Active bicarbonate transporters from cyanobacteria: physiological properties, genetic regulation, and introduction into plants for crop improvement. An intriguing set of membrane transport proteins that accumulate bicarbonate into marine cyanobacterial cells will be investigated. These proteins support the crucial process of photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation in marine cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), which are major contributors to global carbon dioxide sequestration and form one of the f ....Active bicarbonate transporters from cyanobacteria: physiological properties, genetic regulation, and introduction into plants for crop improvement. An intriguing set of membrane transport proteins that accumulate bicarbonate into marine cyanobacterial cells will be investigated. These proteins support the crucial process of photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation in marine cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), which are major contributors to global carbon dioxide sequestration and form one of the foundations of the marine food web. These bicarbonate "transporters" will also be transferred into a model plant system to test whether the efficiency of photosynthesis can be improved, with corresponding gains in the water-use efficiency of these plants. If successful this technology will have profound global implications for improving crop production in semi-arid areas.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354908
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
The Insect-Plant Chemical Ecology Network (IPCEN). We bring together plant molecular biology, entomology and analytical chemistry to transform three leading fields of Australian research into an advanced science with far reaching capabilities in innovative research and applied outcomes. Expertise studying the biochemical pathways that produce specific plant compounds and expertise in insect recognition and response to these chemicals will be brought together. This will lead to new research outco ....The Insect-Plant Chemical Ecology Network (IPCEN). We bring together plant molecular biology, entomology and analytical chemistry to transform three leading fields of Australian research into an advanced science with far reaching capabilities in innovative research and applied outcomes. Expertise studying the biochemical pathways that produce specific plant compounds and expertise in insect recognition and response to these chemicals will be brought together. This will lead to new research outcomes and solutions to problems in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and protection of Australia's native flora. Researchers are struggling to create these links, constrained by disciplinary boundaries and geographical isolation. Key industries and researchers already support this proposal.Read moreRead less
Photosynthetically active bicarbonate transporters from cyanobacteria & their rational redesign for application in engineered crops that use less water. Marine blue-green algae are critical components of global primary productivity and fisheries productivity but CO2 acquisition processes in these organisms are poorly understood. Our aim is to determine the protein structure and regulatory controls present in two classes of cyanobacterial bicarbonate transporters that are required for efficient p ....Photosynthetically active bicarbonate transporters from cyanobacteria & their rational redesign for application in engineered crops that use less water. Marine blue-green algae are critical components of global primary productivity and fisheries productivity but CO2 acquisition processes in these organisms are poorly understood. Our aim is to determine the protein structure and regulatory controls present in two classes of cyanobacterial bicarbonate transporters that are required for efficient photosynthesis. This information is now critical to the our goal of redesigning these bicarbonate transporters so they will be functional in plants, thereby contributing to the applied objective of engineering crop plants that could produce good grain yields with reduced water requirements.Read moreRead less
Role of alanine aminotransferase in improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in cereals. The use of nitrogen-based fertilisers by crop plants is poor where efficiencies (nitrogen taken up to that applied) is often less than 40%. Nitrogen not used is often lost to the environment through leaching and or volatilisation. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture will decrease overall nitrogen fertiliser use and minimise its environmental footprint. This project will characterise a nov ....Role of alanine aminotransferase in improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in cereals. The use of nitrogen-based fertilisers by crop plants is poor where efficiencies (nitrogen taken up to that applied) is often less than 40%. Nitrogen not used is often lost to the environment through leaching and or volatilisation. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture will decrease overall nitrogen fertiliser use and minimise its environmental footprint. This project will characterise a novel NUE technology that when transferred to plants significantly improves NUE. We will define the phenotype at the molecular, biochemical and physiological levels to maximise its adoption to other agricultural crops such as wheat, barley and maize.Read moreRead less
Elucidating the interactions between drought tolerance and photoprotection in plants. The 2002-03 drought cost Australia in the order of $10Billion and 70,000 jobs. Associated with reduced rainfall is increased sunlight irradiance, which exacerbates the reduction in crop yield due to the combined damage of a water deficit and oxidative damage caused by the excess light. Plants have networks of responses to minimise damage due to drought and excess light. We have identified a novel class of genes ....Elucidating the interactions between drought tolerance and photoprotection in plants. The 2002-03 drought cost Australia in the order of $10Billion and 70,000 jobs. Associated with reduced rainfall is increased sunlight irradiance, which exacerbates the reduction in crop yield due to the combined damage of a water deficit and oxidative damage caused by the excess light. Plants have networks of responses to minimise damage due to drought and excess light. We have identified a novel class of genes that optimise or alter different aspects of these networks and we wish to define the nature of that optimisation to determine how it could be transfered to crop plants.Read moreRead less
Isolation and characterization of genes regulating female reproductive organ development in plants. Genes that regulate female reproductive organ development are of immense value for Australia as tools for seed improvement. Those from our preliminary screen have convinced our industry partners that they can be agents for engineering of apomixis or creation of fertile seed without fertilisation. This will allow the capture of hybrid vigour in wheat and rice, for which commercial hybrid seed prod ....Isolation and characterization of genes regulating female reproductive organ development in plants. Genes that regulate female reproductive organ development are of immense value for Australia as tools for seed improvement. Those from our preliminary screen have convinced our industry partners that they can be agents for engineering of apomixis or creation of fertile seed without fertilisation. This will allow the capture of hybrid vigour in wheat and rice, for which commercial hybrid seed production is not currently available. In wheat alone, apomixis presents for Australia an economic value of more than Aus$ ½ billion per annum. Furthermore, controlled apomixis will accelerate breeding programs that will bring drought resistance and minimal fertiliser requiring varieties to the farmer.Read moreRead less
Control of meiosis and embryogenesis as a means to induce higher plants to reproduce asexually through seed. New plant meiosis-control genes will be isolated and characterised. These will be used, together with cell proliferation control genes characterised in the applicant's laboratory, to control gamete formation and embryo development in higher plants, and hence plant reproduction. This research will provide a platform for genetic fixation of hybrid vigour and repeat propagation of F1 hybrid ....Control of meiosis and embryogenesis as a means to induce higher plants to reproduce asexually through seed. New plant meiosis-control genes will be isolated and characterised. These will be used, together with cell proliferation control genes characterised in the applicant's laboratory, to control gamete formation and embryo development in higher plants, and hence plant reproduction. This research will provide a platform for genetic fixation of hybrid vigour and repeat propagation of F1 hybrid seed without attenuation of vigour. The technology will increase yield and profitability for Australian agriculture, and ensure access to technology that the industry partner will otherwise develop overseas. The technology benefits most major crops that are bred and grown to meet increasing demand for food and speciality products for pharmaceutical or industrial purposes.Read moreRead less