Structural And Functional Analysis Of A Cancer-linked Co-regulator Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,571.00
Summary
We seek to understand the mechanisms by which genes are switched on and off throughout our lifetime. A number of multi-component protein machines are involved in this process but their make-up and mechanism of action is not understood. We will investigate the structure and function of one of these machines that has been strongly linked to cancer.
Organophosphate pesticide degradation: evolved enzymes and biomimetics for bioremediation and medicine. Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are an indispensable part of modern agriculture - their use results in dramatically increased crop yields. However, they are toxic and can damage the environment and cause significant health problems. Enzymes are currently being used to treat runoff water that is contaminated with OPs. The same enzymes also have the potential to aid in the treatment of OP poison ....Organophosphate pesticide degradation: evolved enzymes and biomimetics for bioremediation and medicine. Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are an indispensable part of modern agriculture - their use results in dramatically increased crop yields. However, they are toxic and can damage the environment and cause significant health problems. Enzymes are currently being used to treat runoff water that is contaminated with OPs. The same enzymes also have the potential to aid in the treatment of OP poisoning. However, OP degrading enzymes could be improved in many ways - we will evolve these enzymes to enhance their catalytic properties - to enable them to act more efficiently on an increased number of OPs. Read moreRead less
Directed evolution of enzymes for bioremediation: structure function studies of bimetalloenzymes. We will evolve enzymes that degrade organophosphate pesticides (OPs) that are used in Australian agriculture. Although these OPs were designed to kill insects they are closely related to chemical warfare agents and are known to be toxic to humans. Bacteria have acquired a number of enzymes that degrade some OPs. One such enzyme has been used in field trials demonstrating its potential to degrade OP ....Directed evolution of enzymes for bioremediation: structure function studies of bimetalloenzymes. We will evolve enzymes that degrade organophosphate pesticides (OPs) that are used in Australian agriculture. Although these OPs were designed to kill insects they are closely related to chemical warfare agents and are known to be toxic to humans. Bacteria have acquired a number of enzymes that degrade some OPs. One such enzyme has been used in field trials demonstrating its potential to degrade OP residues. However, many pesticides are not removed rapidly and OP-degrading enzymes require modification(s) if they are to be useful environmental reagents - this can be achieved with directed evolution. Read moreRead less
Nano-reactors: Protein cages as reusable scaffolds for designer enzymes. This project aims to develop robust protein cages derived from the coats of viruses to contain heat-stable P450 enzymes, for use as specialised protein bio-catalysts in chemical industries. A valuable chemical precursor of renewable bio-plastics will be produced from seed oils by enzymes, reducing the use of fossil fuels. This synthetic biology approach combines biotechnology, nanotechnology and protein engineering to estab ....Nano-reactors: Protein cages as reusable scaffolds for designer enzymes. This project aims to develop robust protein cages derived from the coats of viruses to contain heat-stable P450 enzymes, for use as specialised protein bio-catalysts in chemical industries. A valuable chemical precursor of renewable bio-plastics will be produced from seed oils by enzymes, reducing the use of fossil fuels. This synthetic biology approach combines biotechnology, nanotechnology and protein engineering to establish a plant-based platform biotechnology for using enzymes as catalysts to make high-value molecules. The project aims to show how to engineer clean, sustainable chemistry in designer nano-environments. This should make synthetic processes more sustainable and enhance advanced chemical manufacturing in Australia.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology. ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology. The ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology aims to develop paradigm-shifting quantum technologies to observe biological processes and transform our understanding of life. It seeks to create technologies that go far beyond what is possible today, from portable brain imagers to super-fast single protein sensors, and to use them to unravel key problems including how enzymes catalyse reac ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology. ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology. The ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology aims to develop paradigm-shifting quantum technologies to observe biological processes and transform our understanding of life. It seeks to create technologies that go far beyond what is possible today, from portable brain imagers to super-fast single protein sensors, and to use them to unravel key problems including how enzymes catalyse reactions and how higher brain function emerges from networks of neurons. By building a diverse, multidisciplinary, and industry-engaged ecosystem, the Centre means to develop our future leaders at the interface of quantum science and biology and drive Australian innovation across manufacturing, energy, agriculture, health, and national security.Read moreRead less
Harnessing the potential of metals in biocatalysis. The project aims to use an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to study the properties of a group of related but functionally diverse enzymes; binuclear metallohydrolases (BMHs). These enzymes are of great relevance to protein engineers aiming to produce potent agents for bioremediation and pharmacologists interested in developing drugs. Elucidating and modulating the mode of action of BMHs is thus our main objective and should provide esse ....Harnessing the potential of metals in biocatalysis. The project aims to use an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to study the properties of a group of related but functionally diverse enzymes; binuclear metallohydrolases (BMHs). These enzymes are of great relevance to protein engineers aiming to produce potent agents for bioremediation and pharmacologists interested in developing drugs. Elucidating and modulating the mode of action of BMHs is thus our main objective and should provide essential information to fully exploit the potential of these enzymes for practical applications. In particular, understanding how metal ions interact with BMHs and how this contributes to their reactivity is crucial to optimally understand their biotechnological potential.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0454052
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$733,595.00
Summary
Tandem Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer and Robots for High Throughput Proteomics Analysis. This proposal seeks to establish the capacity to perform high-energy tandem mass spectrometry on a high throughput basis, through purchase and coordinated operation of a Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation - Time of Flight / Time of Flight - Mass Spectrometer and ancillary equipment, to enhance the proteomics expertise, infrastructure and research plans ....Tandem Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer and Robots for High Throughput Proteomics Analysis. This proposal seeks to establish the capacity to perform high-energy tandem mass spectrometry on a high throughput basis, through purchase and coordinated operation of a Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation - Time of Flight / Time of Flight - Mass Spectrometer and ancillary equipment, to enhance the proteomics expertise, infrastructure and research plans of a network of institutions from Queensland and New South Wales and their collaborators. Access to such instrumentation is critical to high level achievement in proteomics, a key platform technology for National Research Priorities relating to Frontier Technologies. No comparable instrument currently exists in Australia.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100157
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Confocal and single molecule microscopes for systems microscopy. This project aims to establish Australia’s first system microscopy facility with dedicated live-cell confocal and single-molecule fluorescence microscopes. In systems microscopy, the imaging workflow is automated so that large and unbiased data sets of the spatiotemporal organisation of molecules and cells can be generated. Combined with statistical and bioinformatics analyses, image-derived data provides system-wide information th ....Confocal and single molecule microscopes for systems microscopy. This project aims to establish Australia’s first system microscopy facility with dedicated live-cell confocal and single-molecule fluorescence microscopes. In systems microscopy, the imaging workflow is automated so that large and unbiased data sets of the spatiotemporal organisation of molecules and cells can be generated. Combined with statistical and bioinformatics analyses, image-derived data provides system-wide information that is not easily obtainable with other approaches. The project will enable Australian researchers to image and analyse the full complexity of biological systems, potentially transforming cell biology, drug development and understanding the molecular basis of disease. It will also demonstrate how the capacity of microscopy facilities can be enhanced and bias in imaging data reduced by automating data acquisition and mining of image-based data.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development. The Centre will create a multidisciplinary research team focusing on the molecular mechanisms that drive the specification and differentiation of male germ cells. This research will improve our fundamental understanding of how complex regulatory networks control the expression of a complex phenotype, the spermatozoon. It will also create a platform of knowledge from which we can stimulate the growth of the Australian Biotechnology indust ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development. The Centre will create a multidisciplinary research team focusing on the molecular mechanisms that drive the specification and differentiation of male germ cells. This research will improve our fundamental understanding of how complex regulatory networks control the expression of a complex phenotype, the spermatozoon. It will also create a platform of knowledge from which we can stimulate the growth of the Australian Biotechnology industry, the protection of the Australian Environment and the well-being of the Australian people. Key issues for this Centre include testicular cancer, male infertility, contraception, pest animal control, environmental impacts on human health and gene pharming.Read moreRead less
Imaging the world of miniature venomous arthropods. Venomous arthropods produce a myriad of biologically active peptides, with many having potential as pharmacological tools, bioinsecticides and pharmaceuticals. Most studies to date have focussed on large arthropods; smaller species remain neglected due to the difficulties of venom collection. This project seeks to further advance the pioneering imaging mass spectrometry approaches the project team developed for imaging toxins in the venom gland ....Imaging the world of miniature venomous arthropods. Venomous arthropods produce a myriad of biologically active peptides, with many having potential as pharmacological tools, bioinsecticides and pharmaceuticals. Most studies to date have focussed on large arthropods; smaller species remain neglected due to the difficulties of venom collection. This project seeks to further advance the pioneering imaging mass spectrometry approaches the project team developed for imaging toxins in the venom glands of spiders and centipedes. By combining high-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation imaging data with histological and transcriptomic information the project aims to provide the first detailed insights into the neglected world of miniature arthropod venoms. The approaches developed by this project aim to have wide application in the field of biology.Read moreRead less