Reducing skeletal malformations in cultured marine fish using gene expression, improved nutrition and advanced system operation. Reducing malformations in farmed fish will benefit the Australian economy and society by providing greater quantities of cheaper, higher quality fish. Increased farmed fish production, currently worth ~$300 million p.a., will increase exports and decrease imports (currently ~50% of all Australian consumed fish). To benefit are the important regional farming operations ....Reducing skeletal malformations in cultured marine fish using gene expression, improved nutrition and advanced system operation. Reducing malformations in farmed fish will benefit the Australian economy and society by providing greater quantities of cheaper, higher quality fish. Increased farmed fish production, currently worth ~$300 million p.a., will increase exports and decrease imports (currently ~50% of all Australian consumed fish). To benefit are the important regional farming operations in QLD, NSW, SA, NT, TAS and WA. In particular, the largest industry in Tasmania will profit by having a viable new species to farm (striped trumpeter) reducing risk due to climate change and global oversupply of salmon. Another important benefactor will be the rapidly expanding yellowtail kingfish industry. Read moreRead less
Genetic and Hormonal Regulation of Plant Growth. Leguminous plants make a substantial contribution to the Australian economy. To ensure future growth, we need to know more about how legume development is regulated. Genetic mutants, typically affecting the growth-promoting gibberellin plant hormones, played a key role in the green revolution, which transformed agriculture world-wide. Recent results show that gibberellin acts in concert with another hormone, auxin. We will generate new auxin-relat ....Genetic and Hormonal Regulation of Plant Growth. Leguminous plants make a substantial contribution to the Australian economy. To ensure future growth, we need to know more about how legume development is regulated. Genetic mutants, typically affecting the growth-promoting gibberellin plant hormones, played a key role in the green revolution, which transformed agriculture world-wide. Recent results show that gibberellin acts in concert with another hormone, auxin. We will generate new auxin-related mutants that will help us to understand how auxin and auxin-mediated interactions affect crop architecture and performance. Further benefit will accrue from training of students in state-of-the-art techniques, and the generation of new germplasm for use by other researchers and plant breeders. Read moreRead less
The role of neurohormones in the regulation of appetite and successful sea water transfer in farmed Atlantic salmon. Cultured Atlantic salmon spend the first part of their life in freshwater and then following a physiological adaption phase called smoltification, the fish (now termed smolts) are transferred to sea cages for growout. A proportion of smolts fail to thrive after transfer, show slow or no growth and usually die some months later. This project will investigate the role that the neuro ....The role of neurohormones in the regulation of appetite and successful sea water transfer in farmed Atlantic salmon. Cultured Atlantic salmon spend the first part of their life in freshwater and then following a physiological adaption phase called smoltification, the fish (now termed smolts) are transferred to sea cages for growout. A proportion of smolts fail to thrive after transfer, show slow or no growth and usually die some months later. This project will investigate the role that the neurohomones that control both appetite and physiological stress in fish have in stimulating the resumption of feeding after sea water transfer.The basic knowledge generated will be used directly in development of strategies for minimising smolt failure in Atlantic salmon aquaculture.Read moreRead less
Genetic and Hormonal Interactions Controlling Shoot Growth. This project will determine how plant growth is regulated at the genetic, biochemical, and physiological levels, and how plant hormones provide key links between the genotype and overall phenotype (phenome). The work uses peas as a model because of the wealth of mutants available and the suitability of the species for physiological and biochemical studies. Our results will allow comparison of development in the caulescent pea plant wi ....Genetic and Hormonal Interactions Controlling Shoot Growth. This project will determine how plant growth is regulated at the genetic, biochemical, and physiological levels, and how plant hormones provide key links between the genotype and overall phenotype (phenome). The work uses peas as a model because of the wealth of mutants available and the suitability of the species for physiological and biochemical studies. Our results will allow comparison of development in the caulescent pea plant with other model species with different growth habits, such as Arabidopsis. The project is significant because it will enable shoot growth to be modified either genetically or chemically to meet particular agronomic objectives.Read moreRead less
Improving vaccine performance through understanding host-pathogen interaction in yersiniosis. This project will significantly contribute to the economic and environmental sustainability of the Australian salmon industry. It will reduce salmon production costs, ensure sufficient supply of fish from hatchery to grow-out and reduce the use of antibiotics. Reduced use of antibiotics will benefit both the environment and human health. As the salmon industry is based in regional and rural areas, th ....Improving vaccine performance through understanding host-pathogen interaction in yersiniosis. This project will significantly contribute to the economic and environmental sustainability of the Australian salmon industry. It will reduce salmon production costs, ensure sufficient supply of fish from hatchery to grow-out and reduce the use of antibiotics. Reduced use of antibiotics will benefit both the environment and human health. As the salmon industry is based in regional and rural areas, this project will support rural and regional communities. This project will further strengthen Australian leadership in aquaculture research through use of molecular methods to address industry issues and will therefore increase the competitiveness of Australian science.Read moreRead less
Brassinosteroids and Plant Development. Brassinosteroids are steroid hormones, which are essential for normal plant growth and development. This project will address fundamental questions regarding the biology of these substances. The work uses pea as a model species because of its suitability for physiological, biochemical and genetic studies. The results obtained will substantially increase our knowledge of the way in which these substances regulate plant growth. This is significant as it will ....Brassinosteroids and Plant Development. Brassinosteroids are steroid hormones, which are essential for normal plant growth and development. This project will address fundamental questions regarding the biology of these substances. The work uses pea as a model species because of its suitability for physiological, biochemical and genetic studies. The results obtained will substantially increase our knowledge of the way in which these substances regulate plant growth. This is significant as it will ultimately allow plant growth to be modified either genetically or chemically, to meet particular agronomic objectives.Read moreRead less
The cellular basis of temperature impairment of reproductive function in Atlantic salmon. Elevated summer and autumn temperatures, either as a result of normal climate variation or global warming, inhibit reproduction in salmonid fishes by disrupting endocrine (hormonal processes). The mechanisms involved are unclear but are known to involve inhibition of ovarian estrogen and the assembly of egg-yolk proteins. This project will investigate the cellular basis of the inhibitory effect of high temp ....The cellular basis of temperature impairment of reproductive function in Atlantic salmon. Elevated summer and autumn temperatures, either as a result of normal climate variation or global warming, inhibit reproduction in salmonid fishes by disrupting endocrine (hormonal processes). The mechanisms involved are unclear but are known to involve inhibition of ovarian estrogen and the assembly of egg-yolk proteins. This project will investigate the cellular basis of the inhibitory effect of high temperature on reproduction, at the ovarian and hepatic levels. The understanding developed will be an essential component of amelioration strategies for managing the continued successful rearing of salmon and trout under warming environmental conditions.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668471
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$262,706.00
Summary
Hyphenated Capillary Electrophoresis - Mass Spectrometry Facility. The requested funding will facilitate the expansion of the activities of the University of Tasmania (UTas) node of the Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science and its collaborators. This initiative will involve the application of integrated, high resolution technologies for the separation and identification of complex chemical and biological samples. The instrument is to be shared by a number of highly research-activ ....Hyphenated Capillary Electrophoresis - Mass Spectrometry Facility. The requested funding will facilitate the expansion of the activities of the University of Tasmania (UTas) node of the Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science and its collaborators. This initiative will involve the application of integrated, high resolution technologies for the separation and identification of complex chemical and biological samples. The instrument is to be shared by a number of highly research-active groups at UTas in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, plant and agricultural science, Antarctic studies, and pharmacy where detailed structural identification of components separated from complex mixtures is essential. These projects all focus on fundamental and applied research of great national significance.Read moreRead less
Uncovering the genetic basis for saxitoxin production in Australian marine and freshwater systems: novel molecular tools for management. In Australia, toxic algal blooms have had a devastating impact on marine and freshwater resources. In collaboration with a biotechnology company, this project will use an innovative method to design a molecular genetic tool to monitor, research and potentially mitigate the effects of saxitoxin production on water supplies and aquaculture industries. In working ....Uncovering the genetic basis for saxitoxin production in Australian marine and freshwater systems: novel molecular tools for management. In Australia, toxic algal blooms have had a devastating impact on marine and freshwater resources. In collaboration with a biotechnology company, this project will use an innovative method to design a molecular genetic tool to monitor, research and potentially mitigate the effects of saxitoxin production on water supplies and aquaculture industries. In working with monitoring authorities throughout Australia, we will produce a specific, sensitive and cost-effective technology that will ultimately be applicable worldwide. Read moreRead less
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