Three-dimensional structures, substrate specificities and catalytic mechanisms of polysaccharide synthases. Plant wall polysaccharides are extensively used for food and fibre, and are important dietary components in human nutrition. A precise knowledge of mechanisms used by plants to synthesize these polysaccharides is unavailable, but would reveal potential routes to manipulate their biosynthesis in important crop species. For example, the levels or structures of polysaccharides might be modif ....Three-dimensional structures, substrate specificities and catalytic mechanisms of polysaccharide synthases. Plant wall polysaccharides are extensively used for food and fibre, and are important dietary components in human nutrition. A precise knowledge of mechanisms used by plants to synthesize these polysaccharides is unavailable, but would reveal potential routes to manipulate their biosynthesis in important crop species. For example, the levels or structures of polysaccharides might be modified to improve their efficacy as anti-cancer agents in human diets, to enhance digestibility of animal stock feeds, or to synthesise pharmologically valuable compounds. Thus, economic, social and environmental benefits will flow to both producers and consumers. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668382
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,000,000.00
Summary
e-Research Infrastructure for the Molecular and Materials Structure Sciences. Understanding molecular and materials structure in atomic detail is vital to a knowledge-based economy and a healthy society. The development of smart materials, nanotechnological devices, hydrogen storage materials, molecular switches, magnets and sensors, for example, depends on knowledge of three-dimensional atomic structure. Cures for illnesses such as SARS, AIDS and Alzheimer's disease and understanding the aging ....e-Research Infrastructure for the Molecular and Materials Structure Sciences. Understanding molecular and materials structure in atomic detail is vital to a knowledge-based economy and a healthy society. The development of smart materials, nanotechnological devices, hydrogen storage materials, molecular switches, magnets and sensors, for example, depends on knowledge of three-dimensional atomic structure. Cures for illnesses such as SARS, AIDS and Alzheimer's disease and understanding the aging process depends on knowledge of biomolecular structure. The deployment and development of automation-enhanced remote access to structural instruments through the web will greatly enhance Australian structure-based research, and make this science accessible to the public. Read moreRead less
Molecular structure and function of the glycine receptor. This proposal will employ a cutting edge approach to reveal fundamental new insights into the ways that ligand-gated ion channels, and proteins in general, work. The new knowledge and technology developed here will broaden and strengthen Australia's research expertise across a number of basic scientific disciplines. The results will also have relevance to human health. Glycine receptors have an essential role in brain function and are ....Molecular structure and function of the glycine receptor. This proposal will employ a cutting edge approach to reveal fundamental new insights into the ways that ligand-gated ion channels, and proteins in general, work. The new knowledge and technology developed here will broaden and strengthen Australia's research expertise across a number of basic scientific disciplines. The results will also have relevance to human health. Glycine receptors have an essential role in brain function and are targets for anaesthetics and drugs of abuse. GlyRs are also important in modulating pain sensation by the brain. New insights into how natural agonists and drugs affect ion channel structure and function may lead to novel therapeutic opportunities and improved drug structure predictions.Read moreRead less
3D Structure determination of biomacromolecular assemblies from sparse data. This project has direct impact on pharmaceutical research: Biomacromolecular interactions are key points for pharmaceutical intervention and detailed structural knowledge of dynamic protein interactions can significantly accelerate drug development. Australia has invested in expensive instrumentation that can be used with new laboratory methods to obtain information on delicately balanced biomacromolecular interactions, ....3D Structure determination of biomacromolecular assemblies from sparse data. This project has direct impact on pharmaceutical research: Biomacromolecular interactions are key points for pharmaceutical intervention and detailed structural knowledge of dynamic protein interactions can significantly accelerate drug development. Australia has invested in expensive instrumentation that can be used with new laboratory methods to obtain information on delicately balanced biomacromolecular interactions, and how they malfunction in disease. This project will provide a computational framework to increase the impact of this investment by integrating measurements from a range of novel technologies and developing understanding of changes in structure of large protein complexes in different functional states.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346876
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,584,000.00
Summary
800 MHz NMR Spectrometer for Molecular Structure-Function Analyses. An 800 MHz high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer equipped with a triple-resonance cryoprobe is required to support the research of 5 universities in the NSW/ACT area. The high magnetic field of the spectrometer is necessary for the study of proteins, protein-ligand complexes and other biomolecular systems of molecular weight >30,000. Projects previously inaccessible due to sensitivity, solubility or resol ....800 MHz NMR Spectrometer for Molecular Structure-Function Analyses. An 800 MHz high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer equipped with a triple-resonance cryoprobe is required to support the research of 5 universities in the NSW/ACT area. The high magnetic field of the spectrometer is necessary for the study of proteins, protein-ligand complexes and other biomolecular systems of molecular weight >30,000. Projects previously inaccessible due to sensitivity, solubility or resolution problems will become tractable. The increased turn-around times afforded by the high sensitivity of the cryo-enabled spectrometer make it possible to provide access for Australian institutions that would not otherwise have access to comparable equipment.Read moreRead less
New fragment-based drug design technology by NMR spectroscopy. A new nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic strategy will be developed for rapid determination of the structure and binding mode of low-molecular weight compounds bound to target proteins. Structural information obtained in this way will greatly accelerate drug development by fragment-based drug design, and NMR spectroscopy is the only method that can deliver this information in solution at atomic resolution. The impact of t ....New fragment-based drug design technology by NMR spectroscopy. A new nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic strategy will be developed for rapid determination of the structure and binding mode of low-molecular weight compounds bound to target proteins. Structural information obtained in this way will greatly accelerate drug development by fragment-based drug design, and NMR spectroscopy is the only method that can deliver this information in solution at atomic resolution. The impact of the project for pharmaceutical research is further enhanced by extending the range of proteins amenable to NMR analysis by the development of new labelling strategies using stable isotopes, lanthanides and an unnatural amino acid in a state-of-the-art protein production system.Read moreRead less