The co-expression of visual pigments in a single photoreceptor: environmental regulation and spectral tuning. The light sensitive cells (photoreceptors) in the vertebrate retina contain filters (oil droplets) and visual pigments (opsins). These structures tune the incoming light and initiate the visual process, respectively. Exciting new research reveals that some vertebrates express more than one opsin within a single photoreceptor. We plan to examine the regulation of single and two co-express ....The co-expression of visual pigments in a single photoreceptor: environmental regulation and spectral tuning. The light sensitive cells (photoreceptors) in the vertebrate retina contain filters (oil droplets) and visual pigments (opsins). These structures tune the incoming light and initiate the visual process, respectively. Exciting new research reveals that some vertebrates express more than one opsin within a single photoreceptor. We plan to examine the regulation of single and two co-expressed opsin genes by manipulating the light environment. We expect to determine the environmental triggers for visual pigment tuning and the effects of co-expression on colour vision.Read moreRead less
Environmental regulation of opsin expression and spectral tuning in the vertebrate retina. Exciting new evidence shows that the vertebrate visual system is extraordinarily plastic and that the colour and brightness of the ambient light regulates both the spatial and temporal expression of visual pigments (opsin) genes and the degree of spectral filtering in the retina. Based on findings that more than one visual pigment can be co-expressed in a single photoreceptor type, we plan to manipulate th ....Environmental regulation of opsin expression and spectral tuning in the vertebrate retina. Exciting new evidence shows that the vertebrate visual system is extraordinarily plastic and that the colour and brightness of the ambient light regulates both the spatial and temporal expression of visual pigments (opsin) genes and the degree of spectral filtering in the retina. Based on findings that more than one visual pigment can be co-expressed in a single photoreceptor type, we plan to manipulate the light environment in order to identify and quantify the effect of different lighting regimes by morphological, spectral and molecular techniques in a concerted effort to understand the regulation of opsin expression.Read moreRead less
The evolution of colour vision in vertebrates. Colour vision plays a crucial role in the lives of many animals including vertebrates. However, very little is known about the origins of colour vision and we aim to fill this gap. Photoreceptors (cone cells) with sensitivities to different colours mediate colour vision (humans possess blue, green and red cones). This study will examine the structure, physiological responses and molecular biology of these cells in the closest living relatives of the ....The evolution of colour vision in vertebrates. Colour vision plays a crucial role in the lives of many animals including vertebrates. However, very little is known about the origins of colour vision and we aim to fill this gap. Photoreceptors (cone cells) with sensitivities to different colours mediate colour vision (humans possess blue, green and red cones). This study will examine the structure, physiological responses and molecular biology of these cells in the closest living relatives of the early vertebrates. The underlying mechanisms for spectral tuning, the genetic rate of evolutionary change and the importance of colour in visual ecology will also be examined.Read moreRead less
Elucidating the neural pathways and genetic basis of speech. The project will elucidate the biological basis of speech, a unique feature of the human condition. The project will do this by i) discovering genes associated with speech disorder and ii) defining the neural pathways associated with speech production. This study will address critical questions regarding gene, brain and behaviour relationships in speech.
Specification of the nerve cell subtypes in the developing central nervous system. Different subtypes of nerve cells in the brain, which carry out distinct functions, are generated in the embryo by the co-ordinated action of many genes. This project aims to use the genetic advantages of the zebrafish to determine the role of genes in specifying the final fates of nerve cells in the retina, which analyses visual signals within the eye.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101311
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Role of intrinsic versus extrinsic cues in cell type determination during development and regeneration. During development all of the different cell types are generated by the action of genes and also signals from the embryo that read out which cell types are present or missing. This project studies how much environmental signals affect cell type generation developmentally and if they can be used to regenerate only the types missing in different diseases.
Drinking from the fire hose - Making sense of high density genetic and genomic data. The project will improve our understanding of the genetic component of common complex diseases such as cancer. Identification of genetic variants underlying disease risk is currently one of the primary means for increasing our understanding of the biochemical and developmental pathways involved. Genetic studies rely on sophisticated statistical and computational (bioinformatics) techniques. This project centres ....Drinking from the fire hose - Making sense of high density genetic and genomic data. The project will improve our understanding of the genetic component of common complex diseases such as cancer. Identification of genetic variants underlying disease risk is currently one of the primary means for increasing our understanding of the biochemical and developmental pathways involved. Genetic studies rely on sophisticated statistical and computational (bioinformatics) techniques. This project centres on the development, refinement and application of novel statistical analysis methods in genetics. Future advances in statistical and computational methods are essential if we are to exploit the large volumes of genome data now being generated to help develop diagnostics and interventions to improve public health.Read moreRead less
Genetic control of plant organ growth. Plants organs, such as leaves and petals, have a distinct size and shape reflecting differences in growth. Despite its importance, very little is known about the mechanisms that regulate growth. The objectives of this proposal are a) to test whether organ growth depends on cell-cell signalling and b) to identifying genes that regulate growth, and to characterize their molecular function.
Marsupial germ cells and genes. Germ cells are the most fascinating cells in the body, since theirs is the unique responsibility for transmitting life from generation to generation. Studies in mice have suggested that position in the embryo determines their origin, but the early embryology of the mouse is so different from that of other mammals that the events need confirming and extending in another species. The simplified embryology of the tammar wallaby makes it ideal for studying one of the ....Marsupial germ cells and genes. Germ cells are the most fascinating cells in the body, since theirs is the unique responsibility for transmitting life from generation to generation. Studies in mice have suggested that position in the embryo determines their origin, but the early embryology of the mouse is so different from that of other mammals that the events need confirming and extending in another species. The simplified embryology of the tammar wallaby makes it ideal for studying one of the most fundamental questions in the whole of biology: what is the basis for the primal distinction between sex and soma?Read moreRead less
How does the unilaminar blastocyst form an embryo? Marsupials are synonymous with Australia and they are scientifically amazing. An understanding how the single-layered marsupial blastocyst cells are directed to form the complex organisation of an embryo would help us understand the biology underlying the developmental potential of all cells. Understanding these processes is not only of great fundamental interest to developmental biology but also for the development of embryonic stem cell lines. ....How does the unilaminar blastocyst form an embryo? Marsupials are synonymous with Australia and they are scientifically amazing. An understanding how the single-layered marsupial blastocyst cells are directed to form the complex organisation of an embryo would help us understand the biology underlying the developmental potential of all cells. Understanding these processes is not only of great fundamental interest to developmental biology but also for the development of embryonic stem cell lines. This research will continue Australia's high profile in reproductive biology using one of our iconic native mammals. A greater understanding of marsupial reproduction will also contribute to management of our threatened marsupial populations.Read moreRead less