Nettles & toxic toupees: the molecular weaponry of venomous caterpillars. This project aims to investigate the structure, function and evolution of peptide toxins in venoms made by caterpillars in superfamily Zygaenoidea. Caterpillars in this group are covered in spines that inject pain-causing venoms, and this protects them from vertebrate and invertebrate predators. This project will test if peptides in this venom cause pain by pharmacological modulation of mammalian ion channels and signallin ....Nettles & toxic toupees: the molecular weaponry of venomous caterpillars. This project aims to investigate the structure, function and evolution of peptide toxins in venoms made by caterpillars in superfamily Zygaenoidea. Caterpillars in this group are covered in spines that inject pain-causing venoms, and this protects them from vertebrate and invertebrate predators. This project will test if peptides in this venom cause pain by pharmacological modulation of mammalian ion channels and signalling receptors, and if they have insecticidal properties. The first three-dimensional structures of caterpillar venom peptides will also be solved. Genomes of representatives of two different zygaenoid families will be produced, and genomic techniques will be used to elucidate how venom use evolved at the molecular level.Read moreRead less
Thioamide ligations: new technologies for peptide and protein synthesis. This project aims to develop novel amide-bond forming reactions for the chemical synthesis of peptides and proteins. New peptide ligation strategies, including an asparagine-based ligation and a residue-independent ligation will be developed that exploit the recent discovery of silver-promoted coupling reactions of thioamides. A novel late-stage, chemo-selective assembly of N-glycosylated asparagine residues in peptides and ....Thioamide ligations: new technologies for peptide and protein synthesis. This project aims to develop novel amide-bond forming reactions for the chemical synthesis of peptides and proteins. New peptide ligation strategies, including an asparagine-based ligation and a residue-independent ligation will be developed that exploit the recent discovery of silver-promoted coupling reactions of thioamides. A novel late-stage, chemo-selective assembly of N-glycosylated asparagine residues in peptides and proteins will also be developed. The outcomes of this research will lead to breakthroughs in synthetic methodologies for the assembly and functionalisation of peptides and proteins, thereby enabling access to a range of homogeneous, post translationally modified proteins though total chemical synthesis. These research outcomes will expand Australia's research capability and global competitiveness in the field of biotechnology, delivering significant benefits to the third largest manufacturing sector in Australia.Read moreRead less
A new class of sodium channel toxin from ant venoms . Ants are diverse and ubiquitous and the ability of certain species to sting is familiar to many of us. Yet we know remarkably little about the chemistry underlying these stings. We recently discovered that the venoms of ants, including common Australian species, harbour a novel and unique class of sodium channel toxins. Building on this discovery, the aim of this project will be to perform an in-depth characterisation of the effects of these ....A new class of sodium channel toxin from ant venoms . Ants are diverse and ubiquitous and the ability of certain species to sting is familiar to many of us. Yet we know remarkably little about the chemistry underlying these stings. We recently discovered that the venoms of ants, including common Australian species, harbour a novel and unique class of sodium channel toxins. Building on this discovery, the aim of this project will be to perform an in-depth characterisation of the effects of these toxins on sodium channels and to uncover the diversity and breadth of this toxin class in ant venoms. The outcome of this project will be novel insights into the chemistry of ant venoms and new insights into sodium channel function.Read moreRead less
Developing a multicomponent platform for targeted gene delivery. Gene delivery systems are important tools in biological research and offer many exciting future prospects. Delivering gene material is very difficult in practice: rapid deterioration, poor cell uptake, and reaching the right tissue and cell types are major obstacles. Ways to overcome each barrier individually have been suggested in existing research but these components have not yet been combined in a single solution, which this pr ....Developing a multicomponent platform for targeted gene delivery. Gene delivery systems are important tools in biological research and offer many exciting future prospects. Delivering gene material is very difficult in practice: rapid deterioration, poor cell uptake, and reaching the right tissue and cell types are major obstacles. Ways to overcome each barrier individually have been suggested in existing research but these components have not yet been combined in a single solution, which this project will tackle. This proposal aims to create a technology to stabilise and deliver active gene material to target cells. The gene delivery tool developed in this project will advance biological research greatly with many potential future applications.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100800
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,693.00
Summary
Legume meristem signalling peptides: an untapped niche. This project aims to characterise novel signalling peptides regulating legume stem cell niches to enhance molecular-genetic networks and uncover potential key targets for crop improvement. Legumes represent agricultural sustainability through their decreased fertiliser requirements resulting in reduced carbon and nitrogen footprints. However, their unique gene signalling networks are poorly understood in comparison to traditional cereal cro ....Legume meristem signalling peptides: an untapped niche. This project aims to characterise novel signalling peptides regulating legume stem cell niches to enhance molecular-genetic networks and uncover potential key targets for crop improvement. Legumes represent agricultural sustainability through their decreased fertiliser requirements resulting in reduced carbon and nitrogen footprints. However, their unique gene signalling networks are poorly understood in comparison to traditional cereal crops. The proposed research intends to generate new knowledge in peptide signalling, plant development and legume symbiosis using multidisciplinary techniques. Expected project outcomes will increase understanding of peptide signalling in legume growth and adaption with useful findings for crop enhancement.Read moreRead less
Autocyclases: A new class of self-cyclising proteins. The biotechnology sector is emerging as an important economic strength in Australia. While the improved efficacy and selectivity of biomolecules has seen them emerge as alternatives to existing chemicals in health and agriculture, the stability of biomolecules remains a major limiting factor. A general strategy for improving protein stability is by joining the ends of the peptide chain in a cyclisation reaction. While a wide range of cyclic p ....Autocyclases: A new class of self-cyclising proteins. The biotechnology sector is emerging as an important economic strength in Australia. While the improved efficacy and selectivity of biomolecules has seen them emerge as alternatives to existing chemicals in health and agriculture, the stability of biomolecules remains a major limiting factor. A general strategy for improving protein stability is by joining the ends of the peptide chain in a cyclisation reaction. While a wide range of cyclic peptides and proteins are being developed in Australia and around the world, the cyclisation reaction presents a significant challenge. In this proposal we detail a novel method for protein cyclisation as a general, low-cost and green production method for making a diverse range of biomolecules. Read moreRead less
Expanding access to modified proteins via a novel semi-synthetic platform. This project aims to address a critical knowledge gap in understanding how post-translational modifications modulate the structure and activity of proteins. By developing an innovative semi-synthetic platform to produce pure proteins inaccessible by existing methods, the project will reveal how natural protein modifications influence structure and function. Expected outcomes include the delivery of breakthrough technologi ....Expanding access to modified proteins via a novel semi-synthetic platform. This project aims to address a critical knowledge gap in understanding how post-translational modifications modulate the structure and activity of proteins. By developing an innovative semi-synthetic platform to produce pure proteins inaccessible by existing methods, the project will reveal how natural protein modifications influence structure and function. Expected outcomes include the delivery of breakthrough technologies for accessing modified proteins for a range of applications in academia and industry, as well as the generation of new knowledge in the fields of chemistry and biology. The project will lead to the training of interdisciplinary early career researchers and has the potential to benefit Australia’s biotechnology sector.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100422
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$447,346.00
Summary
Using toxins to manipulate the gating of voltage-gated sodium channels. The project aims to investigate how sodium channel subtypes contribute to the excitability of sensory neurons by utilising venom-derived peptides that specifically target and alter the function of these channels. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of neuroscience using an interdisciplinary approach including synthetic peptide chemistry, pharmacology and electrophysiology. Expected outcomes of this pro ....Using toxins to manipulate the gating of voltage-gated sodium channels. The project aims to investigate how sodium channel subtypes contribute to the excitability of sensory neurons by utilising venom-derived peptides that specifically target and alter the function of these channels. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of neuroscience using an interdisciplinary approach including synthetic peptide chemistry, pharmacology and electrophysiology. Expected outcomes of this project include the development of new venom-based research tools and improved techniques for studying sodium channel function. This will provide significant benefits, including advancement of fundamental knowledge in physiology and the development of novel analgesics. Read moreRead less