Echoes of the earliest Homo sapiens movement out of Africa. The "Out of Africa" and "Multiregional Evolution" theories have proposed sharply different accounts for the origins of our species Homo sapiens. These have converged on opposite readings of the Australian human fossil record. Recent perspectives resulting from research on Pleistocene Australian mitochondrial DNA, and by osteologists on early Homo sapiens remains in Africa and Israel, hint at a chapter, as yet unwritten, in our species' ....Echoes of the earliest Homo sapiens movement out of Africa. The "Out of Africa" and "Multiregional Evolution" theories have proposed sharply different accounts for the origins of our species Homo sapiens. These have converged on opposite readings of the Australian human fossil record. Recent perspectives resulting from research on Pleistocene Australian mitochondrial DNA, and by osteologists on early Homo sapiens remains in Africa and Israel, hint at a chapter, as yet unwritten, in our species' Late Pleistocene dispersal from Africa. This project's collaborative research on fossils from Sri Lanka and Australasia will explore and test the implications for the colonisation history of the Indian Ocean region.Read moreRead less
A powerful new genetic view of the recent evolutionary history of humans and their diseases. Bacteria on teeth cause dental disease, but have also recently been associated with broader health issues, including diabetes, stroke and heart issues. In this project ancient DNA will be used to reveal changes in these bacteria as humans moved from a hunter-gatherer to farming lifestyle, providing valuable background information for modern dental/medical practice.
Nanotechnology in nature: the evolutionary significance of iridescent ultraviolet colouration in butterflies. Nanostructural colour is a novel and interesting biological phenomenon that has potential application in textile and paint industries. This research has the potential to uncover knowledge relevant to future genetic manipulation and/or artificial synthesis of this trait for industry. Fundamental benefits will include a contribution to our understanding of evolution and biological diversit ....Nanotechnology in nature: the evolutionary significance of iridescent ultraviolet colouration in butterflies. Nanostructural colour is a novel and interesting biological phenomenon that has potential application in textile and paint industries. This research has the potential to uncover knowledge relevant to future genetic manipulation and/or artificial synthesis of this trait for industry. Fundamental benefits will include a contribution to our understanding of evolution and biological diversity, enhancement of Australia's research profile, and the cultivation of new scientific expertise. This proposal also promises to benefit the Australian scientific community through the establishment of collaborative links with universities in the USA and UK, and to increase mainstream awareness of Australia's stunning natural resources.Read moreRead less
Rerunning the evolution of an ancient bacterial propeller. This project aims to measure how the propeller which drives bacterial swimming originated and then evolved. This project expects to generate new knowledge in molecular evolution using interdisciplinary techniques in synthetic biology and biophysics to resurrect ancient proteins and test how they can be directed to evolve in a contemporary host. Expected outcomes include the development of new types of flagellar motor for applied uses in ....Rerunning the evolution of an ancient bacterial propeller. This project aims to measure how the propeller which drives bacterial swimming originated and then evolved. This project expects to generate new knowledge in molecular evolution using interdisciplinary techniques in synthetic biology and biophysics to resurrect ancient proteins and test how they can be directed to evolve in a contemporary host. Expected outcomes include the development of new types of flagellar motor for applied uses in synbio and microfluidics, and new methods to resurrect ancient proteins and evolve their function for purpose. This should provide significant benefits by delivering a de novo molecular motor for custom applications and galvanise public interest in how this iconic molecular complex originated and evolved.Read moreRead less
Alternative Splicing in the Mouse Transcriptome. Although the human genome completion is cause for excitement we do not have any firm indication of precisely how many protein-coding genes exist in a mammalian genome. We have even less indication of the extent to which these genes generate alternative gene products, through a process termed alternative splicing. The detection and sequencing of these full-length alternative gene products is the focus of this application. This application details t ....Alternative Splicing in the Mouse Transcriptome. Although the human genome completion is cause for excitement we do not have any firm indication of precisely how many protein-coding genes exist in a mammalian genome. We have even less indication of the extent to which these genes generate alternative gene products, through a process termed alternative splicing. The detection and sequencing of these full-length alternative gene products is the focus of this application. This application details the opportunity to participate in the identification of the full transcriptome of the mouse and is part of a collaborative effort with The RIKEN Genome Sciences Center in Japan.Read moreRead less
Statistical methods for detection of non-coding RNAs in eukaryote genomes. Understanding how eukaryotic cells work is a major goal of 21st century biology. A crucial step will be to catalogue the functional components of eukaryotic genomes. Australian researchers must be involved in this process at an early stage, in order to maximise commercial opportunities, attract quality researchers and position ourselves for further advances. This project will make major contributions to international effo ....Statistical methods for detection of non-coding RNAs in eukaryote genomes. Understanding how eukaryotic cells work is a major goal of 21st century biology. A crucial step will be to catalogue the functional components of eukaryotic genomes. Australian researchers must be involved in this process at an early stage, in order to maximise commercial opportunities, attract quality researchers and position ourselves for further advances. This project will make major contributions to international efforts in this area, via the development of statistical methods for segmenting genomes, classification of those segments, and study of the resulting classes. In the long term, enhanced understanding of eukaryotic cells will lead to breakthroughs in biology, and to medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural and scientific advances.Read moreRead less
The mucosal immune system of fish: analysis of the immune repertoire in gut-and gill-associated lymphoid tissues in trout. Infectious disease causes major economic loss to the aquaculture industry, highlighting the need for effective vaccination strategies. While oral or immersion vaccination represents the most cost effective means of protecting fish against infectious disease there are problems associated with inducing an effective immune response in fish that will assist our industry partner ....The mucosal immune system of fish: analysis of the immune repertoire in gut-and gill-associated lymphoid tissues in trout. Infectious disease causes major economic loss to the aquaculture industry, highlighting the need for effective vaccination strategies. While oral or immersion vaccination represents the most cost effective means of protecting fish against infectious disease there are problems associated with inducing an effective immune response in fish that will assist our industry partner (Novartis Animal Vaccines Ltd) to develop improved fish vaccines. The project will provide postgraduate training in the area of fish immunology that is vital to the developing Australian aquaculture industry.Read moreRead less
Sex and bottlenecks: understanding the evolutionary dynamics of bacterial adaptation. Bacteria can rapidly adapt to changing environments, often with devastating consequences for humans. However, this adaptive evolution is often limited by strong reductions in population size, in particular during transmission from one host to another. This project aims to investigate whether recombination in bacteria can overcome the limits that such bottlenecks impose on the rate of adaptation. To this end, it ....Sex and bottlenecks: understanding the evolutionary dynamics of bacterial adaptation. Bacteria can rapidly adapt to changing environments, often with devastating consequences for humans. However, this adaptive evolution is often limited by strong reductions in population size, in particular during transmission from one host to another. This project aims to investigate whether recombination in bacteria can overcome the limits that such bottlenecks impose on the rate of adaptation. To this end, it will construct mathematical models and complement them with evolution experiments in bacterial populations. Results from this research aim to generate fundamental insights into the role of recombination in bacterial evolution and will provide guidance for developing management strategies for bacterial pathogens.Read moreRead less
Predicting the evolutionary dynamics of adaptation. This project aims to address the question of how we can predict adaptive evolution. The project aims to probe the limits of evolutionary predictions by using a model system of bacterial populations that adapt to the presence of multiple stressors. This will be combined with high-throughput fitness measurements, whole genome sequencing and computer simulations. Anticipated outcomes include novel insights into deep questions regarding the structu ....Predicting the evolutionary dynamics of adaptation. This project aims to address the question of how we can predict adaptive evolution. The project aims to probe the limits of evolutionary predictions by using a model system of bacterial populations that adapt to the presence of multiple stressors. This will be combined with high-throughput fitness measurements, whole genome sequencing and computer simulations. Anticipated outcomes include novel insights into deep questions regarding the structure of fitness landscapes and the repeatability, predictability and contingency of adaptive evolution. The project is expected to provide significant benefits, informing the development of improved strategies for managing pathogen resistance to antimicrobial drugs.Read moreRead less
The transcriptional co-repressor C-terminal Binding Protein (CtBP) in metabolic control. This project will provide insights into the genes that regulate the storage of fat. We will learn about basic biology but will also discover mechanisms that may be used to influence fat storage in human health. We will also consolidate Australia's expertise in the use of the genetic model organism, the worm C. elegans, and validate the findings in mammalian systems. Finally, the process of training young sci ....The transcriptional co-repressor C-terminal Binding Protein (CtBP) in metabolic control. This project will provide insights into the genes that regulate the storage of fat. We will learn about basic biology but will also discover mechanisms that may be used to influence fat storage in human health. We will also consolidate Australia's expertise in the use of the genetic model organism, the worm C. elegans, and validate the findings in mammalian systems. Finally, the process of training young scientists in these modern systems, will also equip future researchers to make additional contributions to Australia's research output.Read moreRead less