Decoding Bacterial Epigenetic Regulation. This project aims to characterise bacterial epigenetic regulation by determining the mechanism of action and impact of bacterial DNA methylation. This project expects to generate new knowledge about fundamental aspects of bacterial gene regulation, using a novel combination of cutting edge DNA and RNA sequencing, proteomic and bioinformatic approaches. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new tools to facilitate the integration of epigenomi ....Decoding Bacterial Epigenetic Regulation. This project aims to characterise bacterial epigenetic regulation by determining the mechanism of action and impact of bacterial DNA methylation. This project expects to generate new knowledge about fundamental aspects of bacterial gene regulation, using a novel combination of cutting edge DNA and RNA sequencing, proteomic and bioinformatic approaches. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new tools to facilitate the integration of epigenomic analysis into genomic studies, exponentially increasing the volume and value of data gathered. This would provide significant future benefits to all academic, biotechnology, agricultural, veterinary and pharmaceutical applications that involve bacterial genomic analysis.Read moreRead less
Epigenetic regulation in bacteria. This project aims to understand the effect of DNA modification on gene regulation in the bacterial organism Escherichia coli, which causes urinary tract infection worldwide. High-throughput DNA sequencing technologies mean one can determine the entire genetic blueprint of a bacterium – its genome – accurately, quickly and cheaply. Single-molecule real-time sequencing provides a complete read-out of a bacterial genome (genetic data) and chemical modifications of ....Epigenetic regulation in bacteria. This project aims to understand the effect of DNA modification on gene regulation in the bacterial organism Escherichia coli, which causes urinary tract infection worldwide. High-throughput DNA sequencing technologies mean one can determine the entire genetic blueprint of a bacterium – its genome – accurately, quickly and cheaply. Single-molecule real-time sequencing provides a complete read-out of a bacterial genome (genetic data) and chemical modifications of the DNA (epigenetic data). Epigenetic data can affect regulation: how genes are switched off and on. This project seeks to harness the power of single-molecule DNA sequencing, together with state-of-the-art genomic and molecular approaches, to better understand the impact of DNA modification on gene regulation in the model bacterial organism, Escherichia coli. This work will support advanced training in bioinformatics and microbiology and improve our understanding of regulation in all bacteria.Read moreRead less
Archaeal dark matter and the origin of eukaryotes. This project aims to investigate the highly controversial origin of eukaryotes and thus all multicellular life within Archaea, a domain of single-celled microorganisms. Resolving eukaryotic origins has long been hampered by an inability to cultivate archaea from the environment. This project aims to develop a novel high-throughput single-cell genomics approach to recover archaeal genomes, thus bypassing the cultivation step. The genomes will con ....Archaeal dark matter and the origin of eukaryotes. This project aims to investigate the highly controversial origin of eukaryotes and thus all multicellular life within Archaea, a domain of single-celled microorganisms. Resolving eukaryotic origins has long been hampered by an inability to cultivate archaea from the environment. This project aims to develop a novel high-throughput single-cell genomics approach to recover archaeal genomes, thus bypassing the cultivation step. The genomes will contribute to a comprehensive taxonomic framework which will facilitate the evaluation of evolutionary relationships between the eukaryotic and archaeal domains. This may uncover previously unknown archaea with novel metabolic capabilities.Read moreRead less
Changing the classification status quo with a global genome-based taxonomy. A grand challenge in biology is the reconstruction of the complete evolutionary history of life on our planet. A major hurdle to this goal has been the inability to culture most microbial species which comprise the bulk of evolutionary diversity. However, new molecular techniques have removed this hurdle and >1,000 new microbial species are being revealed each month through sequencing of environmental samples. This proje ....Changing the classification status quo with a global genome-based taxonomy. A grand challenge in biology is the reconstruction of the complete evolutionary history of life on our planet. A major hurdle to this goal has been the inability to culture most microbial species which comprise the bulk of evolutionary diversity. However, new molecular techniques have removed this hurdle and >1,000 new microbial species are being revealed each month through sequencing of environmental samples. This project aims to organise both cultured and uncultured microbial diversity into a systematic evolutionary framework to replace the current highly flawed and incomplete classification of microorganisms. The systematic classification of the microbial world is timely and will enable fundamental insights into ecology and evolution.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL150100038
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,982,714.00
Summary
Reconstructing the universal tree and network of life. Reconstructing the universal tree and network of life: This fellowship project aims to obtain 100 000 genome sequences and systematically organise these into natural phylogenetic relationships comprising both vertical inheritance and lateral transfers. One of the challenges in biology today is to reconstruct the complete evolutionary history of life on Earth. A major hurdle to this goal is our inability to culture most microbial species whic ....Reconstructing the universal tree and network of life. Reconstructing the universal tree and network of life: This fellowship project aims to obtain 100 000 genome sequences and systematically organise these into natural phylogenetic relationships comprising both vertical inheritance and lateral transfers. One of the challenges in biology today is to reconstruct the complete evolutionary history of life on Earth. A major hurdle to this goal is our inability to culture most microbial species which comprise the bulk of evolutionary diversity. The framework developed in this project seeks to replace the current incomplete classification of microorganisms to provide fundamental insights into ecology and evolution. It is hoped that the outcomes of the project can be applied to manage risk and capture opportunities in important Australian industries including agriculture, mining and biotechnology.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100130
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$850,000.00
Summary
Systems biology: New generation DNA sequencing to functional analysis. The technique of DNA sequencing (or 'reading' the lines of the four repeating letters that make up the genetic code) illustrates how technological developments have become the main drivers in exploring the roles of genetic factors across a spectrum of research activities. Funding provided through this ARC grant will allow the purchase of the latest DNA sequencing platform, the Illumina Solexa, as well as equipment that will b ....Systems biology: New generation DNA sequencing to functional analysis. The technique of DNA sequencing (or 'reading' the lines of the four repeating letters that make up the genetic code) illustrates how technological developments have become the main drivers in exploring the roles of genetic factors across a spectrum of research activities. Funding provided through this ARC grant will allow the purchase of the latest DNA sequencing platform, the Illumina Solexa, as well as equipment that will be used to understand the biological function of the DNA sequencing results that are obtained. The equipment will allow Australian researchers to compete on an equal footing with the international leaders in understanding the roles played by genes in plants, microorganisms, animals and humans.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100025
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,000.00
Summary
A high-throughput screening and sequencing facility for single cell genomics. Genomics has revolutionised biology, but for most microorganisms this revolution has not arrived because very few can be grown in pure culture. The single cell genomics facility will address this major bottleneck by allowing as little as a single cell in a clinical or environmental setting to be sequenced thereby accelerating new discoveries and outcomes.
The genetics of four ancient 'Kings' of Sahul and Sunda. This project aims to recover all the genetic information from four ancient humans. Two of these iconic specimens come from Australia and two from Malaysia. We will sequence the entire DNA (genomes) and proteins (proteome) of Mungo Man (Willandra), the Yidinji King (Cairns), the Deep Skull (Borneo) and the Bewah specimen (Malaysian Peninsula). This will provide a better understanding of the settlement of Australia and new knowledge about th ....The genetics of four ancient 'Kings' of Sahul and Sunda. This project aims to recover all the genetic information from four ancient humans. Two of these iconic specimens come from Australia and two from Malaysia. We will sequence the entire DNA (genomes) and proteins (proteome) of Mungo Man (Willandra), the Yidinji King (Cairns), the Deep Skull (Borneo) and the Bewah specimen (Malaysian Peninsula). This will provide a better understanding of the settlement of Australia and new knowledge about the ancient people of Australasia and their relationship to other human populations worldwide. The research will use cutting-edge methods of DNA and protein sequencing of ancient human material and will provide critical reference genomes / proteomes that will anchor future research.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100008
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,103.00
Summary
Exploring the evolution and ecology of non-photosynthetic Cyanobacteria. This project aims to contribute and expand our rudimentary understanding of non-photosynthetic Cyanobacteria by obtaining representative genome sequences using metagenomics. The dogma that all Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic has recently been challenged by the discovery of non-photosynthetic lineages. This project expects to obtain representative genome sequences using metagenomics to predict surface structures. The expect ....Exploring the evolution and ecology of non-photosynthetic Cyanobacteria. This project aims to contribute and expand our rudimentary understanding of non-photosynthetic Cyanobacteria by obtaining representative genome sequences using metagenomics. The dogma that all Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic has recently been challenged by the discovery of non-photosynthetic lineages. This project expects to obtain representative genome sequences using metagenomics to predict surface structures. The expected outcomes from this project includes providing insights into the function and evolution of non-photosynthetic Cyanobacteria and their viruses, and pure or enriched cultures to enable future studies.Read moreRead less
The origins of Australia's non-Pama-Nyungan speaking people. This project aims to test the likelihood of multiple migrations into Australia before European arrival and determine if the phylogenetic relationships among non-Pama-Nyungan languages is mirrored by their speakers’ genomic phylogenetic relationships. The non-Pama-Nyungan First People of Australia speak an extraordinary number and diversity of Aboriginal languages, but the origins of these languages and the genomic diversity of the peop ....The origins of Australia's non-Pama-Nyungan speaking people. This project aims to test the likelihood of multiple migrations into Australia before European arrival and determine if the phylogenetic relationships among non-Pama-Nyungan languages is mirrored by their speakers’ genomic phylogenetic relationships. The non-Pama-Nyungan First People of Australia speak an extraordinary number and diversity of Aboriginal languages, but the origins of these languages and the genomic diversity of the people who speak them are only now starting to be understood. There is a remarkable concordance between the Pama-Nyungan languages and the genomic diversity of their speakers. This research could show whether genomes change languages or vice versa, or whether they evolve together over time.Read moreRead less