Genetic dissection of a regulatory deubiquitlyation network. The potential impact of this work is widespread, because although it is known that ubiquitlyation has regulatory consequences in multicellular eukaryotes, individual networks have not been completely described in higher eukaryotes. Knowledge gained about fundamental processes in the A. nidulans model system is directly applicable to fungi used in biotechnology in the food, beverage, enzyme and pharmaceutical production industries, and ....Genetic dissection of a regulatory deubiquitlyation network. The potential impact of this work is widespread, because although it is known that ubiquitlyation has regulatory consequences in multicellular eukaryotes, individual networks have not been completely described in higher eukaryotes. Knowledge gained about fundamental processes in the A. nidulans model system is directly applicable to fungi used in biotechnology in the food, beverage, enzyme and pharmaceutical production industries, and to fungal pathogens. Since the fungal genes that form the basis of this project are conserved in higher eukaryotes including humans, the knowledge will be transferable to these systems. A further benefit that cannot be overstated is the research education and training opportunities provided.
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Development and regulation of thermogenesis in thermoregulating flowers. Flowers of certain primitive plants produce enough heat to raise their temperatures up to 40 C above the air, and regulate it at a nearly constant level. Like warm-blooded mammals, the flowers increase heat production as environmental temperature falls. However, they thermoregulate on a cellular level, unlike mammals with their complex nervous system. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms involved in regulation of heat-prod ....Development and regulation of thermogenesis in thermoregulating flowers. Flowers of certain primitive plants produce enough heat to raise their temperatures up to 40 C above the air, and regulate it at a nearly constant level. Like warm-blooded mammals, the flowers increase heat production as environmental temperature falls. However, they thermoregulate on a cellular level, unlike mammals with their complex nervous system. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms involved in regulation of heat-production, with molecular, biochemical and stable isotope techniques. We will investigate spatial and temporal patterns of gene expression and activity of putative regulatory enzymes. The results will have implications for human physiology and agriculture.Read moreRead less
Small is beautiful: Did gene-rich regions of mammal chromosomes evolve from microchromosomes? Most birds and reptile genomes feature many tiny microchromosomes. These are not junk, as previously thought, but contain most of the genes. Mammals lack microchromosomes, but contain gene-rich regions with similar attributes. We suggest that microchromosomes originated by genome duplication, and evolved into the gene-rich regions of mammalian chromosomes. We will test this hypothesis by comparing seque ....Small is beautiful: Did gene-rich regions of mammal chromosomes evolve from microchromosomes? Most birds and reptile genomes feature many tiny microchromosomes. These are not junk, as previously thought, but contain most of the genes. Mammals lack microchromosomes, but contain gene-rich regions with similar attributes. We suggest that microchromosomes originated by genome duplication, and evolved into the gene-rich regions of mammalian chromosomes. We will test this hypothesis by comparing sequences and genes in microchromosomes of birds, reptiles and monotremes. This will clarify the origin and evolution of the ?microgenome?, establish its suitability as a model for vertebrate genome organisation, and demonstrate whether microchromosomes are the ancestors of the gene-rich regions of mammalian chromosomes.Read moreRead less
Microgenomics - a tool to dissect effects of salinity on gene expression in specific cell types of Arabidopsis and rice. This project will provide novel, fundamental understanding of the cell type-specific processes involved in salinity tolerance in higher plants. As such, it will impact on our understanding of a range of processes relevant to salinity tolerance, an area of great importance to Australian agriculture and environmental sustainability. The increased understanding arising from this ....Microgenomics - a tool to dissect effects of salinity on gene expression in specific cell types of Arabidopsis and rice. This project will provide novel, fundamental understanding of the cell type-specific processes involved in salinity tolerance in higher plants. As such, it will impact on our understanding of a range of processes relevant to salinity tolerance, an area of great importance to Australian agriculture and environmental sustainability. The increased understanding arising from this project will underpin future work to increase agricultural productivity and the quality of life for all in the Australian and international communities.Read moreRead less
Calcium compartmentation in leaves: testing an integrated model of water and calcium transport with cell specific functional genomics. Calcium is a vital nutrient to animals and humans and its storage in vegetation is important for its accessibility. We believe this storage is linked to water flow in the leaf by a novel mechanism. This project will provide fundamental understanding of the cell type-specific processes involved in calcium storage and water flow in plants. High calibre PhD and Hono ....Calcium compartmentation in leaves: testing an integrated model of water and calcium transport with cell specific functional genomics. Calcium is a vital nutrient to animals and humans and its storage in vegetation is important for its accessibility. We believe this storage is linked to water flow in the leaf by a novel mechanism. This project will provide fundamental understanding of the cell type-specific processes involved in calcium storage and water flow in plants. High calibre PhD and Honours students will be educated to maintain the momentum of international excellence within Australia in the field of plant nutrient relations. The increase in understanding will allow future work to improve calcium availability and water use by plants to the benefit of agricultural productivity and quality of life.Read moreRead less
A study of the nongenomic action of Vitamin D: proposed role of the nuclear VDR and downstream signalling molecules. Vitamin D (1,25D) activates genes in the nucleus through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). 1,25D can also elicit rapid responses at the plasma membrane. This action is critical to the activation of nuclear genes. We hypothesise that a proportion of the nuclear VDR is located at the plasma membrane where it stimulates downstream signalling molecules eg Ras, ERK1/2 and ERK5. We plan to ....A study of the nongenomic action of Vitamin D: proposed role of the nuclear VDR and downstream signalling molecules. Vitamin D (1,25D) activates genes in the nucleus through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). 1,25D can also elicit rapid responses at the plasma membrane. This action is critical to the activation of nuclear genes. We hypothesise that a proportion of the nuclear VDR is located at the plasma membrane where it stimulates downstream signalling molecules eg Ras, ERK1/2 and ERK5. We plan to explore this hypothesis and to identify the signalling molecules. We will also investigate our novel finding that a specific Ras isoform is involved in ERK5 activation. The work will provide new information on signalling pathways.Read moreRead less
Domestic Subversions: maternalism and cross-cultural histories. This project will assist in the processes of reconciliation, by fostering a sense of a shared history, and increasing public awareness of the complexity of race relations histories in Australia. It will redress a significant gap in Australian knowledge and literature. Very little is known about the history of Aboriginal domestic workers and their relationships with their white employers in Australia, despite growing awareness of the ....Domestic Subversions: maternalism and cross-cultural histories. This project will assist in the processes of reconciliation, by fostering a sense of a shared history, and increasing public awareness of the complexity of race relations histories in Australia. It will redress a significant gap in Australian knowledge and literature. Very little is known about the history of Aboriginal domestic workers and their relationships with their white employers in Australia, despite growing awareness of the significance of domestic service in Aboriginal child removal policies. The project will also assist in establishing Australian historical scholarship at the forefront of leading international research initiatives in gender, race and colonialism studies. Read moreRead less
Defining New Building Blocks for the Construction of Artificial Genetic Circuits. By characterising the components of a natural genetic switch, we will make available a set of well defined genetic building blocks for construction of rationally designed biological circuits. The ability to build such circuits would have significant economic benefit in areas such as metabolic engineering, to improve the efficiency of production of natural compounds from micro-organisms, and in biomedicine, for the ....Defining New Building Blocks for the Construction of Artificial Genetic Circuits. By characterising the components of a natural genetic switch, we will make available a set of well defined genetic building blocks for construction of rationally designed biological circuits. The ability to build such circuits would have significant economic benefit in areas such as metabolic engineering, to improve the efficiency of production of natural compounds from micro-organisms, and in biomedicine, for the controlled release of therapeutic compounds. The involvement of Honours and Ph.D students in this project will expose the next generation of Australian scientists to this emerging discipline. International collaboration leading to publications in high impact scientific journals will enhance Australia's scientific reputation.Read moreRead less
Autobiography of a People: Aboriginal Writing in Queensland, 1890s-1930s. As the recent "history wars" confirm, Australians today care deeply about the colonial past, because its legacies are "all around us and within" (as Oodgeroo noted). This project advances knowledge and conceptual understanding in the key areas of colonial race relations, Indigenous self-representation, and Indigenous literacy. Aboriginal autobiography is an especially effective tool for stimulating the empathetic imaginati ....Autobiography of a People: Aboriginal Writing in Queensland, 1890s-1930s. As the recent "history wars" confirm, Australians today care deeply about the colonial past, because its legacies are "all around us and within" (as Oodgeroo noted). This project advances knowledge and conceptual understanding in the key areas of colonial race relations, Indigenous self-representation, and Indigenous literacy. Aboriginal autobiography is an especially effective tool for stimulating the empathetic imagination, and bridging social, temporal and geographical distances between people. This research will strengthen the nation's social fabric by promoting inter-racial understanding, and by adding historical depth to present thinking about contemporary Aboriginal attitudes to literacy.Read moreRead less
Indigenous Life Narratives and Racial Reconciliation in Australia and South Africa. The project studies the relationship between indigenous storytelling (life narratives, storytelling, testimony)and political campaigns for human rights and racial reconciliation in South Africa and Australia. It analyses the contexts of production, dissemination and consumption of these stories and their effects on indigenous and non-indigenous tellers and listeners within and beyond the respective nations, inclu ....Indigenous Life Narratives and Racial Reconciliation in Australia and South Africa. The project studies the relationship between indigenous storytelling (life narratives, storytelling, testimony)and political campaigns for human rights and racial reconciliation in South Africa and Australia. It analyses the contexts of production, dissemination and consumption of these stories and their effects on indigenous and non-indigenous tellers and listeners within and beyond the respective nations, including the emergence of new national literatures, indigenous identities, discourses on ethics, responsibility and racial reconciliation within and beyond the nations. The study offers a significant theoretical and methodological advance within the emerging field of critical global studies and the changing formations of nationhood.Read moreRead less