Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101536
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$369,000.00
Summary
How does mitochondrial biogenesis regulate seed germination in plants? This project aims to develop a better understanding of seed germination to enable the generation of cereal seeds with optimised rates of germination for agricultural production. Seed germination is a fundamental phase of the plant life cycle. Every year, alterations in the rate of germination cause significant crop loss in rice and other cereals. Mitochondria are emerging as essential signalling hubs in the regulation of seed ....How does mitochondrial biogenesis regulate seed germination in plants? This project aims to develop a better understanding of seed germination to enable the generation of cereal seeds with optimised rates of germination for agricultural production. Seed germination is a fundamental phase of the plant life cycle. Every year, alterations in the rate of germination cause significant crop loss in rice and other cereals. Mitochondria are emerging as essential signalling hubs in the regulation of seed germination. The project aims to combine the latest technologies and molecular approaches with genetics to understand how mitochondria regulate seed germination and the rate of germination progression in rice. The project also plans to investigate and confirm the interplay between oxygen signalling, phytohormones and mitochondrial biogenesis.Read moreRead less
Control points in nitrogen uptake: enhancing the response of cereals to nitrogen supply and demand. Vast amounts of nitrogen fertiliser are applied to cereal crops to maintain yields. By uncovering what limits nitrogen uptake in cereals, this project will provide the scientific basis for improving nitrogen use efficiency and decreasing fertiliser use, with significant economic and environmental benefits.
Guanylate cyclases - an expanding family critical in plant growth and development. The enzyme guanylate cyclase (GC) forms an important signalling molecule. We have identified unique GC molecules from higher plants. We shall use strategic basic research to determine the biological importance of these novel molecules in plant growth and development. We have formed an international team to achieve these goals and also to develop strong scientific links between Australia and other countries such as ....Guanylate cyclases - an expanding family critical in plant growth and development. The enzyme guanylate cyclase (GC) forms an important signalling molecule. We have identified unique GC molecules from higher plants. We shall use strategic basic research to determine the biological importance of these novel molecules in plant growth and development. We have formed an international team to achieve these goals and also to develop strong scientific links between Australia and other countries such as South Africa. The outcomes will provide new insight into the biological function of the novel GCs. Consequently, the new knowledge is critical to the development of novel biotechnological approaches to benefit sustainable agriculture in Australia.Read moreRead less
Mitochondrial Retrograde Signalling in Plants – New Models and Analytical Approaches. Mitochondria are essential organelles involved in energy production and various metabolic and biosynthetic pathways in plant cells. Signals from mitochondria act to regulate nuclear gene expression to coordinate mitochondrial activity with cellular activity, which is called mitochondrial retrograde signalling (MRS). To date our knowledge of the pathways and components involved in MRS is limited to a single mode ....Mitochondrial Retrograde Signalling in Plants – New Models and Analytical Approaches. Mitochondria are essential organelles involved in energy production and various metabolic and biosynthetic pathways in plant cells. Signals from mitochondria act to regulate nuclear gene expression to coordinate mitochondrial activity with cellular activity, which is called mitochondrial retrograde signalling (MRS). To date our knowledge of the pathways and components involved in MRS is limited to a single model system. This proposal seeks to identify additional MRS pathways, characterise components of these pathways and the signals involved. This new knowledge can be used in translational research as a basis to breed plants with altered stress and growth properties.Read moreRead less
Plant Protein Signalling Networks. We will assess the functional role of PNPs (novel plant protein hormones) at a biochemical, molecular and cellular level. Importantly, as stresses from climatic extremes are increasing, this will lead to new insights and critical appreciation of the processes plants use to regulate their water status. Since water and solute status underpins the regulation of plant growth and development, these findings will have a major impact on both agriculture and horticul ....Plant Protein Signalling Networks. We will assess the functional role of PNPs (novel plant protein hormones) at a biochemical, molecular and cellular level. Importantly, as stresses from climatic extremes are increasing, this will lead to new insights and critical appreciation of the processes plants use to regulate their water status. Since water and solute status underpins the regulation of plant growth and development, these findings will have a major impact on both agriculture and horticulture in Australia. The new insights that we gain can be used to directly accelerate progress towards the development of plants with improved drought and salinity tolerance that will lead to better crop and pasture productivity under harsh Australian conditions.Read moreRead less
Deciphering organelle transport mechanisms in plants. Plant growth, productivity and seed yield all depend on organelle function which requires metabolites and proteins
to be transported across membranes. This mechanism of transport is carried out by specific transporters that have
the ability to transport macromolecules, and regulate organelle function. We have identified new transporters that
are involved in amino acid and protein transport in the mitochondria, chloroplast and peroxisomes. We ....Deciphering organelle transport mechanisms in plants. Plant growth, productivity and seed yield all depend on organelle function which requires metabolites and proteins
to be transported across membranes. This mechanism of transport is carried out by specific transporters that have
the ability to transport macromolecules, and regulate organelle function. We have identified new transporters that
are involved in amino acid and protein transport in the mitochondria, chloroplast and peroxisomes. We will assign
function to each protein and investigate the importance in regulating organelle biogenesis. This will allow us to
modulate plant energy production for optimal growth and to withstand abiotic stress, all of which have
agriculturally beneficial consequences. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100825
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Characterization of Novel Import/Assembly Pathways in Plant Mitochondria. In addition to their central role in metabolism, plant mitochondria have emerged as important hubs for both sensing and responding to a variety of stimuli. However, as yet there are still many unanswered basic questions about how mitochondria are built in plant cells. This project aims to characterise two novel protein import/assembly pathways, specifically, the newly identified twin-arginine translocation (Tat) protein as ....Characterization of Novel Import/Assembly Pathways in Plant Mitochondria. In addition to their central role in metabolism, plant mitochondria have emerged as important hubs for both sensing and responding to a variety of stimuli. However, as yet there are still many unanswered basic questions about how mitochondria are built in plant cells. This project aims to characterise two novel protein import/assembly pathways, specifically, the newly identified twin-arginine translocation (Tat) protein assembly pathway, and the disulphide relay system of the mitochondrial intermembrane space which displays unique characteristics compared to other systems. A mechanistic understanding of these pathways can be used to design novel strategies to alter plant growth and performance.Read moreRead less