The toxins of water-borne cyanobacteria: regulation and exploitation of their biosynthesis. Water quality is a major concern in Australia, as is the global need for new natural products with antibiotic activity. The mechanisms by which cyanobacteria produce toxins that reduce the quality of water may very well be the answer to the lack of novel medicinal compounds currently being discovered in nature. Encompassed in this one program are the aims of ameliorating the effects of toxic algal blooms ....The toxins of water-borne cyanobacteria: regulation and exploitation of their biosynthesis. Water quality is a major concern in Australia, as is the global need for new natural products with antibiotic activity. The mechanisms by which cyanobacteria produce toxins that reduce the quality of water may very well be the answer to the lack of novel medicinal compounds currently being discovered in nature. Encompassed in this one program are the aims of ameliorating the effects of toxic algal blooms as well as introducing the means for the design and synthesis of a range of novel bioactive products. The benefits include better water quality and biosafety management options, a new generation of drug design and discovery, and the associated transformation of environmental and medical research and education in Australia.Read moreRead less
Small RNAs: what makes a plant, a plant. Understanding the roles of small RNAs and their pathways is a young field of research that is giving, and will continue to give, profound insights into how multicellular organisms regulate gene expression at a genomic level. Research in this area has already led to RNA interference technology, by which almost any gene can be switched off, and there is considerable potential for other gene silencing and trait modification technologies to emerge. The projec ....Small RNAs: what makes a plant, a plant. Understanding the roles of small RNAs and their pathways is a young field of research that is giving, and will continue to give, profound insights into how multicellular organisms regulate gene expression at a genomic level. Research in this area has already led to RNA interference technology, by which almost any gene can be switched off, and there is considerable potential for other gene silencing and trait modification technologies to emerge. The project will yield insights into fundamental biological processes which are expected to engender applications in agriculture and biotechnology. It will maintain and enhance Australia's position in this area.Read moreRead less