Protein Complexes and Supercomplexes of Plant Organelles. Ample parts of plant primary metabolism occur in subcellular structures called mitochondria, plastids and peroxisomes. They are vital for plant growth and development and are central to the early success of germinating and growing seedlings. This project intends to analyze the protein complexes and supercomplexes within these organelles using state of the art instrumentation and technologies. Findings from this research have the potential ....Protein Complexes and Supercomplexes of Plant Organelles. Ample parts of plant primary metabolism occur in subcellular structures called mitochondria, plastids and peroxisomes. They are vital for plant growth and development and are central to the early success of germinating and growing seedlings. This project intends to analyze the protein complexes and supercomplexes within these organelles using state of the art instrumentation and technologies. Findings from this research have the potential to directly flow into the plant biotechnology industry and could assist the future development of Australian agriculture through genetic improvements. The expertise developed by this work will ensure that Australia is well placed to meet future needs and to generally improve agricultural technology. Read moreRead less
Plant Protein Signalling Networks. We will assess the functional role of PNPs (novel plant protein hormones) at a biochemical, molecular and cellular level. Importantly, as stresses from climatic extremes are increasing, this will lead to new insights and critical appreciation of the processes plants use to regulate their water status. Since water and solute status underpins the regulation of plant growth and development, these findings will have a major impact on both agriculture and horticul ....Plant Protein Signalling Networks. We will assess the functional role of PNPs (novel plant protein hormones) at a biochemical, molecular and cellular level. Importantly, as stresses from climatic extremes are increasing, this will lead to new insights and critical appreciation of the processes plants use to regulate their water status. Since water and solute status underpins the regulation of plant growth and development, these findings will have a major impact on both agriculture and horticulture in Australia. The new insights that we gain can be used to directly accelerate progress towards the development of plants with improved drought and salinity tolerance that will lead to better crop and pasture productivity under harsh Australian conditions.Read moreRead less
Discovery of the physiological and molecular modes of action of butenolides in promoting seed germination and vigour in plants. The Australian discovery of butenolides opens up a new scientific frontier and new opportunities for land management, plant conservation and agriculture. Butenolides will be used to promote seed germination and plant growth in land reclamation, in conservation of species, to break dormancy in weeds so that they can be eradicated, and to promote germination and vigour in ....Discovery of the physiological and molecular modes of action of butenolides in promoting seed germination and vigour in plants. The Australian discovery of butenolides opens up a new scientific frontier and new opportunities for land management, plant conservation and agriculture. Butenolides will be used to promote seed germination and plant growth in land reclamation, in conservation of species, to break dormancy in weeds so that they can be eradicated, and to promote germination and vigour in crops. Realising the full potential of butenolides demands that we understand how they work so that creative approaches can be developed that may not even require use of the chemical. Crucially by achieving these aims ahead of international competitors we can ensure that Australia gains maximum benefit.Read moreRead less
The regulation and role of dual targeted proteins in plant cells. Plant cells are the factories that provide the food we eat, the air we breath, play a critical role in a balanced environment and provide energy in a sustainable manner. The varied use of plants and plant products is underpinned by an understanding of biochemistry that takes place in plant cells. This proposal is aimed at understanding how some proteins function in more than one location in the multi-compartmentalised plant cell b ....The regulation and role of dual targeted proteins in plant cells. Plant cells are the factories that provide the food we eat, the air we breath, play a critical role in a balanced environment and provide energy in a sustainable manner. The varied use of plants and plant products is underpinned by an understanding of biochemistry that takes place in plant cells. This proposal is aimed at understanding how some proteins function in more than one location in the multi-compartmentalised plant cell biochemical factory. The knowledge that is generated from this research can be used to underpin innovative use of plants within Australia's plant based industries. Furthermore it provides a rich intellectual training environment for students and postdoctoral researchers.Read moreRead less
Aquaporins in roots: resolving observations linking them to diverse processes in water relations and plant productivity. The knowledge we gain will benefit Australia by allowing better management of plant water use and productivity. This is critical for adaptation to a drier climate where water is a critical resource. Large quantities of water move through aquaporin proteins in plants, therefore our understanding of these and the way they influence other processes in plant growth could enable us ....Aquaporins in roots: resolving observations linking them to diverse processes in water relations and plant productivity. The knowledge we gain will benefit Australia by allowing better management of plant water use and productivity. This is critical for adaptation to a drier climate where water is a critical resource. Large quantities of water move through aquaporin proteins in plants, therefore our understanding of these and the way they influence other processes in plant growth could enable us to manipulate plants to conserve water or to extract it more efficiently from the soil. Molecular aspects of the project could reveal new unexploited links between water and plant productivity. High calibre PhD and Honours students will also be educated to maintain the momentum of international excellence within Australia in the field of plant water relations.Read moreRead less
Carbon uptake and water use by plants: is there pre-stomatal control? Society relies on mathematical descriptions of climate change, weather forecasting, crop performance, and other processes in which the control of carbon uptake and water loss by plants forms a basic element. Scientists also use the same element in ascribing sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2), describing vegetation, hydrological and ecological processes. A key physiological assumption in this element is now in doubt and ....Carbon uptake and water use by plants: is there pre-stomatal control? Society relies on mathematical descriptions of climate change, weather forecasting, crop performance, and other processes in which the control of carbon uptake and water loss by plants forms a basic element. Scientists also use the same element in ascribing sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2), describing vegetation, hydrological and ecological processes. A key physiological assumption in this element is now in doubt and we will test it rigorously and if necessary provide a robust alternative. We will do this by developing a novel 'window' on intact leaf functioning that will reveal the concentration of water vapour and other gases inside leaves.Read moreRead less
Molecular analysis of photosynthetically-linked, active CO2 uptake and CO2 signal transduction by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) have evolved a very efficient means of capturing and concentrating CO2 for photosynthetic fixation into sugars, the basic building blocks for cell growth. This process is dependent on the operation of several unique, active uptake systems for CO2 and HCO3-, with their genetic expression regulated by CO2 supply. This proposal will cap ....Molecular analysis of photosynthetically-linked, active CO2 uptake and CO2 signal transduction by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) have evolved a very efficient means of capturing and concentrating CO2 for photosynthetic fixation into sugars, the basic building blocks for cell growth. This process is dependent on the operation of several unique, active uptake systems for CO2 and HCO3-, with their genetic expression regulated by CO2 supply. This proposal will capitalize on our progress in describing the functional genetics of this process and aims to elucidate the mechanism of active CO2 uptake and the way that cells sense the ambient CO2 concentration. The information gained is likely to be useful for designing improved crops.Read moreRead less
Towards sustainable bioproduction systems: harnessing organic nitrogen for plant growth. It is of great concern that over 50% of nitrogen fertiliser applied to crops is lost to the environment, resulting in a large environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emission. Future farming systems have to reduce nitrogen fertiliser use but this threatens crop and biofuel production. Alternatives to man-made nitrogen fertilisers are crop residues and organic materials which are more stable in soils but l ....Towards sustainable bioproduction systems: harnessing organic nitrogen for plant growth. It is of great concern that over 50% of nitrogen fertiliser applied to crops is lost to the environment, resulting in a large environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emission. Future farming systems have to reduce nitrogen fertiliser use but this threatens crop and biofuel production. Alternatives to man-made nitrogen fertilisers are crop residues and organic materials which are more stable in soils but less available to plants. How plants can best access organic nitrogen will be explored, based on our recent discovery that plants can use protein as a nitrogen source for growth. The project will produce essential knowledge for nitrogen-efficient bioproduction.Read moreRead less
Feasting on protein? Strategies of organic nitrogen acquisition by plant roots. Crops require large amounts of nitrogen for growth. Application of nitrogen fertiliser enhances yield, but causes off-site nitrogen pollution, a main threat to ecosystem integrity. Most nitrogen in soil occurs as organic complexes that are broken down by soil organism into small compounds, which are taken up roots or lost from the soil. This project will generate fundamental knowledge of how an Australian species and ....Feasting on protein? Strategies of organic nitrogen acquisition by plant roots. Crops require large amounts of nitrogen for growth. Application of nitrogen fertiliser enhances yield, but causes off-site nitrogen pollution, a main threat to ecosystem integrity. Most nitrogen in soil occurs as organic complexes that are broken down by soil organism into small compounds, which are taken up roots or lost from the soil. This project will generate fundamental knowledge of how an Australian species and a crop species with unusual root specialisations access soil organic nitrogen, thus increasing the efficiency of nitrogen use and reducing nitrogen loss. The research employs cutting-edge techniques for sustainable resource use, improved efficiency of crops and farming systems, and preservation of Australia's biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Role of intracellular calcium homeostasis and aluminium transport across the plasma membrane in aluminium toxicity to plants. Aluminium is the most important yield-limiting factor in acid soils throughout the world. The problem of aluminium toxicity is aggravated by continuous acidification of arable land. Mechanisms of aluminium toxicity in plant cells are poorly understood. The present project seeks to elucidate the molecular basis of the interaction between intracellular calcium homeostasis, ....Role of intracellular calcium homeostasis and aluminium transport across the plasma membrane in aluminium toxicity to plants. Aluminium is the most important yield-limiting factor in acid soils throughout the world. The problem of aluminium toxicity is aggravated by continuous acidification of arable land. Mechanisms of aluminium toxicity in plant cells are poorly understood. The present project seeks to elucidate the molecular basis of the interaction between intracellular calcium homeostasis, cytosolic pH and aluminium uptake across the plasma membrane in aluminium toxicity to plants. Knowledge of primary triggers of aluminium toxicity will pay off in a breeding programme aimed at selecting crop genotypes with increased resistance to aluminium toxicity.Read moreRead less