Bacterial and host drivers of chlamydial blindness in koalas. Chlamydial infection of the eyes is a significant cause of disease and death in koalas, contributing to the ongoing decline of this native species. Little is known about what influences the outcome of these infections, challenging efforts to manage and control koala chlamydial blindness. This project aims to evaluate whether differences in the infecting Chlamydia pecorum strains or the koala immune response, are associated with the ou ....Bacterial and host drivers of chlamydial blindness in koalas. Chlamydial infection of the eyes is a significant cause of disease and death in koalas, contributing to the ongoing decline of this native species. Little is known about what influences the outcome of these infections, challenging efforts to manage and control koala chlamydial blindness. This project aims to evaluate whether differences in the infecting Chlamydia pecorum strains or the koala immune response, are associated with the outcome of chlamydial ocular infection. In addition to helping us to understand and prevent blindness in koalas, this project should significantly expand our knowledge of the koala immune system and generate an array of koala immunological assays, outcomes that may benefit all koala conservation efforts.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the coral minimal microbiome. This project aims to decipher the functions of coral-associated bacteria by taking advantage of low-diversity microbiomes that are naturally found in some coral species. A further aim is to unveil the importance of bacterial genome evolution in coral adaptation to climate change. Climate warming is the biggest threat to coral reefs with half of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR) corals dead due to recent summer heat waves. Expected outcomes are an incr ....Deciphering the coral minimal microbiome. This project aims to decipher the functions of coral-associated bacteria by taking advantage of low-diversity microbiomes that are naturally found in some coral species. A further aim is to unveil the importance of bacterial genome evolution in coral adaptation to climate change. Climate warming is the biggest threat to coral reefs with half of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR) corals dead due to recent summer heat waves. Expected outcomes are an increased understanding of how bacteria contribute to coral heat tolerance, and new knowledge to assist in the development of bacterial probiotics for enhancing coral thermal tolerance. This should provide significant benefits to the protection of the GBR and Australia’s economy.Read moreRead less
Bacterial communities in metropolitan, rural and indigenous Australians. This project aims to apply recently developed culturing methods to archive and phenotype bacterial species found in the human gut in a representative sample from metropolitan, rural and indigenous Australians. This project expects to isolate, genome sequence, classify, characterize and permanently archive 1500 bacterial species. Expected outcomes of this project include detailed knowledge of previously undiscovered bacteria ....Bacterial communities in metropolitan, rural and indigenous Australians. This project aims to apply recently developed culturing methods to archive and phenotype bacterial species found in the human gut in a representative sample from metropolitan, rural and indigenous Australians. This project expects to isolate, genome sequence, classify, characterize and permanently archive 1500 bacterial species. Expected outcomes of this project include detailed knowledge of previously undiscovered bacterial species, improved methods to measure the bacterial species that inhabit the human gut and a detailed understanding of the gut microbiota of Australians. This project should significantly enhance our knowledge of bacterial diversity and evolution and provide detailed insights into bacterial transmission.Read moreRead less
The role of mycorrhizal fungi in nutrient supply and habitat specificity of the rare underground orchid (Rhizanthella gardneri). The underground orchid (Rhizanthella gardneri) is an extremely rare achlorophyllous myco-heterotroph that shares a mycorrhizal fungus with broom bush (Melaleuca uncinata). This project will investigate habitat requirements for R. gardneri and assess the orchid dependence on M. uncinata for carbon and nutrient supply. We will measure magnitude and timing of nutrient a ....The role of mycorrhizal fungi in nutrient supply and habitat specificity of the rare underground orchid (Rhizanthella gardneri). The underground orchid (Rhizanthella gardneri) is an extremely rare achlorophyllous myco-heterotroph that shares a mycorrhizal fungus with broom bush (Melaleuca uncinata). This project will investigate habitat requirements for R. gardneri and assess the orchid dependence on M. uncinata for carbon and nutrient supply. We will measure magnitude and timing of nutrient and carbon transfers between M. uncinata roots, fungal hyphae and R. gardneri using stable isotope techniques. This project will provide knowledge essential for conserving the underground orchid, a unique Australian plant, and other critically endangered orchids.Read moreRead less
Microbial community characterisation for bioprocessing of chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater. Due to irresponsible industrial practices, Australia has hundreds of polluted soil and water environments. This includes the notorious groundwater contamination underlying Botany in Sydney, an area of rich industrial, residential and cultural significance. The use of microbes to clean up polluted environments, such as the Botany groundwater, is known as bioremediation - a process exploitin ....Microbial community characterisation for bioprocessing of chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater. Due to irresponsible industrial practices, Australia has hundreds of polluted soil and water environments. This includes the notorious groundwater contamination underlying Botany in Sydney, an area of rich industrial, residential and cultural significance. The use of microbes to clean up polluted environments, such as the Botany groundwater, is known as bioremediation - a process exploiting the natural metabolic versatility of microbes. To clean up the polluted groundwater in Botany, mixed species communities of pollutant degrading microbes are being produced. Novel tools to reveal the inner workings of these microscopic communities are also being developed, giving Australia an unprecedented advantage in the global bioremediation market.Read moreRead less
Enhanced coral stress tolerance via manipulation of prokaryotic symbionts. The project aims to develop a novel approach to improve environmental stress tolerance in corals. Coral reefs are under threat from a range of stressors that have led to massive declines in coral cover and health worldwide. There is now great concern that the rate of environmental change is outpacing the natural capacity of corals to acclimatise, adapt and survive. Although it is important to address the root causes of cl ....Enhanced coral stress tolerance via manipulation of prokaryotic symbionts. The project aims to develop a novel approach to improve environmental stress tolerance in corals. Coral reefs are under threat from a range of stressors that have led to massive declines in coral cover and health worldwide. There is now great concern that the rate of environmental change is outpacing the natural capacity of corals to acclimatise, adapt and survive. Although it is important to address the root causes of climate change, a focus on strategies to mitigate its impacts is also required. This project explores the potential to augment the capacity of corals to tolerate stress through the manipulation of their associated prokaryotic communities. This project may result in novel coral reef restoration approaches.Read moreRead less
Functional dynamics of skeletal microbiota in healthy and bleached corals. Little is known about the microbiota inhabiting coral skeletons, but several sources of evidence point to their importance in the coral holobiont. Particularly during coral bleaching, drastic changes happen in the skeletal microbiome, with potential beneficial as well as detrimental effects on the holobiont. This project will characterise the functions of skeletal microbiota, how microbial communities are structured along ....Functional dynamics of skeletal microbiota in healthy and bleached corals. Little is known about the microbiota inhabiting coral skeletons, but several sources of evidence point to their importance in the coral holobiont. Particularly during coral bleaching, drastic changes happen in the skeletal microbiome, with potential beneficial as well as detrimental effects on the holobiont. This project will characterise the functions of skeletal microbiota, how microbial communities are structured along physico-chemical gradients, and how microbial gene expression changes through coral bleaching. This will lead to better insights into the roles of skeletal microbiota in the holobiont, the processes occurring in the skeleton during bleaching, and the role that skeletal microbiota may play in the fate of bleached corals.Read moreRead less
A Changing Climate on the Great Barrier Reef: Present and Future Implications. The Great Barrier Reef is fundamental to the economy of Australia. This national and international icon needs to be preserved in the face of a changing world to ensure on-going sustainability of our marine resources. Ocean acidification, warming water temperatures, increased freshwater disrupt the sensitive symbiotic association of corals the major structure building organisms of reefs. Understanding how these enviro ....A Changing Climate on the Great Barrier Reef: Present and Future Implications. The Great Barrier Reef is fundamental to the economy of Australia. This national and international icon needs to be preserved in the face of a changing world to ensure on-going sustainability of our marine resources. Ocean acidification, warming water temperatures, increased freshwater disrupt the sensitive symbiotic association of corals the major structure building organisms of reefs. Understanding how these environmental stressors result in the decrease in coral health is fundamental to prevent loss of our coral reefs and an important step towards preserving them for future generations.Read moreRead less