Genetic networks regulating gene silencing by intronic repeat expansions . Changes in the copy number of DNA repeats are associated with phenotypic variations in several species. Expansions of DNA repeats underlie several human genetic diseases, including Friedreich’s ataxia. The molecular mechanisms that mediate these genetic abnormalities are currently unclear. This project aims to identify the novel genetic pathways and mechanisms mediating these genetic disorders. Using a plant model in an .... Genetic networks regulating gene silencing by intronic repeat expansions . Changes in the copy number of DNA repeats are associated with phenotypic variations in several species. Expansions of DNA repeats underlie several human genetic diseases, including Friedreich’s ataxia. The molecular mechanisms that mediate these genetic abnormalities are currently unclear. This project aims to identify the novel genetic pathways and mechanisms mediating these genetic disorders. Using a plant model in an innovative way this project will discover novel genes, uncover fundamental molecular mechanisms and reveal the genetic networks that govern gene silencing caused by triplet repeat expansions. This project, in addition to revealing fundamental biological mechanisms, will also have implications for human disease.
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Genomics of temperature response in plants. Climate change is predicted to have negative impacts on Australian agriculture. This project will use genomic tools to uncover biological mechanisms for plant response to temperature that will help design crop varieties that are more tolerant to higher temperatures.
Functional analysis of alternative splicing in plants. Higher temperatures affect flowering and seed set in plants. How plants sense and respond to temperature is currently unclear. Here we study alternative splicing, one of the processes affected by temperature. These studies will advance our knowledge and help develop crops that can withstand negative effects of climate change.
Fertility crisis: harnessing the genomic tension behind pollen fertility in sorghum. Hybrid sorghum varieties yield more grain than inbred varieties but the production seed for farmers can be difficult. This project will identify the genes responsible for a trait that makes hybrid seed production possible and this knowledge will help raise sorghum yields in Australian and in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101886
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,929.00
Summary
Plant microRNA targeting: defining regulatory factors additional to complementarity. Central to our understanding of microRNA biology is the identification of which genes they target. In plants, high complementarity is regarded as the sole determinant, and drives bioinformatic predictions. However, functional evidence is inconsistent with this, arguing that complementarity alone is insufficient to accurately predict targets. This project uses novel applications of next generation sequencing to c ....Plant microRNA targeting: defining regulatory factors additional to complementarity. Central to our understanding of microRNA biology is the identification of which genes they target. In plants, high complementarity is regarded as the sole determinant, and drives bioinformatic predictions. However, functional evidence is inconsistent with this, arguing that complementarity alone is insufficient to accurately predict targets. This project uses novel applications of next generation sequencing to categorise bioinformatically predicted Arabidopsis targets as either strongly or poorly regulated. These categories will be analysed to determine what factors, in addition to complementarity, are required for strong targeting. The outcomes will impact artificial microRNA design and have important implications for biotechnology. Read moreRead less
The role of the ribosome and translation in plant fertility. Regulation of gene expression is essential to the development of multicellular organisms. This project will provide insights into a unique role for the basic cellular translation machinery in plant fertility. The results will provide opportunities for improving crop yield and for development of sustainable agriculture.