Three-dimensional structures, substrate specificities and catalytic mechanisms of polysaccharide synthases. Plant wall polysaccharides are extensively used for food and fibre, and are important dietary components in human nutrition. A precise knowledge of mechanisms used by plants to synthesize these polysaccharides is unavailable, but would reveal potential routes to manipulate their biosynthesis in important crop species. For example, the levels or structures of polysaccharides might be modif ....Three-dimensional structures, substrate specificities and catalytic mechanisms of polysaccharide synthases. Plant wall polysaccharides are extensively used for food and fibre, and are important dietary components in human nutrition. A precise knowledge of mechanisms used by plants to synthesize these polysaccharides is unavailable, but would reveal potential routes to manipulate their biosynthesis in important crop species. For example, the levels or structures of polysaccharides might be modified to improve their efficacy as anti-cancer agents in human diets, to enhance digestibility of animal stock feeds, or to synthesise pharmologically valuable compounds. Thus, economic, social and environmental benefits will flow to both producers and consumers. Read moreRead less
Deciphering Electron Transfer Pathways in Bacteria. Enzyme catalysed oxidation reactions are key players in the production of naturally occurring biologically active molecules. These processes are tightly regulated by their electron transfer partners. This project aims to characterise new electron transfer ferredoxin proteins from a metabolically diverse bacterium. These ferredoxins, important in many bacteria, contain different non-cysteine amino acids in their iron-sulfur cluster binding motif ....Deciphering Electron Transfer Pathways in Bacteria. Enzyme catalysed oxidation reactions are key players in the production of naturally occurring biologically active molecules. These processes are tightly regulated by their electron transfer partners. This project aims to characterise new electron transfer ferredoxin proteins from a metabolically diverse bacterium. These ferredoxins, important in many bacteria, contain different non-cysteine amino acids in their iron-sulfur cluster binding motifs and are poorly defined. The outcomes will advance understandings of electron transfer, a fundamental process. This will allow strategies to combat human and plant pathogens and unlock the potential of these systems as biocatalysts for the green chemical synthesis of complex and valuable chemicals.Read moreRead less
Defining peptide structure and function: the shape of things to come. In this project we develop new and general ways of chemically defining the structure and function of natural peptides. This then provides a basis of potential therapies to treat a number of diseases currently confronting Australia's aging population, for example, cataract, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Understanding the mechanism of two important cytochrome P450 catalysed reactions: dehydrogenation and C-C cleavage. Cytochromes P450 are enzymes that play key roles in drug metabolism and biosynthesis. P450s often catalyse hydroxylation but also carry out important transformations such as dehydrogenation or carbon-carbon bond cleavage. Such reactions are pivotal in many biological pathways. This work will elucidate the mechanism of these transformations and the factors that facilitate their occu ....Understanding the mechanism of two important cytochrome P450 catalysed reactions: dehydrogenation and C-C cleavage. Cytochromes P450 are enzymes that play key roles in drug metabolism and biosynthesis. P450s often catalyse hydroxylation but also carry out important transformations such as dehydrogenation or carbon-carbon bond cleavage. Such reactions are pivotal in many biological pathways. This work will elucidate the mechanism of these transformations and the factors that facilitate their occurrence. This will mainly entail the synthesis of small organic mechanistic probes and determining the structure and stereochemistry of the product of enzymic oxidation. Understanding these mechanisms will allow us to predict when such reactions will occur, enabling their utilisation in for example drug design in the avoidance of the formation of toxic metabolites.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100181
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$650,000.00
Summary
Strengthening merit-based access and support at the new National Computing Infrastructure petascale supercomputing facility. World-leading high-performance computing is fundamental to Australia's international research success. This facility will provide access to the new National Computational Infrastructure facility by world-leading researchers from six research universities, and sustain ground-breaking work in an increasingly competitive environment.