Regressive evolution of eyes in subterranean water beetles of arid-zone Australia: A comparative phylogenetic approach. Reduction or total loss of non-functional characters are common evolutionary phenomena, but little is known of the genetic basis of this regressive evolution. This project will use a phylogenetic framework to investigate the forces responsible for evolution of eyelessness in subterranean water beetles, by studying molecular genetic variation in three key eye developmental genes ....Regressive evolution of eyes in subterranean water beetles of arid-zone Australia: A comparative phylogenetic approach. Reduction or total loss of non-functional characters are common evolutionary phenomena, but little is known of the genetic basis of this regressive evolution. This project will use a phylogenetic framework to investigate the forces responsible for evolution of eyelessness in subterranean water beetles, by studying molecular genetic variation in three key eye developmental genes. The water beetles are explicitly suitable to address the questions due to their numerous independently evolved eyeless species and relatively old age of divergence from surface relatives. The research will provide a major new perspective on regressive evolution and the relationship between gene structure and function.Read moreRead less
Developing new methods to retrieve and analyse preserved genetic information. This project will position Australia at the leading edge of research into preserved DNA, and will use innovative molecular biology approaches to develop a range of new forensic, archaeological and medical applications. It will build Australian knowledge and scientific capacity by developing core expertise and training personnel in areas important for biosecurity, customs and quarantine, forensics/counter-terrorism, and ....Developing new methods to retrieve and analyse preserved genetic information. This project will position Australia at the leading edge of research into preserved DNA, and will use innovative molecular biology approaches to develop a range of new forensic, archaeological and medical applications. It will build Australian knowledge and scientific capacity by developing core expertise and training personnel in areas important for biosecurity, customs and quarantine, forensics/counter-terrorism, and studies of climate change. It will also create and foster research innovation in molecular biology with spin-offs for evolution, archaeology, medical and conservation biology research, and will also encourage involvement with the rapidly expanding field of genomics and bioinformatics.Read moreRead less
Small is beautiful: Did gene-rich regions of mammal chromosomes evolve from microchromosomes? Most birds and reptile genomes feature many tiny microchromosomes. These are not junk, as previously thought, but contain most of the genes. Mammals lack microchromosomes, but contain gene-rich regions with similar attributes. We suggest that microchromosomes originated by genome duplication, and evolved into the gene-rich regions of mammalian chromosomes. We will test this hypothesis by comparing seque ....Small is beautiful: Did gene-rich regions of mammal chromosomes evolve from microchromosomes? Most birds and reptile genomes feature many tiny microchromosomes. These are not junk, as previously thought, but contain most of the genes. Mammals lack microchromosomes, but contain gene-rich regions with similar attributes. We suggest that microchromosomes originated by genome duplication, and evolved into the gene-rich regions of mammalian chromosomes. We will test this hypothesis by comparing sequences and genes in microchromosomes of birds, reptiles and monotremes. This will clarify the origin and evolution of the ?microgenome?, establish its suitability as a model for vertebrate genome organisation, and demonstrate whether microchromosomes are the ancestors of the gene-rich regions of mammalian chromosomes.Read moreRead less
Adaptation to life in the dark: genomic analyses of blind beetles. This project aims to utilise a unique Australian model system based on multiple, independently-evolved subterranean water beetles to explore the adaptive and regressive changes in the genome that occur when surface species colonise subterranean habitats. This project focuses on the evolution of Heat Shock protein (Hsp) genes that play critical roles in adaptation to environmental stress and the process of de-canalisation, the rel ....Adaptation to life in the dark: genomic analyses of blind beetles. This project aims to utilise a unique Australian model system based on multiple, independently-evolved subterranean water beetles to explore the adaptive and regressive changes in the genome that occur when surface species colonise subterranean habitats. This project focuses on the evolution of Heat Shock protein (Hsp) genes that play critical roles in adaptation to environmental stress and the process of de-canalisation, the release of cryptic genetic variation that can allow novel morphologies to evolve in new environments. The project expects to provide further understanding of how species may potentially adapt to environmental stresses in the future, including climate change.Read moreRead less
Is regressive evolution associated with loss of gene function in subterranean animals? This project aims to investigate a fundamental biological process: the evolutionary basis for how non-functional characters, such as eyes in subterranean animals, are lost. It will use a unique model system based on eyeless water beetles, and utilise novel new genomic tools to test whether loss of characters results from gene inactivation.
Refining the timescale of human evolution and dispersal using ancient DNA. Understanding the timescale of human evolution and migration is a key goal of genetic analysis. It provides the foundation for studying our evolutionary and demographic history, our relationships to other hominids and our impact on the natural world. This project aims to use ancient DNA data to improve estimates of our evolutionary timescale.
Evolution of sensory systems in the dark biosphere. This project utilises a unique Australian model system based on multiple, independently-evolved subterranean water beetles to explore the adaptive and regressive changes in the genome that occur when surface species colonise subterranean habitats. We aim to characterise and investigate the evolution of chemosensory and circadian rhythm genes, which play critical roles in the fitness of animals, including the ability to find food and mates in a ....Evolution of sensory systems in the dark biosphere. This project utilises a unique Australian model system based on multiple, independently-evolved subterranean water beetles to explore the adaptive and regressive changes in the genome that occur when surface species colonise subterranean habitats. We aim to characterise and investigate the evolution of chemosensory and circadian rhythm genes, which play critical roles in the fitness of animals, including the ability to find food and mates in a dark, thermally stable environment. Knowledge of chemosensory and circadian genetic systems and how they dynamically evolve is fundamental to a variety of fields, including the process of speciation and biological adaptation (for example, to permanent darkness, pollutants and insecticides).Read moreRead less
A shipload of consequences: studying the impact of Old World diseases on native South American populations via ancient DNA. This pioneering project will give the first real-time picture of the genetic changes induced by epidemics in human populations. This will reveal important new information about the likely impact of future epidemics on the genetic diversity of the immune system in modern human populations and will be of substantial use in building epidemiological models. By proposing to comb ....A shipload of consequences: studying the impact of Old World diseases on native South American populations via ancient DNA. This pioneering project will give the first real-time picture of the genetic changes induced by epidemics in human populations. This will reveal important new information about the likely impact of future epidemics on the genetic diversity of the immune system in modern human populations and will be of substantial use in building epidemiological models. By proposing to combine state-of-the-art science with global problems of humanity, we will address Australia's interests in expanding scientific expertise beyond its borders and place Australia at the leading edge of disease impact studies.Read moreRead less
The genetic and molecular organisation of the self incompatibility gene region in the grasses. Self-incompatibility (SI) is a cell-cell recognition process used by plants to prevent self-pollination and force outcrossing. It is widespread, occurring in a third of plant families. Although studies of SI go back to the 1800s, the origin of SI remains a mystery. Recent advances in the molecular characterisation of SI loci in some species has re-ignited debate on its origins but has provided few answ ....The genetic and molecular organisation of the self incompatibility gene region in the grasses. Self-incompatibility (SI) is a cell-cell recognition process used by plants to prevent self-pollination and force outcrossing. It is widespread, occurring in a third of plant families. Although studies of SI go back to the 1800s, the origin of SI remains a mystery. Recent advances in the molecular characterisation of SI loci in some species has re-ignited debate on its origins but has provided few answers. This project uses the grasses to explore the origins of SI. As a model system, the grasses offer detailed genetic and molecular data and aspects of floral architecture associated with SI can be investigatedRead moreRead less
Endosymbiotic DNA transfer. Interorganellar DNA movement is a major force in evolution. In higher organisms, the prokaryotic ancestors of mitochondria and chloroplasts donated many genes to the nucleus. Plants have unique potential in studies of the mechanisms that have driven genome evolution. We established experimentally that DNA moves from the chloroplast to the nucleus at high frequency and this provided us with a world lead in this scientifically new area. The relocated genes contribute to ....Endosymbiotic DNA transfer. Interorganellar DNA movement is a major force in evolution. In higher organisms, the prokaryotic ancestors of mitochondria and chloroplasts donated many genes to the nucleus. Plants have unique potential in studies of the mechanisms that have driven genome evolution. We established experimentally that DNA moves from the chloroplast to the nucleus at high frequency and this provided us with a world lead in this scientifically new area. The relocated genes contribute to the number and diversity of genes and gene function. Genetically manipulated (GM) crops use the chloroplast compartment to make high levels of protein, necessitating a full understanding of how transgenes behave within the cellular and the external environment.Read moreRead less