Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0214135
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$492,000.00
Summary
High performance protein crystallography. This proposal will provide state of the art high performance facilities for protein crystallography, bringing together the major structural biology groups in NSW and the ACT. A renewed focus on protein crystal structures will stimulate new interpretation and utilization of the vast amount of data that has come from genomics, especially the sequencing of the human genome. The proposed facility will generate new research collaborations between the partn ....High performance protein crystallography. This proposal will provide state of the art high performance facilities for protein crystallography, bringing together the major structural biology groups in NSW and the ACT. A renewed focus on protein crystal structures will stimulate new interpretation and utilization of the vast amount of data that has come from genomics, especially the sequencing of the human genome. The proposed facility will generate new research collaborations between the partner institutions which will result in advances in basic life sciences, biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals. The facility will complement regional initiatives in functional genomics, bioinformatics, proteomics and high-field NMR spectroscopy.Read moreRead less
Molecular Interactions in the Eubacterial Replisome: A Paradigm for Study of Dynamic Macromolecular Machines. Many pathogenic bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics in common use, and new drugs are urgently required to kill them. Copying of their chromosomes before they divide into two new cells is essential for bacteria to live, so DNA synthesis is a good process to target for development of new antibiotics. This project will use state-of-the-art equipment available in several labora ....Molecular Interactions in the Eubacterial Replisome: A Paradigm for Study of Dynamic Macromolecular Machines. Many pathogenic bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics in common use, and new drugs are urgently required to kill them. Copying of their chromosomes before they divide into two new cells is essential for bacteria to live, so DNA synthesis is a good process to target for development of new antibiotics. This project will use state-of-the-art equipment available in several laboratories in Australia and overseas to develop new understanding of how the molecular machine that copies DNA works. This k nowledge could lead to new drugs, and will give us new information about how cellular machines function.Read moreRead less
The chemical, biochemical, genetic and ecological basis of pollinator-driven speciation in Australian sexually deceptive orchids. The Australian biota offers unique opportunities for illuminating ecological and evolutionary processes of worldwide importance. Focussing on Australian sexually deceptive orchids, this study offers a model system for studies of plant speciation that has already captured the interest of the public, educators and scientists around the world. The project will produce mu ....The chemical, biochemical, genetic and ecological basis of pollinator-driven speciation in Australian sexually deceptive orchids. The Australian biota offers unique opportunities for illuminating ecological and evolutionary processes of worldwide importance. Focussing on Australian sexually deceptive orchids, this study offers a model system for studies of plant speciation that has already captured the interest of the public, educators and scientists around the world. The project will produce multiple graduate students with high quality, cross-disciplinary training. Expertise and tools developed will contribute directly to the conservation of endangered Australian orchids. Thus the knowledge obtained from this research will have immediate practical benefits for the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity.Read moreRead less
3D Structure determination of biomacromolecular assemblies from sparse data. This project has direct impact on pharmaceutical research: Biomacromolecular interactions are key points for pharmaceutical intervention and detailed structural knowledge of dynamic protein interactions can significantly accelerate drug development. Australia has invested in expensive instrumentation that can be used with new laboratory methods to obtain information on delicately balanced biomacromolecular interactions, ....3D Structure determination of biomacromolecular assemblies from sparse data. This project has direct impact on pharmaceutical research: Biomacromolecular interactions are key points for pharmaceutical intervention and detailed structural knowledge of dynamic protein interactions can significantly accelerate drug development. Australia has invested in expensive instrumentation that can be used with new laboratory methods to obtain information on delicately balanced biomacromolecular interactions, and how they malfunction in disease. This project will provide a computational framework to increase the impact of this investment by integrating measurements from a range of novel technologies and developing understanding of changes in structure of large protein complexes in different functional states.Read moreRead less
New Methods for Structural Biology in Solution. It is proposed to establish a new research group that focuses on the development of new nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technologies and applications to problems concerning protein structure and function. This includes
- the exploitation of new NMR parameters;
- optimization of an inexpensive in vitro protein expression system;
- development of experimental strategies for the identification of protein-ligand surfaces by chemical modificatio ....New Methods for Structural Biology in Solution. It is proposed to establish a new research group that focuses on the development of new nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technologies and applications to problems concerning protein structure and function. This includes
- the exploitation of new NMR parameters;
- optimization of an inexpensive in vitro protein expression system;
- development of experimental strategies for the identification of protein-ligand surfaces by chemical modification, as a basis for high-throughput mass spectrometrical analyses;
- development of an algorithm for rapid resonance assignment of 15N-labelled proteins which is of importance for the pharmaceutical industry;
- 3D structure determinations of proteins and protein domains.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775529
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Structural elucidation by chemical degradation mass spectrometry using a linear ion trap with electron transfer dissociation. The mass spectrometric instrumentation that we plan to acquire represents a true breakthrough in technology, and will be the first of its kind in operation in Australia. The instrument to be purchased will improve the ability of a wide cross section of researchers to characterize compounds important in fields as varied as medical research, agricultural biotechnology, and ....Structural elucidation by chemical degradation mass spectrometry using a linear ion trap with electron transfer dissociation. The mass spectrometric instrumentation that we plan to acquire represents a true breakthrough in technology, and will be the first of its kind in operation in Australia. The instrument to be purchased will improve the ability of a wide cross section of researchers to characterize compounds important in fields as varied as medical research, agricultural biotechnology, and natural product characterization. All types of chemical research, from fundamental to applied, will benefit from access to this system, which has clearly positive implications with regard to societal impact. Implementing this type of frontier technology is an essential step in maintaining the world class capabilities of the Australian research community.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100087
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
Regional Facility for Molecular Characterisation and Mapping. Researchers at the Schools of Chemistry at The Australian National University and University of Wollongong are involved in a range of projects where new molecules are synthesised or discovered in natural products such as rainforest plants and marine organisms. Some of the molecules have already shown promise against diseases such as Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease. In order to fully characterise these molecules, two complementa ....Regional Facility for Molecular Characterisation and Mapping. Researchers at the Schools of Chemistry at The Australian National University and University of Wollongong are involved in a range of projects where new molecules are synthesised or discovered in natural products such as rainforest plants and marine organisms. Some of the molecules have already shown promise against diseases such as Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease. In order to fully characterise these molecules, two complementary mass spectrometers, replacing ageing instrumentation will be commissioned at each site. In addition, researchers in Wollongong will acquire a MALDI mass spectrometer capable of imaging the distribution of molecules on tissues that may be pathologically important.Read moreRead less
Single Molecule Studies of Replisomal Function. It has recently become possible to watch the copying of DNA molecules with a specialized microscope in real time. This process requires assembly of a complex molecular machine on the DNA, followed by triggering of its function, and yields exquisitely detailed information about how the machine works. In this new collaboration between scientists in Australia and the U.S.A., we will assemble these machines on single DNA molecules, watch how they work ....Single Molecule Studies of Replisomal Function. It has recently become possible to watch the copying of DNA molecules with a specialized microscope in real time. This process requires assembly of a complex molecular machine on the DNA, followed by triggering of its function, and yields exquisitely detailed information about how the machine works. In this new collaboration between scientists in Australia and the U.S.A., we will assemble these machines on single DNA molecules, watch how they work and simultaneously measure the very small forces that the machines generate. This will give Australian scientists access to a new technology for studying molecular machines.Read moreRead less