation for understanding how genetic networks were established and how their manipulation may influence plant growth and form. Genetic programs that direct growth and development in response to light will be examined functionally in Marchantia, a liverwort. Liverworts hold a key position in plant evolution as the sister group to all ....Tracing the Evolutionary History of Plant Developmental Mechanisms. Knowledge of the evolutionary history of genes involved in developmental processes provides a foundation for understanding how genetic networks were established and how their manipulation may influence plant growth and form. Genetic programs that direct growth and development in response to light will be examined functionally in Marchantia, a liverwort. Liverworts hold a key position in plant evolution as the sister group to all other land plants and possess many attributes reminiscent of the ancestral land plant. This project is expected to reveal some of the ancestral mechanisms for how light regulates plant form via the hormone auxin and could, in the future, aid the precise design of plants for diverse agricultural applications.Read moreRead less
The origin and evolution of the land plant meristem. This project aims to identify the extent of overlap between the genetic determinants of the gametophyte and sporophyte shoot meristems.
The project expects to generate new knowledge of the evolution and development of land plants by applying comparative genomics and new technologies to a novel model genetic system.
Expected outcomes include an elucidation of the genetic basis for one of the key morphological adaptations for life on land.
Th ....The origin and evolution of the land plant meristem. This project aims to identify the extent of overlap between the genetic determinants of the gametophyte and sporophyte shoot meristems.
The project expects to generate new knowledge of the evolution and development of land plants by applying comparative genomics and new technologies to a novel model genetic system.
Expected outcomes include an elucidation of the genetic basis for one of the key morphological adaptations for life on land.
The ability to manipulate the growth and development of plants via the activity of meristems based on fundamental principles has broad agricultural implications.
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Understanding the evolution of the alternation of generations in the land plant life cycle. This project will investigate the genetic basis and evolution of the land plant life cycle, in which both haploid and diploid phases consist of complex multicellular bodies. The project's findings, which will be made using two model laboratory plants, will be applicable to all plants and will help understand important processes such as pollen and seed production.