Monotreme immune system provides insights into their evolutionary relationships. Genes of immunological importance will be cloned and characterised from the short-beaked echidna with the purpose of investigating the immune system in monotremes, gaining insights into the timing and order of evolutionary separation of the three extant mammalian groups:- the Prototherians (monotremes), the Metatherians (marsupials) and Eutherians (placentals), increasing understanding of the evolution of the verteb ....Monotreme immune system provides insights into their evolutionary relationships. Genes of immunological importance will be cloned and characterised from the short-beaked echidna with the purpose of investigating the immune system in monotremes, gaining insights into the timing and order of evolutionary separation of the three extant mammalian groups:- the Prototherians (monotremes), the Metatherians (marsupials) and Eutherians (placentals), increasing understanding of the evolution of the vertebrate immune system and providing the basis for making immunological reagents which are necessary for studying monotreme diseases (as a precautionary conservation strategy).Read moreRead less
Control of transcription by the cardiac homeodomain protein Nkx2-5. The transcriptional regulatory protein Nkx2-5, a member of the homeodomain superfamily, is essential for heart development and mutations in the human gene cause congenital heart disease. We seek to define the molecular mechanisms that regulate the transcriptional activity of Nkx2-5. We have previously identified a transcriptional activation domain in the C-terminal region that is bipartite in nature and conserved among Nkx2-5 ....Control of transcription by the cardiac homeodomain protein Nkx2-5. The transcriptional regulatory protein Nkx2-5, a member of the homeodomain superfamily, is essential for heart development and mutations in the human gene cause congenital heart disease. We seek to define the molecular mechanisms that regulate the transcriptional activity of Nkx2-5. We have previously identified a transcriptional activation domain in the C-terminal region that is bipartite in nature and conserved among Nkx2-5 proteins from diverse species. We will characterise the consequences of mutations in this domain in mouse models and search for interacting proteins. Results will advance our understanding of gene regulation in the context of heart disease.Read moreRead less
Design of dynamic visual signals. Models of the design of visual signals depend heavily upon analyses of static ornaments. Nothing is known about dynamic visual signals. We will use an array of new techniques to tackle this problem for the first time. Motion analyses will define the task faced by the visual system. Sensory limitations will be measured to identify constraints on signal evolution. Digital video playback studies will assess recognition and explain aspects of signal design. Results ....Design of dynamic visual signals. Models of the design of visual signals depend heavily upon analyses of static ornaments. Nothing is known about dynamic visual signals. We will use an array of new techniques to tackle this problem for the first time. Motion analyses will define the task faced by the visual system. Sensory limitations will be measured to identify constraints on signal evolution. Digital video playback studies will assess recognition and explain aspects of signal design. Results will test the generality of principles that have been developed in studies of female mate choice and extend these ideas to address intra-sexual selection operating through opponent assessment.Read moreRead less
Role of the proteasome in eradication of misfolded proteins in fungal cell factories. Filamentous fungi contribute to the well being of modern society as surrogate hosts for the synthesis of vaccines, hormones and enzymes for their application to health, agriculture, industry and the environment. However, attempts to express foreign proteins to the full potential of a given system have been disappointing. It is vital to understand unexplored molecular and physiological factors such as protein ....Role of the proteasome in eradication of misfolded proteins in fungal cell factories. Filamentous fungi contribute to the well being of modern society as surrogate hosts for the synthesis of vaccines, hormones and enzymes for their application to health, agriculture, industry and the environment. However, attempts to express foreign proteins to the full potential of a given system have been disappointing. It is vital to understand unexplored molecular and physiological factors such as protein quality control in the cell to take advantage of the global opportunities that recombinant gene expression indisputably offers in the form of unrestricted supply of proteins of social and economic value. The project will create novel IP and licensing opportunities for Australia.Read moreRead less
Discovery of novel microRNA biogenesis and functional components. Discovery of novel microRNA components will provide new strategies for confronting a diverse array of challenges Australia faces, such as the increasing rates of certain cancers in our population, to stresses on our crop plants faced with environmental changes. The biological mechanisms underlying these disparate problems are unified by microRNA involvement in many instances. By finding microRNA controlling factors common to all h ....Discovery of novel microRNA biogenesis and functional components. Discovery of novel microRNA components will provide new strategies for confronting a diverse array of challenges Australia faces, such as the increasing rates of certain cancers in our population, to stresses on our crop plants faced with environmental changes. The biological mechanisms underlying these disparate problems are unified by microRNA involvement in many instances. By finding microRNA controlling factors common to all higher organisms, we expect our community will benefit from the increased knowledge base that will help our researchers adopt new strategies in fighting diseases and improving our agricultural industry.Read moreRead less
Characterization of the tammar wallaby MHC. We will be able to determine the immunological fitness of marsupial populations which will help us to conserve our native fauna and protect our eco-tourism industry.
We will work in the international arena of large scale genomics and bring new technologies to Australia.
Sodium homeostasis and the molecular basis for neurotoxin production by bacteria and algae. An understanding of the physiology of saxitoxin-producing microorgansims in response to salt stress is critical for the prevention of toxic blooms and for risk assessment of contaminated water bodies. This is nowhere more relevant than in the depleted and increasingly saline water resources of inland Australia. This project will develop genetic tests to assay for saxitoxin-producers and to monitor toxin p ....Sodium homeostasis and the molecular basis for neurotoxin production by bacteria and algae. An understanding of the physiology of saxitoxin-producing microorgansims in response to salt stress is critical for the prevention of toxic blooms and for risk assessment of contaminated water bodies. This is nowhere more relevant than in the depleted and increasingly saline water resources of inland Australia. This project will develop genetic tests to assay for saxitoxin-producers and to monitor toxin production in response to the environment, representing an easier, more economic and ethical alternative to current tests. The market for this type of predictive test includes environmental, anti-bioterrorism and fishery organisations. These genes will also allow the bioengineering of novel therapeutic drugs based on neuroactive alkaloids.Read moreRead less
Synthesis and assembly of bacterial repeat unit polysaccharides. Bacteria make an enormous range of surface polysaccharides. The complexity was first appreciated as antigenic diversity, but we now have hundreds of chemical structures and perhaps a hundred sequences of their gene clusters, but the number in nature must be many thousands. Our knowledge of gene function is growing but is not keeping up with the discovery of new sequences and structures. The aim is to determine structure and functio ....Synthesis and assembly of bacterial repeat unit polysaccharides. Bacteria make an enormous range of surface polysaccharides. The complexity was first appreciated as antigenic diversity, but we now have hundreds of chemical structures and perhaps a hundred sequences of their gene clusters, but the number in nature must be many thousands. Our knowledge of gene function is growing but is not keeping up with the discovery of new sequences and structures. The aim is to determine structure and function of key O antigen processing genes and the functions of a range of glycosyl transferases, and to use the information to generate novel gene clusters to synthesise novel polysaccharidesRead moreRead less
Elucidation of bacterial glycosylytransferase specificity. The benefits are involvement in the growth area of polysaccharide research, with potential for major industrial spin off. Polysaccharides are critical in all organisms as signalling, structural and storage compounds. Bacteria make a wide variety with extensive use of unusual sugars, some with uses from oil emulsifiers to food thickeners. The project is on the enzymes that assemble bacterial polysaccharides. We are world leaders in genet ....Elucidation of bacterial glycosylytransferase specificity. The benefits are involvement in the growth area of polysaccharide research, with potential for major industrial spin off. Polysaccharides are critical in all organisms as signalling, structural and storage compounds. Bacteria make a wide variety with extensive use of unusual sugars, some with uses from oil emulsifiers to food thickeners. The project is on the enzymes that assemble bacterial polysaccharides. We are world leaders in genetics of the gene clusters especially synthesis of the unusual sugars. We now aim to fill a major gap by determining which enzymes make which bonds, leading to options for new gene combinations and novel structures. We have a lead in research in this area and Australia gains if we maintain that lead.Read moreRead less
Bacterial innovation and evolution: Molecular prospecting by targeting integrons and gene cassettes. Bacteria can respond rapidly to environmental change by acquiring new genes via lateral gene transfer. A DNA element called the integron can capture, mobilise and express genes, thereby playing a role in the transfer process. We have discovered that integrons are surprisingly abundant in the environment and are associated with a hitherto unsuspected diversity of novel genes. In this study we will ....Bacterial innovation and evolution: Molecular prospecting by targeting integrons and gene cassettes. Bacteria can respond rapidly to environmental change by acquiring new genes via lateral gene transfer. A DNA element called the integron can capture, mobilise and express genes, thereby playing a role in the transfer process. We have discovered that integrons are surprisingly abundant in the environment and are associated with a hitherto unsuspected diversity of novel genes. In this study we will assess the diversity of environmental integrons and examine their contribution to bacterial evolution. Further, we aim to use integron systems to prospect for novel genes and contract new enzyme pathways by directed evolution.
Read moreRead less