Exploring protease inhibitors in placental development and maturation. The placenta is essential for reproduction in many diverse species. This project aims to elucidate fundamental contributions of protease inhibitors and the proteases they target to placental development and maturation. It is expected to generate new knowledge around whether SPINTS play a fundamental role in disparate animals that independently derived a placenta, suggesting convergent genetic evolution. The project is expect ....Exploring protease inhibitors in placental development and maturation. The placenta is essential for reproduction in many diverse species. This project aims to elucidate fundamental contributions of protease inhibitors and the proteases they target to placental development and maturation. It is expected to generate new knowledge around whether SPINTS play a fundamental role in disparate animals that independently derived a placenta, suggesting convergent genetic evolution. The project is expected to result in disciplinary collaboration, produce novel models, and promote future projects in many species. The project should result in significant benefits toward advancing knowledge in reproductive biology, have economic and commercial benefits, and further enhance Australia's outstanding reputation in the field.Read moreRead less
Is SPINT1 a key regulator of placental development? . The placenta is an essential organ required for reproduction in placental species. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental biology of SPINT1 in placental development. It will generate new knowledge about whether the spatial and temporal expression of SPINT1 is conserved across several species; cow, sheep, lizard, mouse and human. It will also define the molecular mechanisms by which SPINT1 directs formation, maturation and expansion o ....Is SPINT1 a key regulator of placental development? . The placenta is an essential organ required for reproduction in placental species. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental biology of SPINT1 in placental development. It will generate new knowledge about whether the spatial and temporal expression of SPINT1 is conserved across several species; cow, sheep, lizard, mouse and human. It will also define the molecular mechanisms by which SPINT1 directs formation, maturation and expansion of the placental exchange interface which is critical for offspring survival.
The project will increase understanding of placental development, enhance collaboration and research knowhow, and promote future applied projects in all species that reproduce via placental support.Read moreRead less
Sperm ciliary gating and midpiece formation – a novel player and process. We have identified CCDC112 an essential player in mammalian sperm tail development and male fertility. This project aims to define the role of CCDC112 in 1) the formation of the core to the sperm tail, the axoneme, and 2) the packaging of mitochondria into the midpiece. Within this Discovery Project we will define the mechanism(s) of CCDC112 functions and the consequences of its dysfunction. Insights from this grant will b ....Sperm ciliary gating and midpiece formation – a novel player and process. We have identified CCDC112 an essential player in mammalian sperm tail development and male fertility. This project aims to define the role of CCDC112 in 1) the formation of the core to the sperm tail, the axoneme, and 2) the packaging of mitochondria into the midpiece. Within this Discovery Project we will define the mechanism(s) of CCDC112 functions and the consequences of its dysfunction. Insights from this grant will be of significance to fertility across mammals and may ultimately benefit the selection of highly fertile males within the agricultural sector.Read moreRead less
Decoding microtubule remodelling in sperm production. All eukaryotic cells possess a dynamic microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, which requires constant remodelling to satisfy its many essential cellular roles. Emerging data suggests modifications to the MT surface (the tubulin code) may act as instructional signposts for remodelling. This project aims to define a fundamental component of the tubulin code, glutamylation, and define how this directs MT severing. It also aims to define the cellular fun ....Decoding microtubule remodelling in sperm production. All eukaryotic cells possess a dynamic microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, which requires constant remodelling to satisfy its many essential cellular roles. Emerging data suggests modifications to the MT surface (the tubulin code) may act as instructional signposts for remodelling. This project aims to define a fundamental component of the tubulin code, glutamylation, and define how this directs MT severing. It also aims to define the cellular functions of MT-severing enzyme FIGNL1 and key MT glutamylation enzymes (CCP1, CCP5 and TTLL1). Insights will be generated using sperm production as a model system and will thus inform the mechanisms by which fertile sperm are built, in addition to being relevant to cell biology across eukaryotic species. Read moreRead less
Ancestral, conserved and novel mechanisms in marsupial genomic imprinting. Genomic imprinting is the differential expression pattern of some genes depending on whether the gene copy came from the mother or the father. This differential expression is essential for embryonic development and errors lead to disease. To date, most of our knowledge of the control of genomic imprinting comes from the mouse, but much less is known about this process in marsupials. Our comparative approach, using marsupi ....Ancestral, conserved and novel mechanisms in marsupial genomic imprinting. Genomic imprinting is the differential expression pattern of some genes depending on whether the gene copy came from the mother or the father. This differential expression is essential for embryonic development and errors lead to disease. To date, most of our knowledge of the control of genomic imprinting comes from the mouse, but much less is known about this process in marsupials. Our comparative approach, using marsupial mammals that are distantly related to mice and humans, aims to clarify how genomic imprinting mechanisms have evolved, which patterns are conserved across mammals, and which vary. Our proposed research aims to provide new approaches and understanding of this fundamental process essential for the continuation of life.
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