The design of targetable epigenetic modifiers. The project aims to engineer enzymes as valuable tools for understanding gene expression mechanisms and potentially a technology for altering gene expression in plants, animals or humans in a targetable manner. The genetic information encoded in the DNA of all complex organisms has been shown to be augmented by decorations on both DNA and the histone proteins that package DNA. This so-called epigenetic information is important but not well understoo ....The design of targetable epigenetic modifiers. The project aims to engineer enzymes as valuable tools for understanding gene expression mechanisms and potentially a technology for altering gene expression in plants, animals or humans in a targetable manner. The genetic information encoded in the DNA of all complex organisms has been shown to be augmented by decorations on both DNA and the histone proteins that package DNA. This so-called epigenetic information is important but not well understood. The project plans to design highly specific and targetable enzymes that can interrogate and manipulate epigenetic information in living cells. Understanding the regulation of gene expression and controlling the expression of chosen genes may form a foundation for applications in agriculture, biology and medicine.Read moreRead less
Exploring the catalytic role of the Rubisco small subunit: a new target for improving carbon dioxide-fixation in plants. This project uses new biotechnological tools to improve the performance of the photosynthetic protein Rubisco, the primary carbon dioxide-fixing enzyme in plants. By supercharging photosynthesis, this research will help to boost yield and reduce water and nitrogen use in crops.
Rubisco for all climates: unlocking the enzyme's structure-function relations for more efficient photosynthesis. This projects biotechnological research will identify structural features in the carbon dioxide (CO2)-capturing enzyme from plants that improve its performance, particularly at warmer temperatures. This knowledge is vital for predicting the influence of climate change on crop productivity and paving the way for supercharging photosynthesis to boost crop performance.
A novel family of amino acid transporters in Apicomplexan parasites. Apicomplexan parasites are single celled organisms that are the causative agents of major diseases in livestock and humans. However, the basic biochemistry of these intracellular parasites is poorly understood, and there are limited treatments available for the diseases these parasites cause. The project hypothesis is that a novel family of proteins that are unique to apicomplexan parasites play a key role in the uptake of esse ....A novel family of amino acid transporters in Apicomplexan parasites. Apicomplexan parasites are single celled organisms that are the causative agents of major diseases in livestock and humans. However, the basic biochemistry of these intracellular parasites is poorly understood, and there are limited treatments available for the diseases these parasites cause. The project hypothesis is that a novel family of proteins that are unique to apicomplexan parasites play a key role in the uptake of essential nutrients (amino acids) into these organisms. This project aims to use a combination of genetic, biochemical and physiological methods to understand the function of these proteins, the role(s) that they play in apicomplexan biology, and their importance for parasite survival.Read moreRead less
Protein biosensors for detecting smoke exposure of grapes. Bush fires and controlled burns that take place in the vicinity of vineyards can lead to grape contamination with tasteless phenolic glucosides. Their hydrolysis during wine making leads to “smoke taint” – an unpleasant medicinal taste that can render wine undrinkable. We will apply a combination of organic synthesis, protein engineering and directed evolution to develop protein-based biosensors of phenolic glucosides. These biosensors w ....Protein biosensors for detecting smoke exposure of grapes. Bush fires and controlled burns that take place in the vicinity of vineyards can lead to grape contamination with tasteless phenolic glucosides. Their hydrolysis during wine making leads to “smoke taint” – an unpleasant medicinal taste that can render wine undrinkable. We will apply a combination of organic synthesis, protein engineering and directed evolution to develop protein-based biosensors of phenolic glucosides. These biosensors will be used to devise a simple portable colorimetric test that can be performed in the vineyard or the winery. The ability to rapidly determine the level of grape contamination with phenolic glucosides would give Australian wine growers and wine makers a powerful tool to mitigate the effects of bushfires.Read moreRead less
High-throughput microfluidic approach to mapping hierarchies of interactions in the gene regulation machinery. The exploration of protein-protein interactions networks is becoming an extremely active area of research in life sciences. The current project will develop new approaches to accelerate the discovery of novel interacting proteins participating in gene regulation, in order to understand how cells differentiate into different tissues and organs.
In vitro expression of macrocyclic peptides. This project aims to develop a novel strategy for the production of polypeptides with unnatural chemical groups using a sense codon reassignment approach. Novel peptides could be used in a range of pharmaceutical applications. Peptides made of 20 natural amino acids cover only a very small fraction of the available chemical and functional space. While a peptide’s functionality can be extended with unnatural amino acids, the methods for their site-sele ....In vitro expression of macrocyclic peptides. This project aims to develop a novel strategy for the production of polypeptides with unnatural chemical groups using a sense codon reassignment approach. Novel peptides could be used in a range of pharmaceutical applications. Peptides made of 20 natural amino acids cover only a very small fraction of the available chemical and functional space. While a peptide’s functionality can be extended with unnatural amino acids, the methods for their site-selective incorporation are inefficient. The project’s strategy relies on the depletion of selected tRNAs from an in vitro protein translation system and their replacement with synthetic tRNAs, charged with unnatural amino acids. It is expected that the developed technology could be used to rapidly generate and screen highly diversified macrocyclic peptide libraries.Read moreRead less
Ancestral enzyme engineering for designer fat products. Consumers are increasingly turning to plant-based alternatives of meat and dairy products due to concerns about health, animal welfare and sustainability. Taste, nutritional profile, protein content and limited variety are barriers that continue to challenge food manufacturers. This project aims to develop a process for the fermentation of specialty food oils and fats from agriculture production waste, that can deliver the flavour and nutri ....Ancestral enzyme engineering for designer fat products. Consumers are increasingly turning to plant-based alternatives of meat and dairy products due to concerns about health, animal welfare and sustainability. Taste, nutritional profile, protein content and limited variety are barriers that continue to challenge food manufacturers. This project aims to develop a process for the fermentation of specialty food oils and fats from agriculture production waste, that can deliver the flavour and nutritional benefits of meat and dairy products when added to plant-based alternatives. The outcomes should valorise existing agriculture and food waste, converting waste materials into valuable food ingredients.Read moreRead less
Defining the cellular impacts of protein aggregation in neurodegenerative disease with an aggreomics platform. The brain disease Huntington’s is caused by abnormally shaped proteins that assemble into toxic clusters. This project will design new bioprobes to track how these clusters form and cause damage to cells. This strategy will also provide new opportunities for discovering novel therapeutic targets.
Single-molecule optofluidics: streamlining high-throughput engineering and analysis of proteins and protein assemblies. This project aims at creating novel technologies for high-throughput engineering and analysis of proteins with single-molecule sensitivity. The platform will considerably accelerate the generation of protein-based diagnostics, new vaccines and therapeutics; it will foster collaborations with industry putting Australia at the forefront of protein research.