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Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354751
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Australian Bio-Metals Research Network. The aim of the Bio-Metals Research Network is to connect the extensive Australian expertise in the study of metal ions in relation to the Environment, Health and Frontier Technologies. The Network is inter-disciplinary and brings together over 50 group leaders in the biological, biomedical and physical sciences. A major aim of the Network will be to provide a molecular understanding of biological and environmental processes and disease states as well as pr ....Australian Bio-Metals Research Network. The aim of the Bio-Metals Research Network is to connect the extensive Australian expertise in the study of metal ions in relation to the Environment, Health and Frontier Technologies. The Network is inter-disciplinary and brings together over 50 group leaders in the biological, biomedical and physical sciences. A major aim of the Network will be to provide a molecular understanding of biological and environmental processes and disease states as well as providing new materials for the development of new technologies. The Network will interact in research and education with Bio-Metals groups around the world and will develop collaborative funding proposalsRead moreRead less
Chemistry of the Transport of Nutrient Copper in Biological Cells. Nutrient trace metals such as copper are needed for enzymes by living organisms but are toxic in excess. Defects in copper metabolism cause Menkes and Wilson diseases in humans and there are direct connections to neurodegenerative diseases (eg, Alzheimer, Parkinson, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, motor neuron diseases). It is crucial to understand how healthy cells control toxic but essential copper so that enlightened intervention is possib ....Chemistry of the Transport of Nutrient Copper in Biological Cells. Nutrient trace metals such as copper are needed for enzymes by living organisms but are toxic in excess. Defects in copper metabolism cause Menkes and Wilson diseases in humans and there are direct connections to neurodegenerative diseases (eg, Alzheimer, Parkinson, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, motor neuron diseases). It is crucial to understand how healthy cells control toxic but essential copper so that enlightened intervention is possible when disturbances of copper metabolism become pathological. The chemistry of key molecules will be studied to reveal their essential properties and thereby to understand the molecular basis of the copper-linked diseases.Read moreRead less
Molecular Characterisation of Metal Transport Proteins. The trace metals are essential to life. The secrets of their catalytic and structural roles are under intensive scrutiny. The molecular mechanisms which regulate concentrations of nutrient metals in biological cells remain poorly understood. Errors in metal metabolism cause disease. For example, defects in copper metabolism cause Menkes and Wilson diseases in humans and there are connections of copper and zinc to neuro-degenerative disea ....Molecular Characterisation of Metal Transport Proteins. The trace metals are essential to life. The secrets of their catalytic and structural roles are under intensive scrutiny. The molecular mechanisms which regulate concentrations of nutrient metals in biological cells remain poorly understood. Errors in metal metabolism cause disease. For example, defects in copper metabolism cause Menkes and Wilson diseases in humans and there are connections of copper and zinc to neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer and Creutzfeldt-Jakob (mad cow). This project will study the chemistry of metabolic pathways responsible for import of nutrient copper and other metals into biological cells.Read moreRead less
Electrochemically Driven Molybdoenzyme Catalysis. Enzymes that catalyse oxidation and reduction reactions need to exchange electrons with their substrate and this supply of electrons needs to be sustained. Artificially reconstituted systems can be developed where the enzyme is coupled with an electrode and the current (electrons) exchanged during the reaction are measured directly. In this project we will reveal whether some unusual and unexplained electrochemical phenomena seen before are relat ....Electrochemically Driven Molybdoenzyme Catalysis. Enzymes that catalyse oxidation and reduction reactions need to exchange electrons with their substrate and this supply of electrons needs to be sustained. Artificially reconstituted systems can be developed where the enzyme is coupled with an electrode and the current (electrons) exchanged during the reaction are measured directly. In this project we will reveal whether some unusual and unexplained electrochemical phenomena seen before are related to the properties of the enzymes themselves or the ways in which their experiments have been conducted.Read moreRead less
Understanding aerobic respiration: Models for the catalytic centre in proton-pumping heme-copper oxidases. This project tackles ?head on? a key challenge in contemporary biological inorganic chemistry, understanding how at the atomic level aerobic life uses oxygen. All life we see is aerobic, and thus the conceptual advances from this research will progress understanding of our world and ourselves? an important cultural goal. Advancing knowledge of such fundamental processes sits firmly in the a ....Understanding aerobic respiration: Models for the catalytic centre in proton-pumping heme-copper oxidases. This project tackles ?head on? a key challenge in contemporary biological inorganic chemistry, understanding how at the atomic level aerobic life uses oxygen. All life we see is aerobic, and thus the conceptual advances from this research will progress understanding of our world and ourselves? an important cultural goal. Advancing knowledge of such fundamental processes sits firmly in the area of the Research Priority Goal: Breakthrough Science. Postgraduate research students will be trained in sophisticated state-of-the-art theoretical and synthetic chemical methodologies. The project will enhance Australia's research capability in biological (inorganic) chemistry and promote Australia's standing in the International research community.Read moreRead less
Mechanistic Studies of Dimethylsulfide Dehydrogenase: A Novel Bacterial Molybdoenzyme. The aim of this proposal is to use electrochemical, spectroscopic and molecular biological techniques to understand the mechanism of action of the enzyme dimethylsulfide dehydrogenase. This enzyme is representative of an major group of molybdenum-containing enzymes that have importance in microbial biotransformations. The project will provide fundamental information about a multi-redox centre protein that has ....Mechanistic Studies of Dimethylsulfide Dehydrogenase: A Novel Bacterial Molybdoenzyme. The aim of this proposal is to use electrochemical, spectroscopic and molecular biological techniques to understand the mechanism of action of the enzyme dimethylsulfide dehydrogenase. This enzyme is representative of an major group of molybdenum-containing enzymes that have importance in microbial biotransformations. The project will provide fundamental information about a multi-redox centre protein that has potential application in biosensors and biocatalysis.Read moreRead less
Structural studies of catalysis and electron transfer by copper proteins. We propose to determine the crystal structures of five copper-containing proteins. Three are amine oxidases, enzymes that protect a wide range of organisms against toxic cell products (amines). Novel chemical modifications and crystallographic techniques will be used to test hypotheses for the enzyme mechanism. The results will provide a basis for the future manipulation of the enzymes' activities. Our other targets, s ....Structural studies of catalysis and electron transfer by copper proteins. We propose to determine the crystal structures of five copper-containing proteins. Three are amine oxidases, enzymes that protect a wide range of organisms against toxic cell products (amines). Novel chemical modifications and crystallographic techniques will be used to test hypotheses for the enzyme mechanism. The results will provide a basis for the future manipulation of the enzymes' activities. Our other targets, sulfocyanin and auracyanin-A, perform essential electron-transfer functions in an archaeon and a photosynthetic bacterium, respectively. The determination of their molecular structures will answer exciting questions about electron transfer in primitive organisms, and about the evolution of copper proteins as biological electron-transfer agents.Read moreRead less
Ferrihydrite : Fundamentals of a Natural Nanomaterial. The overarching goal of this project is to obtain the depth of knowledge necessary to achieve specific size, composition and morphology control in the crystallization of nanometer-sized iron oxides. The project focusses on the structural characteristics of the oxy-hydroxide phase ferrihydrite, which is a key intermediate in the formation of other iron oxides. The project will employ characterization techniques such as small-angle scattering ....Ferrihydrite : Fundamentals of a Natural Nanomaterial. The overarching goal of this project is to obtain the depth of knowledge necessary to achieve specific size, composition and morphology control in the crystallization of nanometer-sized iron oxides. The project focusses on the structural characteristics of the oxy-hydroxide phase ferrihydrite, which is a key intermediate in the formation of other iron oxides. The project will employ characterization techniques such as small-angle scattering, high resolution TEM, electron nanodiffraction and magnetic energy barrier distribution measurements to study crystallization processes of the iron oxy-hydroxide ferrihydrite, both in vivo and in vitro. The knowledge gained from the biological realm will allow us to devise new laboratory techniques for the preparation of nanoparticles, and provide important information about iron biomineralization to advance the treatment of iron overload diseases.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0344441
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,000.00
Summary
New Generation Metalloenzyme Magnetic Circular Dichroism Spectrometer Systems. Funding is sought to enhance the existing collaborations between UQ, ANU, Sydney and other universities in the study of metal-centred molecules of biological interest through the construction of advanced magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectrometers. These facilities will be the best instruments of their kind, and will enable researchers at Australian institutions to enhance the quality of their research and remain ....New Generation Metalloenzyme Magnetic Circular Dichroism Spectrometer Systems. Funding is sought to enhance the existing collaborations between UQ, ANU, Sydney and other universities in the study of metal-centred molecules of biological interest through the construction of advanced magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectrometers. These facilities will be the best instruments of their kind, and will enable researchers at Australian institutions to enhance the quality of their research and remain internationally competitive through the application of modern MCD spectroscopic techniques to the study of metal-centred biomolecules. These facilities will drive a number of programs in the area of metalloenzyme and photosystem II research.Read moreRead less
UNDERSTANDING PHASE TRANSITIONS THROUGH PRECISE STRUCTURAL STUDIES. This project will examine the fundamental nature of the structural phase transitions that are critical for the utilisation of numerous advanced materials. Researchers at Sydney University and the Australian National University in collaboration with staff at ANSTO are world leaders in the structural analysis of such materials. Through comprehensive experimental and theoretical studies of a number of such materials this project w ....UNDERSTANDING PHASE TRANSITIONS THROUGH PRECISE STRUCTURAL STUDIES. This project will examine the fundamental nature of the structural phase transitions that are critical for the utilisation of numerous advanced materials. Researchers at Sydney University and the Australian National University in collaboration with staff at ANSTO are world leaders in the structural analysis of such materials. Through comprehensive experimental and theoretical studies of a number of such materials this project will enhance the ability of industry to develop new and improved materials.Read moreRead less