Biosynthesis and functions of two phytotoxins in Septoria nodorum blotch. This project aims to investigate how a fungal plant pathogen makes and uses small bioactive molecules to facilitate infection. It will characterise the function of the genes and enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of a light-activated phytotoxic molecule and a potential anti-plant defence molecule found in the pathogenic wheat fungus Parastagonospora nodorum, and investigate their contribution to disease development. Expe ....Biosynthesis and functions of two phytotoxins in Septoria nodorum blotch. This project aims to investigate how a fungal plant pathogen makes and uses small bioactive molecules to facilitate infection. It will characterise the function of the genes and enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of a light-activated phytotoxic molecule and a potential anti-plant defence molecule found in the pathogenic wheat fungus Parastagonospora nodorum, and investigate their contribution to disease development. Expected outcomes include better understanding of plant-microbe interactions, disease management strategies, technologies for identifying biosynthetic pathways in other fungi, and enzyme technology for synthesising molecules. This could lead to new herbicides, biopesticides and drugs.Read moreRead less
Decoding germination defects that threaten global wheat production. Wheat is a major commodity in Australia. Sprouting damage represents a major global threat to wheat production and food security. This project will explore the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) and late-maturity amylase (LMA). This project will apply transcriptomics and proteomics to measure the expression of the biomolecules associated with PHS and LMA, generating fundamental knowledge of ....Decoding germination defects that threaten global wheat production. Wheat is a major commodity in Australia. Sprouting damage represents a major global threat to wheat production and food security. This project will explore the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) and late-maturity amylase (LMA). This project will apply transcriptomics and proteomics to measure the expression of the biomolecules associated with PHS and LMA, generating fundamental knowledge of grain molecular physiology that addresses a significant knowledge gap. The project will deliver tools capable of differentiating these conditions, thereby minimising economic losses. A better understanding of the genetic basis of PHS and LMA will lay the foundation for advanced breeding aiming to eliminate these. Read moreRead less
Fungal Ribosomally Synthesised and Post-translationally Modified Peptides. Fungi produce an array of molecules called secondary metabolites (SMs) that impact on everyday life (e.g. penicillin). This project aims to investigate a new class of fungal peptide SMs called RiPPs which are structurally unique from existing molecules and offer the exciting prospect of harbouring new and novel biological activities. This project expects to discover the mechanisms of RiPP synthesis and their biological ro ....Fungal Ribosomally Synthesised and Post-translationally Modified Peptides. Fungi produce an array of molecules called secondary metabolites (SMs) that impact on everyday life (e.g. penicillin). This project aims to investigate a new class of fungal peptide SMs called RiPPs which are structurally unique from existing molecules and offer the exciting prospect of harbouring new and novel biological activities. This project expects to discover the mechanisms of RiPP synthesis and their biological roles in plant pathogenic fungi, and uncover and engineer novel RiPPs with desired bioactivities. The expected outcome from this project will be a seminal advance in fungal SM biology which should provide significant benefits through the generation of exciting new lead molecules for the agricultural and medical industries.Read moreRead less
What is the function of gamma-aminobutyric acid-gated anion channels in plants? The project will identify the molecular basis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling in plants. This is significant because GABA regulates proteins that release molecules involved in root-soil interactions, growth, and fertilisation. The project's discoveries will allow improvement of these agronomic traits that ultimately determine crop yield.
Investigating a new paradigm for plant-pathogen interactions; Identification of host-selective toxin proteins in the wheat pathogen Stagonospora nodorum. Stagonospora nodorum is a fungus that causes leaf and glume blotch disease on wheat. This disease alone causes $55 million dollars in yield losses per annum. Traditional breeding methods have yielded crops that are only mildly resistant leaving control of the disease to be worryingly reliant on fungicides. This project aims to identify and char ....Investigating a new paradigm for plant-pathogen interactions; Identification of host-selective toxin proteins in the wheat pathogen Stagonospora nodorum. Stagonospora nodorum is a fungus that causes leaf and glume blotch disease on wheat. This disease alone causes $55 million dollars in yield losses per annum. Traditional breeding methods have yielded crops that are only mildly resistant leaving control of the disease to be worryingly reliant on fungicides. This project aims to identify and characterise proteins that the fungus secretes to cause disease on wheat. By identifying these proteins, it is anticipated that strategies, both traditional and modern, could be employed to enable better control of the disease. This in turn would help provide a long term and secure supply of wheat and wheat based products to the community.Read moreRead less