Mapping cell wall and surface structures of Gram-positive cocci. The synthesis of the Gram-positive cell wall and protein transport are fundamental processes, the improved understanding of which will impact across a range of fields including microbiology, biochemistry and biotechnology, and the application and manipulation of Gram-positive bacteria in agriculture, industry and human health. In the long-term, the analysis of the Gram-positive ExPortal and cell wall will identify proteins that ma ....Mapping cell wall and surface structures of Gram-positive cocci. The synthesis of the Gram-positive cell wall and protein transport are fundamental processes, the improved understanding of which will impact across a range of fields including microbiology, biochemistry and biotechnology, and the application and manipulation of Gram-positive bacteria in agriculture, industry and human health. In the long-term, the analysis of the Gram-positive ExPortal and cell wall will identify proteins that may represent targets for therapeutic intervention. Additionally a precise understanding of the mechanisms of secretion of anchorless proteins will have an important impact in the biotechnology field, as new methodologies for the secretion of recombinant proteins of industrial value is a potential outcome.Read moreRead less
Bacterial filamentation as a survival strategy: a goldmine for the discovery of new cell division regulators. The increasing emergence of untreatable bacterial infections is a serious threat to the health of Australians. Medical advances (organ transplants, chemotherapy), increases in diabetes, and an aging population increase the risk of infections caused by bacteria that are now resistant to most available antibiotics. New classes of antibiotics are urgently needed to treat these infections. T ....Bacterial filamentation as a survival strategy: a goldmine for the discovery of new cell division regulators. The increasing emergence of untreatable bacterial infections is a serious threat to the health of Australians. Medical advances (organ transplants, chemotherapy), increases in diabetes, and an aging population increase the risk of infections caused by bacteria that are now resistant to most available antibiotics. New classes of antibiotics are urgently needed to treat these infections. This project uses a novel approach to identify the mechanisms bacterial cells use to control their growth and avoid attack by our immune system. The research will identify potential targets for the development of new, effective antibiotics to kill multi-resistant bacteria, and ensure Australia's position at the forefront of infection control.Read moreRead less
The biology of integrons and their role in bacterial adaptation. Bacteria evolve in ways that animals and plants do not. One of the tools available is the ability to share genes amongst individuals in a community. One example of this is the very rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes in pathogens. Here we will be studying a genetic element that greatly contributes to this horizontal spread of genes. This will lead to a better understanding of how bacteria work, the direct benefits of whic ....The biology of integrons and their role in bacterial adaptation. Bacteria evolve in ways that animals and plants do not. One of the tools available is the ability to share genes amongst individuals in a community. One example of this is the very rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes in pathogens. Here we will be studying a genetic element that greatly contributes to this horizontal spread of genes. This will lead to a better understanding of how bacteria work, the direct benefits of which includes the discovery of new pathways and genes for the biotechnology industry and greater understanding of how bacteria cause disease in us, other animals and in commercial crops.Read moreRead less
A functional genomic approach for understanding metal ion adaptation in marine cyanobacteria. Unicellular marine cyanobacteria constitute 20-40% of total marine chlorophyll biomass and carbon fixation, and hence significantly impact the global carbon cycle and are very relevant to combating global warming. This research will reveal some of the major mechanisms by which marine cyanobacteria have adapted to metal levels in coastal and oligotrophic environments. Thus these results will help us und ....A functional genomic approach for understanding metal ion adaptation in marine cyanobacteria. Unicellular marine cyanobacteria constitute 20-40% of total marine chlorophyll biomass and carbon fixation, and hence significantly impact the global carbon cycle and are very relevant to combating global warming. This research will reveal some of the major mechanisms by which marine cyanobacteria have adapted to metal levels in coastal and oligotrophic environments. Thus these results will help us understand the distribution and diversity of these organisms in relation to global primary productivity. They will also lead to the development of more robust biomarkers for metal stress and pollution in coastal environments.Read moreRead less
Bacterial Cell Division: Discovering how it begins and the network of protein interactions it requires. All cells must coordinate cell division with chromosome replication to ensure that the DNA is partitioned equally into newborn cells. We will establish the defect of a novel mutant blocked in the earliest stage of cell division in bacteria to obtain unique information about this vital regulatory step. We will use our newly discovered protein interaction network to establish what role protein i ....Bacterial Cell Division: Discovering how it begins and the network of protein interactions it requires. All cells must coordinate cell division with chromosome replication to ensure that the DNA is partitioned equally into newborn cells. We will establish the defect of a novel mutant blocked in the earliest stage of cell division in bacteria to obtain unique information about this vital regulatory step. We will use our newly discovered protein interaction network to establish what role protein interactions play in integrating cell division with other biological pathways in the cell to ensure its tight regulation. Our discoveries will facilitate the design of new antibiotics that target cell division to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria and bioterrorism organisms.Read moreRead less
Roles for quorum sensing and biofilm formation by Vibrio cholerae in resistance to protozoan grazing. This research will benefit Australia through an increased fundamental understanding of how our model bacterium, Vibrio cholerae, survives in the environment. This could lead to the development of strategies that control bacterial biofilms, a significant medical and industrial concern. This project will also be of benefit through the training of postgraduate students in environmental microbiology ....Roles for quorum sensing and biofilm formation by Vibrio cholerae in resistance to protozoan grazing. This research will benefit Australia through an increased fundamental understanding of how our model bacterium, Vibrio cholerae, survives in the environment. This could lead to the development of strategies that control bacterial biofilms, a significant medical and industrial concern. This project will also be of benefit through the training of postgraduate students in environmental microbiology and is expected to result in the publication and presentation of data in quality journals and conferences, which increases the profile of Australian science.Read moreRead less
The Great Escape: Mechanisms for dispersal of microbial communities from surfaces. Bacteria respond to a variety of environmental cues, including nutrient concentration, to optimise their growth strategy. One key growth strategy is the formation of biofilms or surface associated microbial communities. The aim of this project is to determine the molecular pathway for cAMP mediated starvation induced dispersal of bacterial biofilms. Our preliminary data suggest that the cAMP pathway overlaps with ....The Great Escape: Mechanisms for dispersal of microbial communities from surfaces. Bacteria respond to a variety of environmental cues, including nutrient concentration, to optimise their growth strategy. One key growth strategy is the formation of biofilms or surface associated microbial communities. The aim of this project is to determine the molecular pathway for cAMP mediated starvation induced dispersal of bacterial biofilms. Our preliminary data suggest that the cAMP pathway overlaps with other intracellular second messengers, such as c-di-GMP, to control dispersal. Further, these second messengers may act at the level of subcellular pools that interact with closely associated protein complexes to control complex behaviours such as biofilm formation and dispersal.Read moreRead less
Establishing how bacterial cells position the division site. Cell division is essential for life. It is required for bacterial infections and, if uncontrolled, causes diseases such as cancer. We will establish how bacterial cells position the division site precisely to ensure faithful production of newborn cells. We will use the latest technology in bacterial cell biology to provide novel, clear-cut information to maintain Australia at the leading edge of this important area of research. There i ....Establishing how bacterial cells position the division site. Cell division is essential for life. It is required for bacterial infections and, if uncontrolled, causes diseases such as cancer. We will establish how bacterial cells position the division site precisely to ensure faithful production of newborn cells. We will use the latest technology in bacterial cell biology to provide novel, clear-cut information to maintain Australia at the leading edge of this important area of research. There is an alarming increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria and an imminent threat of bioterrorism. This research allows the opportunity for the development of new antibiotics to protect Australia protected from these dangerous bacteria. Read moreRead less
A new molecular machine required for bacterial development into spores. This project aims to provide new knowledge on how bacteria produce dormant, stress-resistant cells called spores, and how bacteria transport molecules across their cellular layers to execute biological functions. Spores can act as a source of new and recurring infections in many bacterial pathogens. This project expects to reveal molecular details on a new class of nanomachines required for spore development. The new knowled ....A new molecular machine required for bacterial development into spores. This project aims to provide new knowledge on how bacteria produce dormant, stress-resistant cells called spores, and how bacteria transport molecules across their cellular layers to execute biological functions. Spores can act as a source of new and recurring infections in many bacterial pathogens. This project expects to reveal molecular details on a new class of nanomachines required for spore development. The new knowledge generated may expand the arsenal of molecular targets required to develop strategies interfering with spore formation. This provides a platform from which industry could attract investment for exploring innovative strategies for controlling bacteria.Read moreRead less
Regulating the earliest step in bacterial cell division: Z ring assembly. Cell division is essential for survival. What are the cues that signal cells to divide at the right place and at the right time? How do cells ensure that when division occurs to produce two newborn cells, each one receives the correct amount of DNA? The answers to these questions are essential to understand how organisms reproduce and grow. But they remain unknown. This research addresses these questions in bacteria. Our d ....Regulating the earliest step in bacterial cell division: Z ring assembly. Cell division is essential for survival. What are the cues that signal cells to divide at the right place and at the right time? How do cells ensure that when division occurs to produce two newborn cells, each one receives the correct amount of DNA? The answers to these questions are essential to understand how organisms reproduce and grow. But they remain unknown. This research addresses these questions in bacteria. Our discoveries will have a significant impact on our understanding of the regulation of this vital process and will facilitate the design of novel antibiotics that target it.Read moreRead less