Testing links between life-history and genome evolution. Chromosomes are fundamental units of inheritance. They often differ in number, size and structure between species, and may also differ between individuals within a species. The evolution of chromosomes is tied to that of organisms themselves, making them important for understanding the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Yet, our understanding of the forces that influence chromosome evolution remains limited. This project will inve ....Testing links between life-history and genome evolution. Chromosomes are fundamental units of inheritance. They often differ in number, size and structure between species, and may also differ between individuals within a species. The evolution of chromosomes is tied to that of organisms themselves, making them important for understanding the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Yet, our understanding of the forces that influence chromosome evolution remains limited. This project will investigate the formation of unusual chains of chromosomes that are increasingly being found in various vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, using an organism in which they are most commonly found: termites. We will test the hypothesis that inbreeding drives the evolution of meiotic sex linked chromosomes.Read moreRead less
Unlocking the genetic and biochemical potential of kangaroo paws. Using cutting-edge gene technology and an interdisciplinary approach, this project aims to uncover the genes responsible for flower colour in the iconic kangaroo paws of Western Australia, and identify the compounds that produce the colours. The project expects to produce the first entire kangaroo paw genome and identify unique genetic variants and biochemicals underlying colour differences. This new knowledge should help horticul ....Unlocking the genetic and biochemical potential of kangaroo paws. Using cutting-edge gene technology and an interdisciplinary approach, this project aims to uncover the genes responsible for flower colour in the iconic kangaroo paws of Western Australia, and identify the compounds that produce the colours. The project expects to produce the first entire kangaroo paw genome and identify unique genetic variants and biochemicals underlying colour differences. This new knowledge should help horticultural programs to more easily breed varieties with desirable and highly marketable new colours, and could assist in conserving these amazing Australian plants.Read moreRead less
Harnessing horizontal gene transfer for sustainable nitrogen fixation. This project aims to investigate natural deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) transfer from nitrogen-fixing bacteria to indigenous bacteria in Australian soils. This project expects to significantly expand our understanding of the molecular and genetic factors contributing to the evolution of ineffective symbiotic bacteria in these soils. An expected outcome of this project is support development of genetically stable bacterial inocul ....Harnessing horizontal gene transfer for sustainable nitrogen fixation. This project aims to investigate natural deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) transfer from nitrogen-fixing bacteria to indigenous bacteria in Australian soils. This project expects to significantly expand our understanding of the molecular and genetic factors contributing to the evolution of ineffective symbiotic bacteria in these soils. An expected outcome of this project is support development of genetically stable bacterial inoculants for use in agriculture. Inoculation of legumes with nitrogen-fixing symbiotic bacteria is a cheap and environmentally-friendly alternative to chemical fertilisers and contributes $3-4 billion per annum to Australian economy.Read moreRead less
Investigating a new way in which diet impacts animal biology. This project aims to investigate the importance of a new way in which diet can alter animal biology. High fat or high sugar diets increase the binding of products of metabolism to chromosomes, which can completely alter the way that DNA is packaged and read. This project will use cell culture, rodent and fly models to identify the regions of the genome that are most affected by the new process. The project will also determine whether ....Investigating a new way in which diet impacts animal biology. This project aims to investigate the importance of a new way in which diet can alter animal biology. High fat or high sugar diets increase the binding of products of metabolism to chromosomes, which can completely alter the way that DNA is packaged and read. This project will use cell culture, rodent and fly models to identify the regions of the genome that are most affected by the new process. The project will also determine whether the cell is harmed, or in fact harnesses the process to control development or metabolism. This project has implications for our understanding of the ways in which genes interact with the environment especially in times of change.Read moreRead less
The control of cell signalling by membrane remodelling. Cells secrete signalling molecules called growth factors to drive critical developmental processes such as growth, differentiation and death. This project aims to understand a new mechanism that we have discovered for the control of growth factors by a protein family evolved to damage cell membranes. This is highly novel since the usual role of these proteins is to kill pathogens targeted by the immune system. By coupling innovative genetic ....The control of cell signalling by membrane remodelling. Cells secrete signalling molecules called growth factors to drive critical developmental processes such as growth, differentiation and death. This project aims to understand a new mechanism that we have discovered for the control of growth factors by a protein family evolved to damage cell membranes. This is highly novel since the usual role of these proteins is to kill pathogens targeted by the immune system. By coupling innovative genetics, high-resolution imaging, and advanced biochemical analyses, this project intends to provide key molecular insights into how cell signalling can be regulated during animal development. We anticipate that this will impact our general understanding of membrane biology and its influence on cell signalling.Read moreRead less
Demographic and evolutionary inferences from large, whole-genome datasets. A new data structure for genome-wide datasets has allowed great improvements in the efficiency of genomic data storage and in population genomics simulations, which are crucial to developing and testing mathematical models of population history and species evolution. We will take these advances in new directions, using efficient data structures to dramatically improve inferences about: the demographic histories of popul .... Demographic and evolutionary inferences from large, whole-genome datasets. A new data structure for genome-wide datasets has allowed great improvements in the efficiency of genomic data storage and in population genomics simulations, which are crucial to developing and testing mathematical models of population history and species evolution. We will take these advances in new directions, using efficient data structures to dramatically improve inferences about: the demographic histories of populations, rates of genome change, and phylogenetic networks, and we will develop the first inference methods for the multispecies coalescent with recombination. Outcomes will include advances in understanding the evolutionary histories of humans and other species, including pathogens of importance for global health.Read moreRead less
Exploiting microbial metabolites to understand fungal biology. The project aims to investigate the principles of hyphal growth in fungi, by studying the mechanisms of action of a bacteria-derived compound that inhibits hyphae. Changing cell shape between yeast and hyphae is a prototype developmental switch enabling fungi to escape stressful environments, while hyphal invasion promotes fungal infections of animals and plants that endanger food security and biodiversity. By using interdisciplinary ....Exploiting microbial metabolites to understand fungal biology. The project aims to investigate the principles of hyphal growth in fungi, by studying the mechanisms of action of a bacteria-derived compound that inhibits hyphae. Changing cell shape between yeast and hyphae is a prototype developmental switch enabling fungi to escape stressful environments, while hyphal invasion promotes fungal infections of animals and plants that endanger food security and biodiversity. By using interdisciplinary approaches of microbiology and chemistry, the expected outcomes are to generate deep knowledge of an important microbial process and how it could be modulated, characterise a new bacterial compound and build research capacity at the nexus of biology and chemistry to benefit discoveries in academia and industry.Read moreRead less
Evolution and mechanisms of interactions in biofilm communities. This project aims to study the long-term experimental evolution of a mixed species bacterial biofilm community. This project expects to gain understanding of the genetic and physiological basis of community evolution. Expected outcomes of this project will be an understanding of how synthetic communities evolve. This will significantly benefit the use of synthetic communities relevant to fields such as antibiotic design, biotechnol ....Evolution and mechanisms of interactions in biofilm communities. This project aims to study the long-term experimental evolution of a mixed species bacterial biofilm community. This project expects to gain understanding of the genetic and physiological basis of community evolution. Expected outcomes of this project will be an understanding of how synthetic communities evolve. This will significantly benefit the use of synthetic communities relevant to fields such as antibiotic design, biotechnology, bioremediation, and synthetic biology where evolution can be inhibited or exploited, respectively.Read moreRead less
The transgenerational effect of thermosensing in plants. This project aims to understand how thermosensing mechanisms in plants result in transgenerational change, and potentially adaptation to climate. Exploiting the recent discovery of the thermosensor phytochrome B, this project will decipher the molecular cascade which, either through long-distance communication or through persistence of an epigenetic state in the cell lineage, could lead to a trans generational memory in plants helping with ....The transgenerational effect of thermosensing in plants. This project aims to understand how thermosensing mechanisms in plants result in transgenerational change, and potentially adaptation to climate. Exploiting the recent discovery of the thermosensor phytochrome B, this project will decipher the molecular cascade which, either through long-distance communication or through persistence of an epigenetic state in the cell lineage, could lead to a trans generational memory in plants helping with climate adaptation. This project will unravel novel molecular mechanisms, which have the potential to pave the way for designing new climate-proofing solutions to cope with temperature uncertainty.Read moreRead less