Protecting the Australian chickpea industry through knowledge of the current Ascochyta rabiei fungal population and risk to resistance breeding strategies. Australian chickpea is highly vulnerable to epidemics of Ascochyta blight, which may cause total crop failure. This project will help to maintain Australia's position as a major global chickpea producer through maximising the life span of current resistance genes to A. rabiei. and determining the applicability of other potential resistance so ....Protecting the Australian chickpea industry through knowledge of the current Ascochyta rabiei fungal population and risk to resistance breeding strategies. Australian chickpea is highly vulnerable to epidemics of Ascochyta blight, which may cause total crop failure. This project will help to maintain Australia's position as a major global chickpea producer through maximising the life span of current resistance genes to A. rabiei. and determining the applicability of other potential resistance sources. The knowledge that will be generated regarding the pathogen's potential to overcome host resistance is imperative for developing future disease management strategies, especially since more aggressive isolates exist outside Australia. The project findings will feed directly into the National Australian Chickpea Breeding Program.Read moreRead less
A novel link between plant pathogen defence and DNA repair capability. Plants and plant-based industries are essential for the provision of food, clothing and building materials and underpin the economies of rural communities. Plant yield and quality and the biodiversity of natural systems are dramatically reduced by disease. The fundamental knowledge gained from our research will enable manipulation of the factors that enhance disease resistance resulting in a significant benefit to Australian ....A novel link between plant pathogen defence and DNA repair capability. Plants and plant-based industries are essential for the provision of food, clothing and building materials and underpin the economies of rural communities. Plant yield and quality and the biodiversity of natural systems are dramatically reduced by disease. The fundamental knowledge gained from our research will enable manipulation of the factors that enhance disease resistance resulting in a significant benefit to Australian agriculture and protection of our natural resources. The current reliance for disease control on chemicals that damage the environment will be reduced and our research will contribute directly to the provision of cheaper, simpler and more effective methods of control.
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Further Genetic and Molecular studies of an Important Prokaryotic Regulator Protein TyrR. Genomes encode many functions whose expression varies dramatically depending on particular cellular environments. Special proteins called Regulator Proteins act as sensors to detect subtle changes in the environment and, in response, to influence the expression of certain genes either dampening them down or stimulating their activity. We are working with the TyrR regulator protein of the simple bacterium E ....Further Genetic and Molecular studies of an Important Prokaryotic Regulator Protein TyrR. Genomes encode many functions whose expression varies dramatically depending on particular cellular environments. Special proteins called Regulator Proteins act as sensors to detect subtle changes in the environment and, in response, to influence the expression of certain genes either dampening them down or stimulating their activity. We are working with the TyrR regulator protein of the simple bacterium Escherichia coli to elucidate the molecular strategies used in these controls. Because this protein controls the expression of a number of genes with diverse functions, evolution has selected equally diverse mechanisms to achieve appropriate transcriptional responses. The detailed knowledge of the E.coli genome and of the various genes regulated by TyrR make it an excellent system for such fundamental studies.Read moreRead less
Convergent Evolution of Desert Lizards: Phylogenomic and Morphological Analyses of Limb Development. Evolutionary convergence, where similar traits evolve independently in multiple lineages, is a fundamental biological process, which affects many aspects of an organism's morphology. Despite its importance we don't understand what underlies the convergence we observe in nature - does convergence in genetic make-up underlie convergence in morphology? We will investigate whether similar hindlimb mo ....Convergent Evolution of Desert Lizards: Phylogenomic and Morphological Analyses of Limb Development. Evolutionary convergence, where similar traits evolve independently in multiple lineages, is a fundamental biological process, which affects many aspects of an organism's morphology. Despite its importance we don't understand what underlies the convergence we observe in nature - does convergence in genetic make-up underlie convergence in morphology? We will investigate whether similar hindlimb morphologies are determined by the same genetic mechanisms in iguanian lizards of Australia and North America. Our study will be the first of its kind in vertebrates and will provide significant information about the evolutionary link between an animal's morphology and its genetic make-up.Read moreRead less
Modern reptiles with ancient toxins: the molecular origin and evolution of novel bioactive proteins from squamate dental glands. Animal venoms provide a rich source of novel bioactive proteins, some of which have demonstrated therapeutically useful activities. Through this researcher's unique approach of investigating previously unmapped squamate venom systems, there is potential for the identification of divergent, bioactive proteins. Those already identified by the applicant in the dental gl ....Modern reptiles with ancient toxins: the molecular origin and evolution of novel bioactive proteins from squamate dental glands. Animal venoms provide a rich source of novel bioactive proteins, some of which have demonstrated therapeutically useful activities. Through this researcher's unique approach of investigating previously unmapped squamate venom systems, there is potential for the identification of divergent, bioactive proteins. Those already identified by the applicant in the dental glands of Australian monitor lizard species represent a tremendous opportunity for biodiscovery. Further knowledge in this area will increase medical understandings of bites and aid conservation measures informed by the natural history of these animals.Read moreRead less
Adaptive Evolution of BRCA1 in Ancestral Mammals. This project investigates adaptive evolution of BRCA1 in the early radiation of mammals. We will test the hypothesis that the evolution of mammary glands and X chromosome inactivation has resulted in modification of the BRCA1 protein sequence as it aquired new roles in these processes. We will also investigate the importance of these changes inducing compensatory changes in other parts of the protein.
Using comparative genomics to identify genes responsible for adaptation to environmental toxins. The US National Human Genome Research Institute has committed to sequencing the genomes of ten different Drosophila (fly) species. We will search these genomes, and two others that are already available, for genes that allow flies to cope with environmental toxins found in the plants upon which they feed and breed. These same genes have the potential to degrade many of the insecticides used to con ....Using comparative genomics to identify genes responsible for adaptation to environmental toxins. The US National Human Genome Research Institute has committed to sequencing the genomes of ten different Drosophila (fly) species. We will search these genomes, and two others that are already available, for genes that allow flies to cope with environmental toxins found in the plants upon which they feed and breed. These same genes have the potential to degrade many of the insecticides used to control insect pests. Hence, this research will contribute to ongoing efforts to minimize the threat to agriculture posed by the insecticide resistance that frequently evolves in pest species. Read moreRead less