Molecular and Cellular Characterisations of the Cortical Actin Cytoskeleton in the Plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant cells contain extensive arrays of the cytoskeletal protein actin that attach to the plasma membrane and may play important roles in cell elongation through interactions with cortical microtubules. However, the organisation, dynamics and functions of cortical actin remain poorly understood. I will combine cell and molecular approaches to understanding cortical actin in living tissu ....Molecular and Cellular Characterisations of the Cortical Actin Cytoskeleton in the Plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant cells contain extensive arrays of the cytoskeletal protein actin that attach to the plasma membrane and may play important roles in cell elongation through interactions with cortical microtubules. However, the organisation, dynamics and functions of cortical actin remain poorly understood. I will combine cell and molecular approaches to understanding cortical actin in living tissue of Arabidopsis, using both wild-type and previously uncharacterised mutants, and will develop a novel mutational screening strategy to isolate mutants disrupted in plasma membrane or microtubule binding. This research will contribute significantly to a greater understanding of how the plant grows and develops.Read moreRead less
Functional characterisation of the necrotrophic effector proteins Tox1 and Tox3 from the wheat pathogen Stagonospora nodorum. Fungal pathogens cost the Australian agricultural industry over one billion dollars per year. This project will build upon recent key advances to provide a fundamental basis on how fungal pathogens cause disease. The results from this study will promote future advances in disease management with the aim of securing Australian wheat supplies.
How do nano-molecular carboxysome protein structures function in alpha and beta-cyanobacteria and can we use them for novel reaction compartmentalisation? In blue-green algae, protein nano-structures, known as carboxysomes, act as tiny compartments where carbon dioxide (CO2) can be fixed into simple sugars at high efficiency. This important photosynthetic process forms the basis of global primary productivity on this planet, but most land-based CO2 fixation lacks the efficiency seen in blue-gree ....How do nano-molecular carboxysome protein structures function in alpha and beta-cyanobacteria and can we use them for novel reaction compartmentalisation? In blue-green algae, protein nano-structures, known as carboxysomes, act as tiny compartments where carbon dioxide (CO2) can be fixed into simple sugars at high efficiency. This important photosynthetic process forms the basis of global primary productivity on this planet, but most land-based CO2 fixation lacks the efficiency seen in blue-greens. This research aims to determine how the proteins that make up carboxysomes are 3-dimensionally arranged and how these structures function to enhance rates of CO2 fixation. A more thorough understanding of the carboxysome is likely to have potential applications in industrial nano-technology and improve our understanding of oceanic primary productivity.Read moreRead less
The Shape of Plants; Discovering factors that control morphology by organizing the cytoskeleton. Understanding how plants generate the huge diversity of shapes seen in nature is both a scientific challenge and a biotechnological opportunity. Microtubules dominate cell architecture, providing dynamic, yet rigid, frameworks for defining or changing growth polarity. We recently discovered and cloned MOR1, a gene that is essential for organizing microtubules and controlling morphogenesis. This place ....The Shape of Plants; Discovering factors that control morphology by organizing the cytoskeleton. Understanding how plants generate the huge diversity of shapes seen in nature is both a scientific challenge and a biotechnological opportunity. Microtubules dominate cell architecture, providing dynamic, yet rigid, frameworks for defining or changing growth polarity. We recently discovered and cloned MOR1, a gene that is essential for organizing microtubules and controlling morphogenesis. This places us in a strong position to resolve a long-standing mystery: how are microtubules organized? We intend to define MOR1's structural attributes, identify its interacting proteins and innovate an ambitious screen for additional genes that have related functions. This project should stimulate new ideas and applications.Read moreRead less
Physiological and molecular controls of plant transpiration efficiency: investigating the role of the ERECTA gene. Water is the single most limiting factor in agriculture and the world's supply of fresh water is diminishing, the greatest fraction of total water use being by agriculture. Progress in water-use efficiency will have social value, and this program should help us to achieve it. Our progress in this area is already one of the most successful of 'bottom-up' approaches - in the sense of ....Physiological and molecular controls of plant transpiration efficiency: investigating the role of the ERECTA gene. Water is the single most limiting factor in agriculture and the world's supply of fresh water is diminishing, the greatest fraction of total water use being by agriculture. Progress in water-use efficiency will have social value, and this program should help us to achieve it. Our progress in this area is already one of the most successful of 'bottom-up' approaches - in the sense of transferring knowledge from biochemistry and biophysics to breeding and agronomy, as CSIRO now has a successful wheat breeding program based on this earlier work of ours. Now that we have discovered a gene that controls water-use efficiency at the leaf level, we wish to see how the gene works, and how it affects mineral nutrition of leaves.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100466
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,623.00
Summary
Decrypting chloroplast signalling in C4 photosynthesis under heat stress. This project aims to fill a critical knowledge gap in how photosynthesis, chloroplast signals, metabolism and cell specialisation are coordinated for stress acclimation in plants. It aims to dissect the complex interactions between a) cellular distress signals produced by chloroplasts with b) reactive radicals and c) plant metabolism during heat stress. It expects to provide the first insights into chloroplast signalling c ....Decrypting chloroplast signalling in C4 photosynthesis under heat stress. This project aims to fill a critical knowledge gap in how photosynthesis, chloroplast signals, metabolism and cell specialisation are coordinated for stress acclimation in plants. It aims to dissect the complex interactions between a) cellular distress signals produced by chloroplasts with b) reactive radicals and c) plant metabolism during heat stress. It expects to provide the first insights into chloroplast signalling critical for heat-tolerant C4 photosynthesis which is active in two specialised leaf cell types in cereals such as maize and sorghum. Expected outcomes include an unprecedented cell-level resolution map of chloroplast signalling, which will benefit the engineering of improved photosynthesis into crops. Read moreRead less
Improving plant reproductive success under heat stress: A sweet approach. This project aims to determine how genetic manipulation of cell wall invertase (CWIN) activity could regulate pollen germination, elongation and fruit set under heat stress using tomato as a model. Plant reproductive processes are highly susceptible to heat stress, which often leads to pollination failure and fruit and seed abortion, hence irreversible yield loss. Research has established that CWIN-mediated sugar metabolis ....Improving plant reproductive success under heat stress: A sweet approach. This project aims to determine how genetic manipulation of cell wall invertase (CWIN) activity could regulate pollen germination, elongation and fruit set under heat stress using tomato as a model. Plant reproductive processes are highly susceptible to heat stress, which often leads to pollination failure and fruit and seed abortion, hence irreversible yield loss. Research has established that CWIN-mediated sugar metabolism and signaling may play crucial roles in pollen growth and fruit set under heat stress. The intended outcome is the generation of critical knowledge that will advance understanding on reproductive development under heat stress, thereby providing significant benefits, such as novel ideas and solutions for improving crop yield.Read moreRead less
Oxygen isotope discrimination during C4 photosynthesis. Plants with the C4 photosynthetic pathway, like sugarcane and pasture grasses, are vital to Australian agriculture and natural ecosystems. This project will use novel laser spectroscopy to measure oxygen isotope discrimination during photosynthesis and quantify the influence of C4 plants on isotopic signatures of atmospheric CO2.
Can altered sugar sensing improve crop productivity? This project aims at genetically manipulating sugar sensing pathways in the model C4 grass Setaria viridis, and at replacing sugar sensors in the model C3 crop Oryza sativa (rice) with those from S. viridis. This project expects to elucidate the impact of altered sugar perception on crop photosynthesis and yield. Expected outcomes includes advancing a novel “pull” approach to improve yield in C3 crops by using C4-like sugar sensors to reduce f ....Can altered sugar sensing improve crop productivity? This project aims at genetically manipulating sugar sensing pathways in the model C4 grass Setaria viridis, and at replacing sugar sensors in the model C3 crop Oryza sativa (rice) with those from S. viridis. This project expects to elucidate the impact of altered sugar perception on crop photosynthesis and yield. Expected outcomes includes advancing a novel “pull” approach to improve yield in C3 crops by using C4-like sugar sensors to reduce feedback regulation of photosynthesis which in turn limits productivity. This is in contrast to previous ‘push’ approaches aimed at directly increasing photosynthesis. Hence, this project provides significant benefits by contributing to the next green revolution needed to lift agricultural yields.Read moreRead less
Enhancing and manipulating C4 photosynthesis. To meet the challenge of increasing crop yield for a burgeoning world population, it has become apparent that photosynthetic capacity must be increased per unit leaf area to improve yield potential. Plants with the C4 photosynthetic pathway are major contributors to world food production and bioenergy supply. The aim of this study is to explore ways of enhancing C4 photosynthesis using directed molecular modifications of Setaria viridis, the model mo ....Enhancing and manipulating C4 photosynthesis. To meet the challenge of increasing crop yield for a burgeoning world population, it has become apparent that photosynthetic capacity must be increased per unit leaf area to improve yield potential. Plants with the C4 photosynthetic pathway are major contributors to world food production and bioenergy supply. The aim of this study is to explore ways of enhancing C4 photosynthesis using directed molecular modifications of Setaria viridis, the model monocot C4 species, and through high throughput fluorescence imaging of photosynthesis in Setaria italica accessions. This will provide new insights into rate limiting steps of C4 photosynthesis needed for C4 crop improvement.Read moreRead less