Evolution And Function Of A Novel Lateral Flagellar Locus, Flag-2, In Pathogenic Escherichia Coli
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,158.00
Summary
This project will study how the bacteria that cause infant diarrhoea colonize the intestine and induce disease. We have identified a novel genetic region that allows E. coli to survive and persist in the intestine. Similar genes are also present in closely related organisms. This project will help us to undestand how new diseases evolve and emerge and may lead to the development of new vaccines to protect against infant diarrhoea.
Adaptive evolution of coleoid (cuttlefish, octopus, squid) venoms. This project represents an opportunity for biodiscovery from the venoms of cuttlefish, octopuses and squids. The independent adaptation for venom active at the subzero Arctic and Antarctic polar waters is of particular evolutionary interest. However, their divergent, bioactive compounds are also a rich drug design resource.
The role of life history and food supply in the extinction of carnivorous marsupials. This project will test why marsupial predators show exceptionally diverse species lifespan and reproductive traits, reveal how these are affected by prey supply and climate change, and how they are linked to alarming species declines in our north. Understanding causes of vulnerability will help to focus conservation efforts to avert extinctions
The ecological impact of large carnivore restoration. This project aims to assess the ecological changes that have arisen due to the repatriation of estuarine crocodiles to Australian ecosystems. It is significant because the restoration provides a rare opportunity to empirically test changes in ecosystem processes under varying degrees of large carnivore predation pressure. Expected outcomes include improved understanding of the processes that govern the strength of predator-ecosystem interacti ....The ecological impact of large carnivore restoration. This project aims to assess the ecological changes that have arisen due to the repatriation of estuarine crocodiles to Australian ecosystems. It is significant because the restoration provides a rare opportunity to empirically test changes in ecosystem processes under varying degrees of large carnivore predation pressure. Expected outcomes include improved understanding of the processes that govern the strength of predator-ecosystem interactions and an ability to quantify the biomass, social structure, and behaviours of predators required to influence these processes. Benefits should include improvements in how the ecological role of large carnivores is measured, and when and where carnivore populations should be culled or conserved.Read moreRead less
Retroviral invasion of the koala genome: prevalence, transmission and role in immunosuppressive disease. Koalas are a national symbol yet many of their populations are in decline as a result of habitat loss and disease. Lymphoid cancers and opportunistic infections are significant diseases in both captive and wild koala populations. We previously demonstrated that the recently identified koala retrovirus is associated with lymphoid cancer in koalas. This project will determine the distribution o ....Retroviral invasion of the koala genome: prevalence, transmission and role in immunosuppressive disease. Koalas are a national symbol yet many of their populations are in decline as a result of habitat loss and disease. Lymphoid cancers and opportunistic infections are significant diseases in both captive and wild koala populations. We previously demonstrated that the recently identified koala retrovirus is associated with lymphoid cancer in koalas. This project will determine the distribution of the virus in Australia, the mechanism of its spread and its effect on the immune function of koalas. This research will provide a foundation for better management of captive koalas and for conservation of wild koalas.Read moreRead less
Linking individual traits, the gut microbiome and parasite load in wildlife. This project aims to apply principles of community ecology to the gut microbiome of an urban exploiter – the common brushtail possum - to reveal how animal traits influence individual variation in the load of gut parasites that cause disease in both humans and wildlife. By combining assays defining the behavioural and physiological states of individuals with sophisticated analyses of their gut microbiome, our project wi ....Linking individual traits, the gut microbiome and parasite load in wildlife. This project aims to apply principles of community ecology to the gut microbiome of an urban exploiter – the common brushtail possum - to reveal how animal traits influence individual variation in the load of gut parasites that cause disease in both humans and wildlife. By combining assays defining the behavioural and physiological states of individuals with sophisticated analyses of their gut microbiome, our project will provide a new, yet crucial, perspective on how and why diseases spread. Our discoveries will help understand and manage the burden of infectious diseases from parasites in and beyond our cities and across the human-wildlife interface; essential for improving human and wildlife health in an increasingly urbanised Australia.Read moreRead less
New thinking on the relationship of dingo ecology to biodiversity conservation and sustainable cattle production. This project will provide new understanding of the role of Australia's only native large mammal predator in sustaining biodiversity and ecological function. This will result in improved management of dingoes as a key part of Australian ecosystems. The project will also test the possibility that relaxation of current controls on dingoes could provide net benefits to beef cattle produc ....New thinking on the relationship of dingo ecology to biodiversity conservation and sustainable cattle production. This project will provide new understanding of the role of Australia's only native large mammal predator in sustaining biodiversity and ecological function. This will result in improved management of dingoes as a key part of Australian ecosystems. The project will also test the possibility that relaxation of current controls on dingoes could provide net benefits to beef cattle producers, and thereby improve the viability and sustainability of Australia's cattle-grazing industry.Read moreRead less
Macroecology of reptiles and frogs over latitudinal and temporal gradients. This project aims to address major macroecological concepts in reptile and frog communities through time, focusing on environmental and climatic gradients in species diversity and body-size variation. This project expects to generate a unique macroecological dataset by integrating data from Quaternary fossil sites spanning a 3000km latitudinal gradient with current ecological data. Expected outcomes include the first com ....Macroecology of reptiles and frogs over latitudinal and temporal gradients. This project aims to address major macroecological concepts in reptile and frog communities through time, focusing on environmental and climatic gradients in species diversity and body-size variation. This project expects to generate a unique macroecological dataset by integrating data from Quaternary fossil sites spanning a 3000km latitudinal gradient with current ecological data. Expected outcomes include the first comprehensive ecological assessment of Australian reptile and frog communities through Pleistocene climate oscillations, with predictions into the future. This research will benefit Australian society by providing evidence-based knowledge of faunal community composition through time in association with changing climates.Read moreRead less
The molecular basis of cold adaptation: an integrated genomic and proteomic study of Antarctic archaea. The project enables Australia to remain a world leader in extremophiles, cold adaptation and Antarctic biology, strengthening the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance and fostering the interests of the international community in sciences ranging from bioprospecting to the search for extraterrestrial life. National benefit is directly derived from ....The molecular basis of cold adaptation: an integrated genomic and proteomic study of Antarctic archaea. The project enables Australia to remain a world leader in extremophiles, cold adaptation and Antarctic biology, strengthening the reputation Australian scientists have in scientific programs of global significance and fostering the interests of the international community in sciences ranging from bioprospecting to the search for extraterrestrial life. National benefit is directly derived from technological innovation and training local scientists in modern biology of environmental microorganisms. The Antarctic microorganisms provide unique compounds, enzymes and molecules for biotechnology and industry. Insight will be gained into the critical role that methanogens play in the global carbon cycle and global warming.Read moreRead less
The role of plant chemical defences in the population ecology of mammal herbivores. Plants defend themselves against herbivores by producing toxic compounds in their leaves. Many studies show that such compounds influence diet selection by mammal herbivores, but we understand much less about their effects on populations of such species. This project will investigate how concentrations of leaf toxins in eucalypts affect reproductive success, distribution and abundance of the marsupials that feed ....The role of plant chemical defences in the population ecology of mammal herbivores. Plants defend themselves against herbivores by producing toxic compounds in their leaves. Many studies show that such compounds influence diet selection by mammal herbivores, but we understand much less about their effects on populations of such species. This project will investigate how concentrations of leaf toxins in eucalypts affect reproductive success, distribution and abundance of the marsupials that feed on them. The knowledge gained by this study will be important in modelling populations of these marsupial species and predicting their responses to environmental change.Read moreRead less