Feeding and digestion in tropical rock lobster phyllosoma larvae and its applications for culture. Provision of larval culture diets that provide optimal nutrition in a suitable presentation format is the major challenge for developing a rock lobster aquaculture industry. Tropical rock lobsters are likely contenders due to their faster growth rates and shorter larval phase than temperate species. This project will assess the ingestive and digestive capabilities of larvae during development, thro ....Feeding and digestion in tropical rock lobster phyllosoma larvae and its applications for culture. Provision of larval culture diets that provide optimal nutrition in a suitable presentation format is the major challenge for developing a rock lobster aquaculture industry. Tropical rock lobsters are likely contenders due to their faster growth rates and shorter larval phase than temperate species. This project will assess the ingestive and digestive capabilities of larvae during development, through an examination of mouthpart and gut structure and their types and concentration of digestive enzymes. Information will be used to formulate and test improved diets of appropriate size, texture and nutritional composition and will be the first comprehensive analysis of preferred larval diets on the basis of their biological and physiological characteristics.Read moreRead less
Host-pathogen interactions: the role of mimicry. The proposed research program, using a combination of structure and functional analysis will provide insight into the mechanism of nucleotide hydrolysis by the enzymes NTPDases. This study will not only improve our fundamental understanding of NTPDase action but could lead to the rational design of antimicrobials.
Insect development : the role of cytochrome P450s. Pest insects vector human diseases such as malaria and impose a massive burden in agriculture due to control costs and production losses. The intelligent control of insect pests requires an understanding of their development that is controlled by hormones. This project will provide an in depth understanding of insect hormone synthesis/degradation that is controlled by a class of enzymes, the cytochrome P450s. This will increase the potential ....Insect development : the role of cytochrome P450s. Pest insects vector human diseases such as malaria and impose a massive burden in agriculture due to control costs and production losses. The intelligent control of insect pests requires an understanding of their development that is controlled by hormones. This project will provide an in depth understanding of insect hormone synthesis/degradation that is controlled by a class of enzymes, the cytochrome P450s. This will increase the potential for new insect-specific control strategies with a decreased environmental impact.Read moreRead less
Investigation of a Novel Protein Implicated in Phosphate Metabolism in Bacteria. Phosphate is an important nutrient for all forms of life on Earth. A novel bacterial protein has been identified that appears to be important for the uptake or processing of phosphate, since mutants lacking the protein grow poorly inside certain cells of the human immune system (where phosphate levels are low) and in media containing low phosphate. The aims of this project are: to determine the role of the protein b ....Investigation of a Novel Protein Implicated in Phosphate Metabolism in Bacteria. Phosphate is an important nutrient for all forms of life on Earth. A novel bacterial protein has been identified that appears to be important for the uptake or processing of phosphate, since mutants lacking the protein grow poorly inside certain cells of the human immune system (where phosphate levels are low) and in media containing low phosphate. The aims of this project are: to determine the role of the protein by examining all phosphate containing molecules in our mutants; to determine its location in bacteria and functional domains; to identify other affected genes in our mutants; and, to find proteins that interact with this new protein. This project expects to demonstrate the importance of this protein in phosphate metabolism in bacteria.Read moreRead less
Novel mechanisms of bacterial arsenic metabolism - arsenate reduction and arsenite oxidation. Novel arsenic metabolising bacteria (i.e., arsenate respiring and arsenite oxidising), which are both phylogenetically and physiologically unique, have been isolated from arsenic-contaminated areas in Australia. The arsenate respiring bacterium, Chrysiogenes arsenatis, is of particular interest as it is the only organism reported able to respire with arsenate using the respiratory substrate acetate as t ....Novel mechanisms of bacterial arsenic metabolism - arsenate reduction and arsenite oxidation. Novel arsenic metabolising bacteria (i.e., arsenate respiring and arsenite oxidising), which are both phylogenetically and physiologically unique, have been isolated from arsenic-contaminated areas in Australia. The arsenate respiring bacterium, Chrysiogenes arsenatis, is of particular interest as it is the only organism reported able to respire with arsenate using the respiratory substrate acetate as the electron donor. It is proposed that physiological, biochemical and molecular biological studies be carried out to better understand the mechanisms by which these organisms metabolise arsenic. The knowledge gained from these studies will have worldwide application in the development of an arsenic bioremediation system.Read moreRead less
Post-translational control of cell fate decision. Deciphering the multi-layered regulation of cell fate decisions is challenging. While progress has been made in understanding the role of transcriptional regulation, the influence of post-translational modification is poorly understood. Neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 4 (NEDD4)-mediated ubiquitination is absolute necessary for sex determination, a unique model of cell fate decision where gonadal cell precurs ....Post-translational control of cell fate decision. Deciphering the multi-layered regulation of cell fate decisions is challenging. While progress has been made in understanding the role of transcriptional regulation, the influence of post-translational modification is poorly understood. Neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 4 (NEDD4)-mediated ubiquitination is absolute necessary for sex determination, a unique model of cell fate decision where gonadal cell precursors differentiate either along the male or the female pathway. Thus, this project aims to analyse in detail at which stage NEDD4 action is required and what are the crucial target proteins. This project could provide a deeper understanding of how post-translational modifications influence cell fate decisions during embryogenesis.Read moreRead less
To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in antibiotic resistance shown by Gram-negative bacteria. Bacterial infections can strike anyone and usually the body's immune system, which is designed to fight infection, defeats the invading bacteria. Sometimes however, the burden of infection proves too great, so these infections can prove fatal. For 50 years, we have relied on antibiotics to successfully treat the majority of common bacterial infections. As a result, emphasis must be pl ....To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in antibiotic resistance shown by Gram-negative bacteria. Bacterial infections can strike anyone and usually the body's immune system, which is designed to fight infection, defeats the invading bacteria. Sometimes however, the burden of infection proves too great, so these infections can prove fatal. For 50 years, we have relied on antibiotics to successfully treat the majority of common bacterial infections. As a result, emphasis must be placed on the disquieting reality whilst enjoy the use of antibiotics, an inescapable cost is the development of bacterial resistance. The increasing prevalence of bacterial tolerance against beta-lactams is a problem and as a result is a most pressing health issue. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100418
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Novel chemical tools to study cathepsin X activation. This project aims to develop new chemical tools that can measure the specific activation of cathepsin X in cells, tissues, and live animals, as well as specific inhibitors for cathepsin X. The cysteine protease cathepsin X mediates basic biological functions that are essential for life, including cell communication, phagocytosis, immune maturation and neuritogenesis. The outcomes should benefit the wider research community. They could have lo ....Novel chemical tools to study cathepsin X activation. This project aims to develop new chemical tools that can measure the specific activation of cathepsin X in cells, tissues, and live animals, as well as specific inhibitors for cathepsin X. The cysteine protease cathepsin X mediates basic biological functions that are essential for life, including cell communication, phagocytosis, immune maturation and neuritogenesis. The outcomes should benefit the wider research community. They could have long-term implications for health and disease, and deliver economic benefits through commercialisation of the novel tools.Read moreRead less
A global approach to structure, assembly and function of yeast mitochondrial ATP synthase. ATP synthase is responsible for the synthesis of the ubiquitous energy substance ATP in living cells. This multisubunit enzyme complex is a molecular rotatory motor whose mechanism relies on functional dynamic interactions of the component protein subunits of the complex. Using a combination of powerful and sophisticated molecular biology techniques the functional and dynamic contacts made by subunits wi ....A global approach to structure, assembly and function of yeast mitochondrial ATP synthase. ATP synthase is responsible for the synthesis of the ubiquitous energy substance ATP in living cells. This multisubunit enzyme complex is a molecular rotatory motor whose mechanism relies on functional dynamic interactions of the component protein subunits of the complex. Using a combination of powerful and sophisticated molecular biology techniques the functional and dynamic contacts made by subunits within the complex, or between ATP synthase and other enzyme complex involved in energy production (including other ATP synthase complexes) will be investigated. New and significant insights into one of the most fundamental and challenging enzymes of life will be obtained.Read moreRead less
The Structure Function and Biology of Serpins. The serpin family of proteins control protease activity, in a variety of biological systems, via a dramatic conformational change. We are 4 leaders in the serpin reseacrh field using an integrated approach of biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, cell biology, structural biology and bioinformatics to analyse every facet of serpin structure, function and biology. We will apply and develop novel technologies that will determine how these confor ....The Structure Function and Biology of Serpins. The serpin family of proteins control protease activity, in a variety of biological systems, via a dramatic conformational change. We are 4 leaders in the serpin reseacrh field using an integrated approach of biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, cell biology, structural biology and bioinformatics to analyse every facet of serpin structure, function and biology. We will apply and develop novel technologies that will determine how these conformational changes are achieved and how they are controlled. Our increased understanding of this inhibitor - enzyme interaction will have implications to other proteins which undergo conformational change and biotechnology.Read moreRead less