System-level characterisation of the siphonophore, Indo-Pacific man o' war. The Indo-Pacific man o' war (bluebottle), is a cnidarian from the siphonophore order. These animals frequent Australian beaches in swarms and cause thousands of stings every year. The project proposes to profile the genome, transcriptome, epigenome, and proteome of the bluebottle to gain insight into its life cycle, its behaviour, and toxins. Expected outcomes include the generation of novel information related to bluebo ....System-level characterisation of the siphonophore, Indo-Pacific man o' war. The Indo-Pacific man o' war (bluebottle), is a cnidarian from the siphonophore order. These animals frequent Australian beaches in swarms and cause thousands of stings every year. The project proposes to profile the genome, transcriptome, epigenome, and proteome of the bluebottle to gain insight into its life cycle, its behaviour, and toxins. Expected outcomes include the generation of novel information related to bluebottle gene regulation and its toxin repertoire, which will be highly beneficial for the design of future sting treatment strategies. Given that the bluebottle is a colony made of functionally specialised polyps, this study will also provide significant novel insight into the origins and evolution of animal multicellularity.Read moreRead less
How is molecular information passed between generations? This project aims to determine the mechanisms responsible for the inheritance of acquired traits. Sometimes the environment can have effects on the phenotype of not only the exposed individual, but also their children and grandchildren. While it is clear that this can occur, what is not clear is the mechanism by which this happens and the frequency at which it happens. This project will combine use of the model organism Caenorhabditis eleg ....How is molecular information passed between generations? This project aims to determine the mechanisms responsible for the inheritance of acquired traits. Sometimes the environment can have effects on the phenotype of not only the exposed individual, but also their children and grandchildren. While it is clear that this can occur, what is not clear is the mechanism by which this happens and the frequency at which it happens. This project will combine use of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans with biochemistry and structural biology to determine what the molecular mechanism is by which this "transgenerational epigenetic inheritance" occurs.Read moreRead less
Decoding Bacterial Epigenetic Regulation. This project aims to characterise bacterial epigenetic regulation by determining the mechanism of action and impact of bacterial DNA methylation. This project expects to generate new knowledge about fundamental aspects of bacterial gene regulation, using a novel combination of cutting edge DNA and RNA sequencing, proteomic and bioinformatic approaches. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new tools to facilitate the integration of epigenomi ....Decoding Bacterial Epigenetic Regulation. This project aims to characterise bacterial epigenetic regulation by determining the mechanism of action and impact of bacterial DNA methylation. This project expects to generate new knowledge about fundamental aspects of bacterial gene regulation, using a novel combination of cutting edge DNA and RNA sequencing, proteomic and bioinformatic approaches. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new tools to facilitate the integration of epigenomic analysis into genomic studies, exponentially increasing the volume and value of data gathered. This would provide significant future benefits to all academic, biotechnology, agricultural, veterinary and pharmaceutical applications that involve bacterial genomic analysis.Read moreRead less
Epigenetic regulation of genomic stability and inheritance. Sperm mediate inheritance by transmitting DNA and associated chemical (epigenetic) modifications to offspring. We hypothesise that epigenetic modifications protect DNA from mutations during sperm formation. Using innovative models, our interdisciplinary team will determine whether loss of specific epigenetic modifications permits mutations in sperm and whether these mutations are transmitted to offspring. Our work will contribute to und ....Epigenetic regulation of genomic stability and inheritance. Sperm mediate inheritance by transmitting DNA and associated chemical (epigenetic) modifications to offspring. We hypothesise that epigenetic modifications protect DNA from mutations during sperm formation. Using innovative models, our interdisciplinary team will determine whether loss of specific epigenetic modifications permits mutations in sperm and whether these mutations are transmitted to offspring. Our work will contribute to understanding how new mutations arise in sperm and potentially affect offspring phenotype, adaptation and evolution. As chemicals, drugs and diet can affect epigenetic function, our studies will also contribute to determining how epigenetic inheritance affects environmental, agricultural and healthcare outcomes.Read moreRead less
Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100263
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$477,037.00
Summary
Improve genomic testing tools for fertility traits in beef cattle. Fertility is a key driver of productivity and profitability for beef industry; however, a substantial industry challenge is poor fertility and the difficulty and expense of measuring fertility in remote Australia. By integrating multiple omics datasets and fifty thousand fertility phenotypes recorded on beef cattle, the project will identify sequence variation, including structural variants, that underpin genetic variation in cat ....Improve genomic testing tools for fertility traits in beef cattle. Fertility is a key driver of productivity and profitability for beef industry; however, a substantial industry challenge is poor fertility and the difficulty and expense of measuring fertility in remote Australia. By integrating multiple omics datasets and fifty thousand fertility phenotypes recorded on beef cattle, the project will identify sequence variation, including structural variants, that underpin genetic variation in cattle fertility. Our industry partner, which genotypes hundreds of thousands of cattle a year, will produce new genotype arrays and novel low-cost sequencing approaches including these variants, enabling selection that could potentially increase herd reproductive rate by 4%, returning $40M per annum to the farmers.Read moreRead less
Next-generation epigenetic analysis: direct reading of DNA methylation. This project aims to develop a new molecular tool to directly and dynamically read chemical modifications on genomic DNA (epigenetics) by utilizing advanced nanomaterials with the unique features of Raman spectroscopy. Epigenetics affects cellular processes and controls genetic programs by turning them “on” and “off" but there is currently no direct method to measure modifications on DNA. A new technology will be designed to ....Next-generation epigenetic analysis: direct reading of DNA methylation. This project aims to develop a new molecular tool to directly and dynamically read chemical modifications on genomic DNA (epigenetics) by utilizing advanced nanomaterials with the unique features of Raman spectroscopy. Epigenetics affects cellular processes and controls genetic programs by turning them “on” and “off" but there is currently no direct method to measure modifications on DNA. A new technology will be designed to avoid complicated procedures/chemistry for DNA epigenetic analysis providing a specific molecular fingerprint. The anticipated outcomes include a new technique and advanced knowledge in nanomaterials and DNA functions, thus strengthening the economic viability of Australian manufacturing and biotechnology sectors.Read moreRead less
Characterising inheritance patterns of whole genome DNA methylation. This project aims to characterise epigenetic diversity and inheritance patterns in whole genome sequencing data from a unique human population. The project will employ the well-characterised Norfolk Island genetic isolate, cost-effective whole genome bisulphite sequencing technologies and advanced bioinformatics pipelines and statistical models. It will involve cross-discipline collaboration between human geneticists, epigeneti ....Characterising inheritance patterns of whole genome DNA methylation. This project aims to characterise epigenetic diversity and inheritance patterns in whole genome sequencing data from a unique human population. The project will employ the well-characterised Norfolk Island genetic isolate, cost-effective whole genome bisulphite sequencing technologies and advanced bioinformatics pipelines and statistical models. It will involve cross-discipline collaboration between human geneticists, epigeneticists, statistical geneticists and bioinformaticians. This project will advance our understanding of the interaction of genetics and epigenetics and their relationship to diversity and inheritance in humans.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100036
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,803.00
Summary
Tracing the epigenetic life-history of cells. Each cell of the human body contains identical genetic information that is activated in different ways to form varied cell types. This research aims to develop novel single-cell genomic technologies to explain the origins of different cell types. This project expects to discover the molecular mechanisms through which specialised cell types are formed, which has been difficult to decipher using existing methods. My novel approach will elucidate how a ....Tracing the epigenetic life-history of cells. Each cell of the human body contains identical genetic information that is activated in different ways to form varied cell types. This research aims to develop novel single-cell genomic technologies to explain the origins of different cell types. This project expects to discover the molecular mechanisms through which specialised cell types are formed, which has been difficult to decipher using existing methods. My novel approach will elucidate how a small population of seemingly homogenous cells can give rise to a myriad of types of cells. Tracing the life histories of cells across time should lead to broad applications including in developmental biology, neuroscience and immunology.Read moreRead less
Discovering the molecular controls of epigenetic inheritance . This project aims to investigate the way in which acquired traits can be inherited. The environment that an individual is exposed to can change the characteristics of not only that individual, but also their children and grandchildren. We do not yet understand the mechanisms by which this “epigenetic inheritance” occurs. Using interdisciplinary approaches, this project combines the power of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans ....Discovering the molecular controls of epigenetic inheritance . This project aims to investigate the way in which acquired traits can be inherited. The environment that an individual is exposed to can change the characteristics of not only that individual, but also their children and grandchildren. We do not yet understand the mechanisms by which this “epigenetic inheritance” occurs. Using interdisciplinary approaches, this project combines the power of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans with cutting-edge single molecule microscopy techniques to determine the molecular mechanisms by which the environment can impact future generations. This should ultimately provide society with the means to harness the power of epigenetics.Read moreRead less
Understanding co-activator function in transcriptional regulation. A change in gene expression underpins all cell fate decisions yet there is scant knowledge about how transcription factors (TF), the master regulators of transcription, specifically interact with some, but not all, transcription cofactors to nuance gene expression. Aims: Using innovative molecular technologies we will identify and characterise the shared and unique relationships between TF and cofactors. Significance: This study ....Understanding co-activator function in transcriptional regulation. A change in gene expression underpins all cell fate decisions yet there is scant knowledge about how transcription factors (TF), the master regulators of transcription, specifically interact with some, but not all, transcription cofactors to nuance gene expression. Aims: Using innovative molecular technologies we will identify and characterise the shared and unique relationships between TF and cofactors. Significance: This study is important to every biological process in plants and animals driven by a change in gene expression. Expected Outcomes: This study will increase our biological knowledge in transcription control. Benefit: The knowledge gained has future applications in genomics and broad implications for biotechnology and industry.Read moreRead less