Discovering novel genetic variation in height for hybrid wheat breeding

This project will be completed with the CASE partner, KWS UK LTD. Hybrid wheat holds great potential to increase wheat yields and yield stability in the coming years, ensuring crop production in the face of climate change. However, to breed successful hybrid varieties, additional genetic variation is required in a range of traits including plant height. The height of the female and male parents must be carefully controlled to maximise hybrid seed

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Investigating how plants use RNA to cope with stress

The diversity of RNA structure is wide and varied, from hairpins and bulges through to triplex and quadruplexes. These structures are able to control numerous biological functions from sensing messenger compounds to dictating whether genes are switched on or off. This project will focus in particular on G-quadruplexes, four-stranded RNA structures which are formed from sequences which contain a lot of the base guanine. This project will aim to reveal

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Antibiotic discovery in Streptomyces bacteria

The continued evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pathogenic bacteria represents a significant threat to global health and new antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action are urgently needed. Most antibiotics currently used in the clinic are derived from the specialised metabolites of Streptomyces bacterial strains isolated >60 years ago. On average, a single Streptomyces strain encodes between 20 and 60 specialised metabolite biosynthetic

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Relieving glucose-mediated carbon catabolite repression to engineer antibiotic over production in Streptomyces species.

Streptomyces is the largest genus of bacteria, well studied because it makes molecules called specialised metabolites that form the basis of 55% of antibiotics as well as other anti-infective, anti-cancer and immunosuppressant drugs. Almost all these molecules were discovered >60 years ago, and their widespread use has led to pathogenic bacteria becoming resistant to many clinically used antibiotics. This continued evolution of antimicrobial

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Taming the Viral Wolf: Cracking the Code of Gene Transfer Agents in Bacteria

Bacteria commonly exchange genetic information (DNA) in a process called horizontal gene transfer as they evolve and adapt to changes in their local environment. Understanding horizontal gene transfer and how new genetic information is incorporated and domesticated into the existing signalling network and physiology of the host is a fundamental problem in biology. Horizontal gene transfer also contributes to the spread of antimicrobial resistance,

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How do plasmid-borne regulatory genes influence bacterial behaviour in complex communities?

Conjugative plasmids play a crucial role in bacterial evolution as drivers of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and as a source of new genetic information. This project will provide insights into a crucial but largely unstudied aspect of plasmid biology and bacterial decision-making. Specifically, how and why do plasmid-borne regulatory genes influence bacterial behaviour?

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Dissecting the mechanism of meiotic crossover patterning in plants

Sex cells (e.g. sperm and eggs in humans) are produced by a special cell division called meiosis, during which chromosomes exchange large DNA segments. These DNA exchanges (called crossovers) are essential for generating genetic diversity, the driving force for evolution, and their frequency and position along chromosomes are tightly controlled. Despite over a century’s research, the cellular mechanism that determines where, and how many,

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Safeguarding wheat yields from cereal fungal invaders

Sex cells (e.g. sperm and eggs in humans) are produced by a special cell division called meiosis, during which chromosomes exchange large DNA segments. These DNA exchanges (called crossovers) are essential for generating genetic diversity, the driving force for evolution, and their frequency and position along chromosomes are tightly controlled. Despite over a century’s research, the cellular mechanism that determines where, and how many,

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Transcribing Success: Characterising the Factor Behind Bacterial Development and Antibiotic Production

Over 50% of the antibiotics used in medicine are produced by Streptomyces bacteria. The production of antibiotics is intertwined with the Streptomyces lifecycle and controlled by diverse transcriptional regulators, including regulators of the poorly understood Wbl-protein family.

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Discovery and Function of Natural Metalloprotease Inhibitors

Bacteria have evolved the ability to produce natural products with potent bioactivities, which makes these compounds excellent candidates as medicines and agrochemicals. In particular, the majority of clinically useful antibiotics come from bacteria. However, molecule rediscovery poses a problem in the search for new medicines from natural sources, while the development of antimicrobial resistance is a major problem for both existing and

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Visualising how plants make Rubisco

Bacteria have evolved the ability to produce natural products with potent bioactivities, which makes these compounds excellent candidates as medicines and agrochemicals. In particular, the majority of clinically useful antibiotics come from bacteria. However, molecule rediscovery poses a problem in the search for new medicines from natural sources, while the development of antimicrobial resistance is a major problem for both existing and

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Targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factors

Bacteria have evolved the ability to produce natural products with potent bioactivities, which makes these compounds excellent candidates as medicines and agrochemicals. In particular, the majority of clinically useful antibiotics come from bacteria. However, molecule rediscovery poses a problem in the search for new medicines from natural sources, while the development of antimicrobial resistance is a major problem for both existing and

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