Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100008
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Laser microdissection microscopy system for cell and development biology. The University of Newcastle has invested heavily in its biological and life sciences to create a research nexus focusing on national research priorities in biotechnology and environmental protection. The live cell laser microdissection platform will be utilised by scientists researching such strategically important areas as developmental biology, intracellular signalling cascades, cell cycle dynamics, plant development and ....Laser microdissection microscopy system for cell and development biology. The University of Newcastle has invested heavily in its biological and life sciences to create a research nexus focusing on national research priorities in biotechnology and environmental protection. The live cell laser microdissection platform will be utilised by scientists researching such strategically important areas as developmental biology, intracellular signalling cascades, cell cycle dynamics, plant development and microbiology. Moreover, this component of the University's research portfolio plays a major role in the postgraduate training of young Australian scientists who will, in turn, fuel future developments in both the life sciences and biotechnology industries.Read moreRead less
Cell wall invertase regulates fruit and seed development through sugar signals, sugar transporters and plasmodesmal gating. This project seeks to understand the molecular and cellular events controlling carbohydrate allocation in fruit and seed by focusing the coupling between sugar metabolism and transport using tomato as a model. The information generated may provide technological opportunities to improve fruit and seed development hence, crop yield.
Mechanisms regulating plant cell expansion: assessing the role of aquaporins and sugar signalling. This project seeks to understand the role of water channel genes in controlling water flow into expanding plant cells by using cotton fibre as a model cell. Water flow plays critical roles in plant growth, hence yield. The information generated may provide technological opportunities for improving water flow and utilization, hence, crop yield.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100001
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,475.00
Summary
Pushing the limits of fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics. This project aims to establish an adaptive optics, super-resolution optical microscopy facility to image cellular events with the highest possible spatial resolution, in a whole cell or tissue context. Sophisticated computer-controlled deformable mirrors will be used to correct the way light is distorted as it passes through specimens, thereby overcoming aberrations found in thick and complex samples. This adaptive optics system ....Pushing the limits of fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics. This project aims to establish an adaptive optics, super-resolution optical microscopy facility to image cellular events with the highest possible spatial resolution, in a whole cell or tissue context. Sophisticated computer-controlled deformable mirrors will be used to correct the way light is distorted as it passes through specimens, thereby overcoming aberrations found in thick and complex samples. This adaptive optics system will enable researchers to study complex behaviour of biological specimens, at the optical resolution limit in plant and animal tissues, leading to basic biology and biotechnology outcomes in biofuels, biomaterials and biomedicines.Read moreRead less
Molecular adaptation of photosynthesis powered by long-wavelength light. Some photosynthetic organisms have a remarkable ability to accumulate long-wavelength absorbing photopigments, such as chlorophyll f, in response to the changed light and nutrient environments. The project aims to demonstrate that the structure and function of undefined chlorophyll f-binding proteins can be changed and controlled in desired light and nutrient conditions. The optimised photosynthesis strengthens their adapta ....Molecular adaptation of photosynthesis powered by long-wavelength light. Some photosynthetic organisms have a remarkable ability to accumulate long-wavelength absorbing photopigments, such as chlorophyll f, in response to the changed light and nutrient environments. The project aims to demonstrate that the structure and function of undefined chlorophyll f-binding proteins can be changed and controlled in desired light and nutrient conditions. The optimised photosynthesis strengthens their adaptation capability and challenges the long wavelength limits of photosynthesis. The research outcome will provide tools and a molecular blueprint for the adaptation of photosynthesis with optimised energy transfer pathway and efficiency for potential future molecular applications. Read moreRead less
Wall ingrowth formation in plant transfer cells - discovering regulatory transcription factor cascades. This project will discover how specialised plant 'transfer cells', designed for optimum transport of nutrients, develop complex wall ingrowths. Discovering the genes which regulate wall ingrowth deposition in these cells will generate opportunities to improve crop yield and therefore contribute to addressing global food security.
Cell-cell signaling in the regulation of cell polarity in plants. This project aims to investigate how plants cells communicate with each other to coordinate their growth and directionality. The project is expected to generate new knowledge in the area of plant developmental biology. Expected outcomes include a new mechanistic framework, built from the cellular level, for understanding and manipulating plant growth and the building of new international collaborations. The project should provide ....Cell-cell signaling in the regulation of cell polarity in plants. This project aims to investigate how plants cells communicate with each other to coordinate their growth and directionality. The project is expected to generate new knowledge in the area of plant developmental biology. Expected outcomes include a new mechanistic framework, built from the cellular level, for understanding and manipulating plant growth and the building of new international collaborations. The project should provide an enhanced ability to modify crop architecture to improve agricultural output.Read moreRead less
Targeting chloroplasts to enhance crop salt tolerance. Yield losses in crop plants due to increasingly saline soils are linked to the effects of salt on chloroplasts. By comparing chloroplast water- and salt-transport mechanisms of closely related salt-loving and salt-sensitive plants, this Fellowships aims to discover how chloroplasts maintain function in saline conditions. Novel biophysics and molecular techniques will be used to characterise transporters in model plants, and proof-of-concept ....Targeting chloroplasts to enhance crop salt tolerance. Yield losses in crop plants due to increasingly saline soils are linked to the effects of salt on chloroplasts. By comparing chloroplast water- and salt-transport mechanisms of closely related salt-loving and salt-sensitive plants, this Fellowships aims to discover how chloroplasts maintain function in saline conditions. Novel biophysics and molecular techniques will be used to characterise transporters in model plants, and proof-of-concept complementation experiments aim to confer salt tolerance on sensitive plants. These fundamental insights are likely to lead to rapid, step-change improvements in salt tolerance, especially in agriculturally relevant crops, to benefit Australia’s agri-industry and ensure food security in the future.Read moreRead less
Elucidating the molecular basis of plant potyvirus resistance . Plant viruses are responsible for a large proportion of crop losses, and genetic resistance is currently the most effective means to control viral spread. This project investigates, on a molecular and structural level, host factors that plant viruses hijack during infection, and in particular, the mutations in these factors that confer resistance. We further aim to elucidate the mechanisms by which plant viruses overcome resistance ....Elucidating the molecular basis of plant potyvirus resistance . Plant viruses are responsible for a large proportion of crop losses, and genetic resistance is currently the most effective means to control viral spread. This project investigates, on a molecular and structural level, host factors that plant viruses hijack during infection, and in particular, the mutations in these factors that confer resistance. We further aim to elucidate the mechanisms by which plant viruses overcome resistance mediated by these host factors. A detailed understanding of the molecular interactions between plant viruses and their host will enable new, robust and more effective forms of resistance to be engineered. This work therefore has economic and environmental implications for agricultural productivity in Australia. Read moreRead less
Carbon flux and its regulation in metabolic networks. Allocation of photo-assimilates throughout metabolic networks are central to a plants ability to cope with changes in its environment. This project will combine the use of quantitative molecular, chemical and imaging techniques to characterise the flux of resources and its regulation through metabolic networks of Australian native and crop plants.