Actin cytoskeleton regulation by E-cadherin and Src. This project examines a fundamental, novel mechanism of how cells work together in tissues. It will provide important new knowledge about how tissues become organized in health, and how organization might be disturbed in disease. It will build Australia's skill base in cutting-edge scientific research, and promote knowledge directed to the research priority area of Promoting and Maintaining Good Health.
How the Y Chromosome makes a male: Molecular genetic analysis of key sex-determining genes. Sex reversal and intersex syndromes are among the most common and highly stigmatized disorders affecting newborn babies. Our research will reveal how the Y chromosome regulates normal male development, identify the steps that go wrong in many male babies, and suggest ways to diagnose and deal with these conditions. It will also pave the way for biotechnological applications in the areas of stem cell techn ....How the Y Chromosome makes a male: Molecular genetic analysis of key sex-determining genes. Sex reversal and intersex syndromes are among the most common and highly stigmatized disorders affecting newborn babies. Our research will reveal how the Y chromosome regulates normal male development, identify the steps that go wrong in many male babies, and suggest ways to diagnose and deal with these conditions. It will also pave the way for biotechnological applications in the areas of stem cell technology, pest management, wildlife conservation and animal breeding.Read moreRead less
MOLECULAR GENETICS OF MAMMALIAN SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT: Molecular roles of SRY and SOX9. The development of sexual characteristics is critical to the survival of almost all animal species. This project seeks to clarify how male and female embryos develop differently, focusing on the Y-chromosome maleness gene Sry, and a closely related and equally important gene Sox9. We will study how these genes are switched on in developing gonads and how they interact with other genes to bring about testis forma ....MOLECULAR GENETICS OF MAMMALIAN SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT: Molecular roles of SRY and SOX9. The development of sexual characteristics is critical to the survival of almost all animal species. This project seeks to clarify how male and female embryos develop differently, focusing on the Y-chromosome maleness gene Sry, and a closely related and equally important gene Sox9. We will study how these genes are switched on in developing gonads and how they interact with other genes to bring about testis formation in male embryos. In this way we will discover new genes and mechanisms that are important for sexual identity and also other aspects of embryo development.Read moreRead less
A new paradigm of gene regulation - implications in embryogenesis and disease. The proposed analysis of a new paradigm of gene regulation will provide a new key to understanding genome function and inform some of the most compelling biological issues of our time such as stem cell biology, tissue and organ regeneration and genetic programming. The insights and technologies developed in this program will be widely applicable in biotechnological and pharmacogenomic research in Australia and worldwi ....A new paradigm of gene regulation - implications in embryogenesis and disease. The proposed analysis of a new paradigm of gene regulation will provide a new key to understanding genome function and inform some of the most compelling biological issues of our time such as stem cell biology, tissue and organ regeneration and genetic programming. The insights and technologies developed in this program will be widely applicable in biotechnological and pharmacogenomic research in Australia and worldwide, and assert Australia's leadership in this area of research.Read moreRead less
MOLECULAR BREEDING OF CYTOCHROME P450 ENZYMES. Cytochrome P450s are enzymes that catalyse an impressive array of oxidative transformations. However, there is little available data on how to modify their substrate specificity and generate tailored biocatalysts. We plan to use an emerging technology known as DNA shuffling to create libraries of P450s with varying activities. These will then be screened for enzymes that can catalyse the formation of indigo (a blue dye) and indirubin (a chemother ....MOLECULAR BREEDING OF CYTOCHROME P450 ENZYMES. Cytochrome P450s are enzymes that catalyse an impressive array of oxidative transformations. However, there is little available data on how to modify their substrate specificity and generate tailored biocatalysts. We plan to use an emerging technology known as DNA shuffling to create libraries of P450s with varying activities. These will then be screened for enzymes that can catalyse the formation of indigo (a blue dye) and indirubin (a chemotherapeutic agent). The enzymes that catalyse indigo formation will be useful in the production of coloured transgenic plants and those that produce indirubin will have a role in gene therapy.Read moreRead less
Rnomics - The Role of Introns and Other Noncoding RNAs in the Evolution and Development of Complex Organisms. Approximately 98% of the transcriptional output of the human genome is noncoding RNA. The aims of the project are to (a) provide direct evidence that introns contain functional information and are part of an RNA-based regulatory network, (b) identify large numbers of new noncoding RNAs and substantiate the conclusion that noncoding RNAs genes are common in eukaryotic genomes, and (c) pr ....Rnomics - The Role of Introns and Other Noncoding RNAs in the Evolution and Development of Complex Organisms. Approximately 98% of the transcriptional output of the human genome is noncoding RNA. The aims of the project are to (a) provide direct evidence that introns contain functional information and are part of an RNA-based regulatory network, (b) identify large numbers of new noncoding RNAs and substantiate the conclusion that noncoding RNAs genes are common in eukaryotic genomes, and (c) provide supporting evidence that the higher eukaryotes have evolved a second tier of gene expression based on RNA. The project has the capacity to transform our understanding of genetic programming in the higher organisms, with considerable scientific and practical implications.Read moreRead less
A shared genetic basis for development of the nervous system and glands. Fruit flies possess strikingly similar versions of the genes that promote normal human development. The list of systems with genetic parallels between humans and fruit flies includes the respiratory and circulatory systems; cardiovascular development and disease; sleep; learning and memory; brain development and disease; taste, sight, smell and hearing. This project could add at least some human glands, the mucous-secreting ....A shared genetic basis for development of the nervous system and glands. Fruit flies possess strikingly similar versions of the genes that promote normal human development. The list of systems with genetic parallels between humans and fruit flies includes the respiratory and circulatory systems; cardiovascular development and disease; sleep; learning and memory; brain development and disease; taste, sight, smell and hearing. This project could add at least some human glands, the mucous-secreting goblet cells, to this list, providing a potentially useful model for studying human diseases associated with gland dysfunction. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668450
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
Upgrade of comparative phenotypical and functional cell analysis at James Cook University. North Queensland is a fast growing region with significant need for the development of a world-class research facility. James Cook University has recently established the Comparative Genomics Centre at the School of Pharmacy and Molecular Sciences, which will contribute to education and basic research in the region. The research outcomes from the projects of the Comparative Genomics Centre and affiliated l ....Upgrade of comparative phenotypical and functional cell analysis at James Cook University. North Queensland is a fast growing region with significant need for the development of a world-class research facility. James Cook University has recently established the Comparative Genomics Centre at the School of Pharmacy and Molecular Sciences, which will contribute to education and basic research in the region. The research outcomes from the projects of the Comparative Genomics Centre and affiliated laboratories facilitated by the analytical flow cytometer will support the definition and identification of the interactions between genetic and environmental factors in disease and will help to attract researchers. Results from this work will aid the search for therapies for specific health problems.Read moreRead less
Subunit stoichiometry and arrangement in the glycine receptor. Glycine receptors are important for nervous system function. These receptors comprise a mixture of 5 alpha and beta subunits arranged around a central ion-conducting pore. The subunit stoichiometry (i.e., numbers of alpha and beta subunits) and arrangement (i.e., subunit order) are unknown. The first aim of this project is to define these parameters using tethered subunits. The second aim is to use the tethered subunits to probe th ....Subunit stoichiometry and arrangement in the glycine receptor. Glycine receptors are important for nervous system function. These receptors comprise a mixture of 5 alpha and beta subunits arranged around a central ion-conducting pore. The subunit stoichiometry (i.e., numbers of alpha and beta subunits) and arrangement (i.e., subunit order) are unknown. The first aim of this project is to define these parameters using tethered subunits. The second aim is to use the tethered subunits to probe the structure and function of glycine and zinc binding sites at an unprecedented level of resolution. The results will provide crucial new information concerning glycine receptor structure and function.Read moreRead less
Regulation of mammalian differentiation by methylation of histones and transcription factors. The objective of this proposal is to examine the functional role of arginine and lysine methylation during skeletal muscle differentiation. Differentiation, i.e the acquisition of a specific phenotype, is the biological end point of the ?Genome-Phenome? transition. Specifically, the proposal will seek to understand the role of protein methylation in the control of tissue specific gene expression and ce ....Regulation of mammalian differentiation by methylation of histones and transcription factors. The objective of this proposal is to examine the functional role of arginine and lysine methylation during skeletal muscle differentiation. Differentiation, i.e the acquisition of a specific phenotype, is the biological end point of the ?Genome-Phenome? transition. Specifically, the proposal will seek to understand the role of protein methylation in the control of tissue specific gene expression and cell signaling during differentiation. Key areas of study in the ARC priority area of Genome-Phenome research. We will test the hypothesis that the activity/function of the hierarchical myogenic transcription factors and cofactors that control skeletal myogenesis is influenced by protein methylation.Read moreRead less