Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989105
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$495,000.00
Summary
An Advanced Mass Spectrometry Facility for Applications in Proteomics and Organic Chemistry. Biomolecular research and research training, in which proteomics is core, has become a critical component of post-industrial development in the Hunter region. Development of a cutting edge proteomics facility will benefit a research community comprising over 50 researchers and 150 undergraduate students significantly enhancing their research productivity and translation of outcomes in areas of national i ....An Advanced Mass Spectrometry Facility for Applications in Proteomics and Organic Chemistry. Biomolecular research and research training, in which proteomics is core, has become a critical component of post-industrial development in the Hunter region. Development of a cutting edge proteomics facility will benefit a research community comprising over 50 researchers and 150 undergraduate students significantly enhancing their research productivity and translation of outcomes in areas of national importance. These include understanding the impact of the environment on plant and animal development, pest animal control, development of new biotechnology tools, new drugs and new methods for the detection of narcotics and explosives.Read moreRead less
Hierarchical modeling of protein interactions. Protein interactions play a central role in function and structural organization of cells. Their elucidation is essential for a better understanding of many cellular processes from signal transduction to enzyme inhibition. The aim of this project is to utilize the unprecedented powers of current supercomputers in developing a hierarchical model of protein interactions. The method combines Brownian dynamics at large distances and long time scales ....Hierarchical modeling of protein interactions. Protein interactions play a central role in function and structural organization of cells. Their elucidation is essential for a better understanding of many cellular processes from signal transduction to enzyme inhibition. The aim of this project is to utilize the unprecedented powers of current supercomputers in developing a hierarchical model of protein interactions. The method combines Brownian dynamics at large distances and long time scales with molecular dynamics at small distances and shorter times. Applications to both membrane proteins (blocking of ion channels by toxins and drugs) and globular proteins (ligand binding to receptors and protein association) will be considered.Read moreRead less
New functions for bioactive flavonoids in plants and mammals. We have discovered natural products with biological activity in plants and mammals. These molecules affect plant shape and development and the process of mammalian blood vessel formation. We seek to understand how these molecules work. More understanding is required before one can begin to utilise these molecules for possible beneficial agriculture or human health outcomes. Plant shape influences such things as yield or more drought-r ....New functions for bioactive flavonoids in plants and mammals. We have discovered natural products with biological activity in plants and mammals. These molecules affect plant shape and development and the process of mammalian blood vessel formation. We seek to understand how these molecules work. More understanding is required before one can begin to utilise these molecules for possible beneficial agriculture or human health outcomes. Plant shape influences such things as yield or more drought-resilient root systems. Importantly, we have discovered specific molecules that either promote or inhibit blood vessel formation. A better understanding of how these molecules work could lead to novel treatments for cancer or cardiovascular disease.Read moreRead less
Targeting of lipid transfer proteins and other secreted plant defence proteins by pathogen effectors. Australia depends on plant products for much of its export income and plant diseases are a continual threat to these earnings. New insights into plant disease resistance mechanisms will provide new opportunities to find solutions to disease problems. Often this involves transfer of knowledge gained in simple model plant systems to more complicated crop plant systems. Work on the role of lipid tr ....Targeting of lipid transfer proteins and other secreted plant defence proteins by pathogen effectors. Australia depends on plant products for much of its export income and plant diseases are a continual threat to these earnings. New insights into plant disease resistance mechanisms will provide new opportunities to find solutions to disease problems. Often this involves transfer of knowledge gained in simple model plant systems to more complicated crop plant systems. Work on the role of lipid transfer proteins in the tomato model system will advance our knowledge of fundamental disease and disease resistance processes and ultimately enable technological innovations to improve disease resistance, reduce pesticide usage and lower crop production costs.Read moreRead less
Chloroplast pigments as developmental signals. This project will define roles of chloroplast pigments in cellular signaling, plant growth and development. Effective communication between the chloroplast and the nucleus is essential for maintaining viability and productivity of the cell. Similarly, long-distance signaling is required for coordinated growth and development and we hypothesise that pigments also have importance in this role. Our proposal brings together the multidisciplinary skills ....Chloroplast pigments as developmental signals. This project will define roles of chloroplast pigments in cellular signaling, plant growth and development. Effective communication between the chloroplast and the nucleus is essential for maintaining viability and productivity of the cell. Similarly, long-distance signaling is required for coordinated growth and development and we hypothesise that pigments also have importance in this role. Our proposal brings together the multidisciplinary skills and resources of six investigators to define how certain carotenoids and chlorophyll precursors regulate gene expression and to determine the identity of what is most likely a carotenoid derivative with hormonal properties that controls lateral branch growth.Read moreRead less
The role of the Ttyh1 protein in cell activation. We have cloned TTYH1, a human homologue of the Drosophila melanogaster tweety gene. The mouse gene has also been identified. The predicted structure of the protein is a membrane protein with 5 transmembrane domains. We have also expressed a GFP-tagged fusion protein in mouse fibroblasts. Confocal microscopy indicates that this protein is likely to be a novel adhesion molecule, with a cellular distribution characteristic of molecules such as integ ....The role of the Ttyh1 protein in cell activation. We have cloned TTYH1, a human homologue of the Drosophila melanogaster tweety gene. The mouse gene has also been identified. The predicted structure of the protein is a membrane protein with 5 transmembrane domains. We have also expressed a GFP-tagged fusion protein in mouse fibroblasts. Confocal microscopy indicates that this protein is likely to be a novel adhesion molecule, with a cellular distribution characteristic of molecules such as integrins. We aim to determine the function of Ttyh1, its interacting intra- and extra-cellular proteins and to assess its candidature as a molecule of importance in cell migration and adhesion.Read moreRead less