Translocase Of The Outer Mitochondrial Membrane: X-ray Structure Determination Of Core Components
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$336,118.00
Summary
This research will address the issue of protein transport into mitochondria, cellular organelles bounded by a complex double-membrane system that are primarily responsible for servicing the energy requirements of actively respiring cells. The outer membrane, or envelope, surrounding each mitrochondrion, is separated from a second (or inner) membrane by an inter-membrane space. The translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) cooperates with the translocase of the inner mitochondrial mem ....This research will address the issue of protein transport into mitochondria, cellular organelles bounded by a complex double-membrane system that are primarily responsible for servicing the energy requirements of actively respiring cells. The outer membrane, or envelope, surrounding each mitrochondrion, is separated from a second (or inner) membrane by an inter-membrane space. The translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) cooperates with the translocase of the inner mitochondrial membrane (TIM) to mediate the passage of unfolded preproteins into the mitochondria. Proteins are usually bulky in their active folded state, so preproteins transit the membrane as extended polypeptide chains, as the channel through which they pass is relatively narrow. Ancillary praoteins aid in recognition and targeting of preproteins, and help to maintain them in an unfolded state prior to their translocation through the pore, and later ensure that they are able to fold into the correct conformation once they have arrived in the mitochondria. Our research will entail determination of the three-dimensional atomic-level structures of selected constituents of the TOM machinery, allowing us to visualise freeze-frame snapshots of some aspects of protein translocation in molecular details. In combination with recent biochemical data, this information will provide an architectural framework which we can use to help in our interpretation of complicated structure-function relationships between components of TOM and other proteins with which they integrate their activities during translocation events. Ultimately such fundamental research will lead to the development of strategies for dealing with disorders linked to mitochondrial defects in humans, including, amongst others, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.Read moreRead less
Seafood Trade Advisory Group - Transitioning To A New Communications, Governance And Operating Model
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$444,000.00
Summary
The STAG has been operational since 2013 providing services to Australian abalone and rock lobster exporters to engage with government and to support in market access negotiations with unified and well researched considered input. The STAG has a track record of success based on a collaborative priority setting process and a clear focus on resolving the highest priority issues. While primarily focused on the issues faced by abalone and rock lobster exporters many of the STAG activities have be ....The STAG has been operational since 2013 providing services to Australian abalone and rock lobster exporters to engage with government and to support in market access negotiations with unified and well researched considered input. The STAG has a track record of success based on a collaborative priority setting process and a clear focus on resolving the highest priority issues. While primarily focused on the issues faced by abalone and rock lobster exporters many of the STAG activities have benefited the broader seafood exporter community eg the International Freight Assistance Mechanism, tracking and communicating impacts of the COVID pandemic on markets, facilitating an agreed priority listing for adding new species to the approved import list for China and establishing a market intelligence service has been established and weekly newsletters keep Australian seafood exporters up to date on market trends and consumer insights as well as technical market access issues.
Seafood Industry Australia has recently developed a Seafood Industry Export Plan. As part of that plan SIA is building capability and has received Australian Government funding through the ATMAC funding to deliver trade facilitation services.
There is an opportunity for the STAG to move to a new expanded business model under the auspices of SIA capitalising on the resources and capacities of both organisations. The new model will include communications, governance, operations and funding. What that looks like and how that transition should occur will be addressed through application.
While the transition plan is being developed, agreed and implemented it is important that the STAG to continue operations, providing services as agreed by the Partnership Group. The international trade environment is still extremely volatile, as it has been for the past two years. The STAG provides a valuable early warning and quick response mechanism for dealing with disruptions, a market intelligence service and international seafood trade expertise to support the Abalone and Rock Lobster sectors as they face the challenging task of regaining and maintaining China market access while pursuing market diversification strategies.
There is a need to build additional seafood specific international trade knowledge and capacity so the STAG and SIA will work together to identify opportunities to facilitate this. Objectives: 1. To develop and implement agreed arrangements to transition the STAG to a new business model (communications, governance, operations and funding) within the SIA 2. To deliver agreed trade and market access services according to the agreed Seafood Trade Agenda and Action Plan for Abalone and Rock Lobster Read moreRead less
Approaches to combat AIDS and its causative agent, the human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1, have thus far proved ineffective. The proposed research program intends to investigate the nuclear import of two HIV-1 proteins which have central roles in HIV infection. We will apply our expertise in the area of the regulation of nuclear import of viral proteins, and build on our observations with respect to these proteins to attempt to establish the mechanistic basis of their nuclear import, and how thi ....Approaches to combat AIDS and its causative agent, the human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1, have thus far proved ineffective. The proposed research program intends to investigate the nuclear import of two HIV-1 proteins which have central roles in HIV infection. We will apply our expertise in the area of the regulation of nuclear import of viral proteins, and build on our observations with respect to these proteins to attempt to establish the mechanistic basis of their nuclear import, and how this differs from the conventional nuclear import pathways used by normal cellular proteins. We already have evidence that nuclear import of HIV-Tat is regulated in novel fashion by cellular factors, and intend, through determining its mechanistic basis, to be able to form the basis of a strategy to block this import pathway specifically, and thereby inhibit HIV replication. This may form the basis in the future of a new pharmaceutical approach to combat HIV-AIDS.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Capsid Protein Nucleolar Localisation In Chikungunya Virus: Implications For Vaccine Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$520,520.00
Summary
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a globally widespread mosquito-borne alphavirus capable of causing considerable human morbidity and mortality. With no CHIKV vaccine or antiviral available this proposal aims to develop a live attenuated CHIKV vaccine, rationally designed by investigating the host cell nucleolar trafficking of CHIKV capsid protein. This vaccine has the potential to provide cross-protection against additional arthritogenic alphaviruses endemic to Australia such as Ross River virus.
Impacts Of COVID19 On The Australian Seafood Industry: Extending The Assessment To Prepare For Uncertain Futures
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$179,564.00
Summary
In March 2021 the FRDC published an initial rapid assessment - Impacts of COVID19 on the Australian Seafood Industry: January-June 2020 - of the direct and indirect effects of disruption to seafood production, supply chains and markets caused by the global COVID19 pandemic. That assessment covered the initial period of the shocks wrought by COVID19 and demonstrated the availability of data to support rapid assessment in such conditions.
However gaps remain to be addressed, including: < ....In March 2021 the FRDC published an initial rapid assessment - Impacts of COVID19 on the Australian Seafood Industry: January-June 2020 - of the direct and indirect effects of disruption to seafood production, supply chains and markets caused by the global COVID19 pandemic. That assessment covered the initial period of the shocks wrought by COVID19 and demonstrated the availability of data to support rapid assessment in such conditions.
However gaps remain to be addressed, including: 1. comprehensive coverage of production effects in fishing and aquaculture across all Australian jurisdictions, 2. coverage of impacts on recreational fishing activity and Indigenous commercial seafood activities; 3. assessment of emerging medium-term impacts (such as changes in Australian consumer purchasing behaviours, structural effects in labour markets and export-oriented sectors, effects of alterations in tourism patterns); and the interactions with non-CV-19 impacts (such as trade tensions affecting exports); and 4. the effectiveness of crisis responses. Furthermore, the capacity to access data to support rapid assessment in times of systemic shock needs to be consolidated. Finally, insights from rapid assessments need to be harvested to provide Australia with a framework for assessment of systemic (i.e. large-scale, multi-level) risk to the Australian seafood community.
This project addresses these needs through a follow-up Impact assessment report which is more comprehensive, given data availability. The follow up report will include case studies of crisis responses by key government and industry decision makers, and the lessons learned for preparedness for future shocks. It will develop a Guideline for rapid assessment of economic and social effects in fisheries and aquaculture, which will contribute to FRDC's capacity for rapid appraisal and assessments. The guideline will include quality assurance steps to be applied to rapid assessments. Finally, the project proposes to draw insights from this more comprehensive assessment to identify what risk factors to assess, and how, in order to prepare for systemic shocks in future. Objectives: 1. Complete assessment of impact of COVID-19 on Australia's commercial, recreational and charter fisheries and aquaculture sectors for the period July 2020 to June 2021 2. Determine what were effective responses and interventions using selected case studies to inform preparedness for future shocks 3. Document all data streams and their source (organisation, private data, public domain data) - STOP / GO MILESTONE 4. Develop guidelines for data production, governance and use when rapid situational assessments are required. 5. Develop a framework for systematic risk assessment 6. Develop 'data architecture' for a portal to access live/near-real time data to support early detection and risk assessment of large-scale shocks (architecture to include: data sources, access and permissions; display; outputs) Read moreRead less