The Origin and Evolution of the Animal Phyla inferred from Analysis of Multiple-Gene Data. Australia has recently begun an extensive research programme in the genomics of our flora and fauna. The enormous amounts of data that emerge from such research are highly complex, but they hold the key to understanding how biological organisms change over time. Our research will untangle that data to answer fundamental, unanswered questions in modern science: How did the animal groups originate? How are ....The Origin and Evolution of the Animal Phyla inferred from Analysis of Multiple-Gene Data. Australia has recently begun an extensive research programme in the genomics of our flora and fauna. The enormous amounts of data that emerge from such research are highly complex, but they hold the key to understanding how biological organisms change over time. Our research will untangle that data to answer fundamental, unanswered questions in modern science: How did the animal groups originate? How are they related to each other? How is biodiversity changing? The answers to these questions and the new analytical tools we will develop will put Australia firmly on the international "map" of Bioinformatics.Read moreRead less
Regressive evolution of eyes in subterranean water beetles of arid-zone Australia: A comparative phylogenetic approach. Reduction or total loss of non-functional characters are common evolutionary phenomena, but little is known of the genetic basis of this regressive evolution. This project will use a phylogenetic framework to investigate the forces responsible for evolution of eyelessness in subterranean water beetles, by studying molecular genetic variation in three key eye developmental genes ....Regressive evolution of eyes in subterranean water beetles of arid-zone Australia: A comparative phylogenetic approach. Reduction or total loss of non-functional characters are common evolutionary phenomena, but little is known of the genetic basis of this regressive evolution. This project will use a phylogenetic framework to investigate the forces responsible for evolution of eyelessness in subterranean water beetles, by studying molecular genetic variation in three key eye developmental genes. The water beetles are explicitly suitable to address the questions due to their numerous independently evolved eyeless species and relatively old age of divergence from surface relatives. The research will provide a major new perspective on regressive evolution and the relationship between gene structure and function.Read moreRead less
Analysing and modelling molecular rate variation among nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. My research will have important practical benefits for bioinformaticians and evolutionary biologists, because existing analytical methods will be rigorously tested and new tools will be developed. Australia has a comparatively high concentration of researchers in this field, so my research will foster domestic collaboration and import international expertise. The research will provide important insights int ....Analysing and modelling molecular rate variation among nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. My research will have important practical benefits for bioinformaticians and evolutionary biologists, because existing analytical methods will be rigorously tested and new tools will be developed. Australia has a comparatively high concentration of researchers in this field, so my research will foster domestic collaboration and import international expertise. The research will provide important insights into the rates and patterns of genetic changes associated with domestication, and into variation in evolutionary rates among the primate ancestors of humans. In addition to developing new software, which will be made publicly available, I will develop new evolutionary models to supplement existing software packages. Read moreRead less
Molecular evolution and toxinology of colubrid snake venom toxins. This project proposes to examine the origin and evolution of venom systems in advanced snakes (Caenophidia) focusing on the colubrid radiation comprising the rear-fanged species. Demonstration by us of the presence of a potent postsynaptic neurotoxin in the Durvenoy's secretions of the Asian ratsnake Elaphe radiata, an archetypal non-venomous colubrid species, forced a fundamental rethink of venom evolution. The toxin is homologo ....Molecular evolution and toxinology of colubrid snake venom toxins. This project proposes to examine the origin and evolution of venom systems in advanced snakes (Caenophidia) focusing on the colubrid radiation comprising the rear-fanged species. Demonstration by us of the presence of a potent postsynaptic neurotoxin in the Durvenoy's secretions of the Asian ratsnake Elaphe radiata, an archetypal non-venomous colubrid species, forced a fundamental rethink of venom evolution. The toxin is homologous with the three finger toxins, previously thought unique to elapids, and supports the role of venom as a key evolutionary innovation in the diversification of advanced snakes. This project extends this work to other species and toxin families.Read moreRead less
Improving the accuracy of phylogenetic reconstruction by improving models of sequence divergence. Phylogenies describe the relationships among species and provide the essential framework for understanding evolutionary processes. They are an essential tool in the identification of functionally important regions in DNA sequences. An important aspect of identifying phylogenies is measuring how DNA sequences change in time. The proposed research will develop sophisticated, practical models of sequen ....Improving the accuracy of phylogenetic reconstruction by improving models of sequence divergence. Phylogenies describe the relationships among species and provide the essential framework for understanding evolutionary processes. They are an essential tool in the identification of functionally important regions in DNA sequences. An important aspect of identifying phylogenies is measuring how DNA sequences change in time. The proposed research will develop sophisticated, practical models of sequence divergence and make them freely available in open source software. The software and models will positively impact on studies seeking to understand Australian biological diversity. The proposed resolution of the eutherian mammal orders will further significantly impact on utilisation of rodents as a model organism for human biology.Read moreRead less
The major histocompatibility complex and scent-mediated mate choice in a Procellariiform, Gould's petrel. In Australia, there are 25 species of Procellariiformes listed as threatened or endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Formulating comprehensive conservation plans for endangered species requires a good understanding of the species' breeding biology yet virtually nothing is known about the mechanisms involved in mate choice in the procellariiforms ....The major histocompatibility complex and scent-mediated mate choice in a Procellariiform, Gould's petrel. In Australia, there are 25 species of Procellariiformes listed as threatened or endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Formulating comprehensive conservation plans for endangered species requires a good understanding of the species' breeding biology yet virtually nothing is known about the mechanisms involved in mate choice in the procellariiforms. A better understanding of the traits these long-lived birds use when choosing their lifelong breeding partner could greatly benefit conservation strategies designed to protect them. This could be particularly beneficial where translocation is an option because birds being translocated could be assessed for compatibility prior to translocation.Read moreRead less
Global genetic regulation of carbon metabolism in filamentous fungi. Fungi are of great importance in medicine, agriculture and industry. They are used extensively for food, antibiotic and chemical production and, increasingly, for generating cheap substrates for bioethanol. However many are serious pathogens of plants and humans. Understanding how fungi control their metabolism is of fundamental importance for their more effective use or control. This project takes advantage of a fungus that is ....Global genetic regulation of carbon metabolism in filamentous fungi. Fungi are of great importance in medicine, agriculture and industry. They are used extensively for food, antibiotic and chemical production and, increasingly, for generating cheap substrates for bioethanol. However many are serious pathogens of plants and humans. Understanding how fungi control their metabolism is of fundamental importance for their more effective use or control. This project takes advantage of a fungus that is easily studied in the laboratory by advanced genetic techniques to identify the ways in which genes are turned on and off in response to changes in the nutrients available. By comparing DNA sequences the results are readily applied to fungi of economic importance.Read moreRead less
Using comparative genomics to identify genes responsible for adaptation to environmental toxins. The US National Human Genome Research Institute has committed to sequencing the genomes of ten different Drosophila (fly) species. We will search these genomes, and two others that are already available, for genes that allow flies to cope with environmental toxins found in the plants upon which they feed and breed. These same genes have the potential to degrade many of the insecticides used to con ....Using comparative genomics to identify genes responsible for adaptation to environmental toxins. The US National Human Genome Research Institute has committed to sequencing the genomes of ten different Drosophila (fly) species. We will search these genomes, and two others that are already available, for genes that allow flies to cope with environmental toxins found in the plants upon which they feed and breed. These same genes have the potential to degrade many of the insecticides used to control insect pests. Hence, this research will contribute to ongoing efforts to minimize the threat to agriculture posed by the insecticide resistance that frequently evolves in pest species. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668093
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$115,000.00
Summary
Expansion and enhancement of the South Australian Regional Facility for Molecular Ecology and Evolution and the Australian Centre Ancient DNA. Provision of dedicated instruments for contemporary and ancient/fragmentary DNA analyses will provide numerous opportunities for innovative research solutions in basic biology, archaeological, agricultural, biomedical, forensic and environmental sciences. No similar combination of facilities currently exists in the Australian region severely curtailing an ....Expansion and enhancement of the South Australian Regional Facility for Molecular Ecology and Evolution and the Australian Centre Ancient DNA. Provision of dedicated instruments for contemporary and ancient/fragmentary DNA analyses will provide numerous opportunities for innovative research solutions in basic biology, archaeological, agricultural, biomedical, forensic and environmental sciences. No similar combination of facilities currently exists in the Australian region severely curtailing and jeopardising the quality of current and proposed research programs. The facilities will underlie innovative approaches to research in National Research Priorities 1 and 4 - An Environmentally Sustainable Australia and Safeguarding AustraliaRead moreRead less
The development and evolution of the pelvic girdle in basal gnathostomes. Comparing the development of muscles, cartilage and bone in representatives of all three major groups of fish will provide information as to how structures evolved but also how the adult morphology is distributed in phylogeny. Because so little is known about the genetic mechanisms underlying the formation of the pelvic girdle in fish, it is important to start studying a model animal such as the zebrafish. The pathways unc ....The development and evolution of the pelvic girdle in basal gnathostomes. Comparing the development of muscles, cartilage and bone in representatives of all three major groups of fish will provide information as to how structures evolved but also how the adult morphology is distributed in phylogeny. Because so little is known about the genetic mechanisms underlying the formation of the pelvic girdle in fish, it is important to start studying a model animal such as the zebrafish. The pathways uncovered have the potential to describe mechanisms common to all jawed vertebrates, not only common to fish. Understanding the mechanisms that generate major morphological transition in the vertebrate lineage necessarily informs us about our own evolutionRead moreRead less