Resolving mechanisms of cell division across the tree of life

Project Member(s): Liao, Y., Duggin, I.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Australian Research Council (ARC Discovery Projects)
Australian Research Council (ARC Discovery Projects)

Start year: 2025

Summary: This project aims to identify principles of cell division that span the tree of life. It will determine the fundamental mechanism of cell division in an archaeal model organism that is common in Australian salt-lake environments (Haloferax volcanii), and thereby identify key commonalities and differences amongst archaeal, bacterial, and eukaryotic cell division mechanisms. This is expected to lead to future improvements in the selectivity of a wide range of treatments targeting cell division, such as antimicrobials and the control of archaeal methane emissions in agriculture. The project also takes a pioneering step towards the ground-up engineering of stable synthetic archaeal division and nano-fiber systems in advanced bio-manufacturing.

FOR Codes: Good Health and Well Being, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Life Below Water, Microbiology not elsewhere classified, Structural biology (incl. macromolecular modelling), Microbial genetics , Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.