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2 Plant Cell Walls

ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, 2013 Produced by: Plant Cell Walls, The University of Adelaide Collated and edited by: David Mathew, Natalie Betts, Natalie Kibble and Emma Drew Report design: Lauren Stevenson, Arris Pty Ltd, www.arris.com.au Images provided by personnel of the ARC Centre of Excellence

Cover image: Atomic Force Microscope height image of Critical Point Dried sample of Bacterial Cellulose (700 nm scan area). The image shows sub-structure of cellulose fibrils that comprise a number of individual elementary micro-fibrils. Source: Dr G Yakubov

South Australian node: Waite Campus Wine Innovation Central The University of Adelaide Urrbrae SA 5064

Victorian node: Plant Cell Biology Research Centre School of Botany The University of Melbourne Parkville VIC 3010

Queensland node:Centre for Nutrition and Food SciencesQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia QLD 4072

2013 3

4 Director’s Report

6 The Centre 6 Overview

8 Impact Statement 8 Research and training impacts of the Centre 10 Commercial impacts of the Centre11 Interactions with government11 Interactions with the community

13 Governance14 The Governing Board14 Centre, program and project management15 The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)17 Key Centre personnel

22 Research Report23 Program 1: Synthesis and assembly27 Program 2: Molecular and cellular interactions30 Program 3: Deconstruction33 Technology platforms

36 Activity Plan for 2014

38 Education and Public Awareness38 Education43 Public awareness

46 Key Result Areas & Performance Measures47 KRA 1: Research Findings49 KRA 2: Research Training and Professional Education50 KRA 3: International, national and regional links and networks52 KRA 4: End-user links53 Research Collaborations and Funding

58 Appendix - Research Outputs58 Publications61 Conferences and Meetings

Table of Contents

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Director’s Report

On behalf of all our staff and students at the Universities of Adelaide, Melbourne and Queensland, I am pleased to present to the Australian Research Council the Annual Report of activities in the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls for 2013. It has been an exciting year, with more than 130 investigators, staff, students and visitors participating in our projects. Our core team remains at more than 70 scientific and administrative staff, plus 34 postgraduate students.

In 2013, our research has been focused on the fundamental and technological aspects of plant cell wall biology. We have also attracted significant additional funding for ancillary projects that not only capitalise on our research expertise and infrastructure, but also provide a conduit for the transfer of our technologies and knowledge to applications in many commercial areas of both Australian and international priority. Major additional grants include an ARC Linkage Program grant that, together with significant contributions from international malting and brewing companies, will support a 3-year, $2 million project on germination physiology in barley. This project also establishes formal research links with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Energy Biology, which is headquartered at the University of Western Australia. In addition, our University of Queensland team received ARC Industry Transformation Training Centre funding of nearly $2.7 million over three years, plus $600,000 of industry funds, for a project on transforming the food industry for Australia, Asia and beyond. We were also delighted to forge a strong collaborative agreement with IBM Research–Australia and the Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative (VLSCI) at the University of Melbourne. The Centre has been allocated generous computing time by the VLSCI and is using IBM's specialised computational skills to provide ground-breaking insights into cell wall and polysaccharide synthase and hydrolase structures.

Late in 2013, an ARC Future Fellowship was awarded to Dr Joshua Heazlewood of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute. Josh has expertise in sub-cellular proteomics and will join our team at the University of Melbourne in mid-2014. We are also delighted that Professor Staffan Persson of the Max Planck Institute in Gölm, Germany, has accepted a Chair in the School of Botany at the University of Melbourne. Staffan is a world authority on cellulose biosynthesis and will be closely linked with the Centre. The research activities of Josh and Staffan will nicely complement our own activities in plant cell wall biology.

Closer to home, our Deputy Director, Tony Bacic, has been appointed to the Board of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne and was honoured with a La Trobe University Distinguished Alumni Award. I was honoured to be awarded the 2013 Thomas Burr Osborne Medal by the American Association of Cereal Chemists International for ‘distinguished contributions in the field of cereal chemistry’. In addition, CI Rachel Burton was appointed Director of the Plant Accelerator division of the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility.

The Centre has continued to attract top quality postgraduate students, almost all of whom have brought their own scholarships. Our early career researchers, postgraduate students and postdoctoral scientists have enthusiastically thrown their support behind our community engagement programs. In 2013, our staff engaged with over 3,500 school students, teachers and members of the general public through programs such as Get Into Genes, Tech’n’You, Science Alive and the Royal Adelaide Show. Hits on our website exceeded 11,000.

On the research front, there were many highlights in 2013 that included advances in our understanding of: the mechanisms and regulation of polysaccharide synthesis; cell wall modifications during fungal infection of barley; the three-dimensional relationships of plant cell wall components; and the molecular mechanisms of wall polysaccharide action in human health and nutrition. Details of these activities are outlined in the Research Highlights section below.

The Centre held its second annual retreat at the Novotel in Maroochydore in May 2013, and a total of three Scientific Meetings for the year. The Retreat, which was attended by most of the Scientific Advisory Committee, involved program-based presentations from Partner Investigators Professor Claire Halpin and Professor Vincent Bulone, and from Dr Fiona Cameron, who is the ARC’s Executive Director for Biological Sciences and Biotechnology. During 2013, our Chief Investigators visited most of our seven partner institutions in the UK, Europe and the USA to monitor research progress, to develop new projects, and to organise postgraduate student and postdoctoral scientist exchange visits. As a result of these face-to-face visits and regular teleconferences, the international collaborative projects are progressing very well and joint publications are starting to flow. One paper was published with our Partner Investigators in 2013, one was accepted for publication and two jointly authored papers were submitted late in the year. We were very pleased to note that a Nature paper published late in 2012 on the physical, genetic and functional sequence assembly of the barley genome was cited over 100 times in 2013. The Centre’s role was to contribute expertise in cell wall biology to the large International Barley Genome Sequencing Consortium, on whose leadership team our Partner Investigator, Professor Robbie Waugh, of the James Hutton Institute in Dundee, Scotland, was a key member. We are also delighted to be part of the international '1KP Consortium' that will acquire gene sequence information for 1000 plant species and is led from Alberta in Canada by Professors Gane Ka-Shu Wong and Michael Deyholos.

2013 5

We believe that the activities outlined above for 2013 have not only enhanced the international profile of the Centre as a key global focus for plant cell wall research, but that they have also demonstrated that the Centre is having a real impact in the scientific arena and in forging links with the public and private sectors. The interest remains particularly strong in the areas of biofuels production, human health and nutrition, malting and brewing technologies, and computational modelling.

In 2014, the Centre will be hosting at least six senior international scientists from the USA and Norway. These visitors will work for extended sabbatical periods in our laboratories at the three nodes of the Centre. We are also preparing for our mid-term review by the ARC, which is scheduled for June 2014. Finally, the Centre will host the 5th International Conference on Plant Cell Wall Biology at Palm Cove in Far North Queensland in July 2014. It should be a great meeting.

Geoff Fincher

22 January 2014

Centre Director Geoff Fincher receiving the Thomas Burr Osborne medal from Dr Deborah Rogers, Chair of the AACCI Board and Dr David Hahn, President of AACCI.

Deputy Director Tony Bacic receiving his La Trobe University Distinguished Alumni award from Professor Adrienne Clarke (Chancellor, LaTrobe University).

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The Centre

Overview

Our mission

To advance fundamental scientific understanding of plant cell wall biology to enable sustainable biomass production for:

• Food Security

• Human Health

• Energy Biomass Conversion

The scientific question

The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls sets out to address the fundamental question: How do plants regulate the synthesis, assembly, re-modelling and degradation of their cell walls during normal development and in response to biotic stresses? As plant cell walls are the world’s largest renewable carbon resource and the basis of a healthy human diet, understanding the regulatory mechanisms controlling wall biology and physicochemical properties are crucial drivers to many new areas of international research in plant science.

Why cell walls?

Cell walls determine the quality of most plant-based products used in human societies. Textural, nutritional and processing properties of plant-based foods are heavily influenced by wall properties. Fibres for textiles, pulp and paper manufacturing, timber products, and biofuel and bio-composite manufacturing are largely composed of, or derived from, cell walls. As the largest source of renewable carbon, plant cell walls have a critical future role in transport fuels, food security, functional foods to improve human health, and as raw materials for industrial processes.

The vision

The Centre will build on existing national strengths in the field of fundamental cell wall science to:

• Generate scale and focus at the scientific, technical and training levels

• Enhance plant biotechnologies that underpin Australian industries valued at over $8 billion p.a., associated food industries valued at about $40 billion p.a., and emerging industries related to the production of renewable transport fuels, biomedicines and biocomposites.

Why grasses?

The research activities of the Centre are focused on cell wall biology in the grasses. Grasses represent the most important family of plants for humans. Foods derived from rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, barley, millet and sugarcane account for a high proportion of global caloric intake. Forage and fodder grasses support the production of domesticated livestock, while switchgrass, Miscanthus spp. and other perennial grasses show great promise as biomass energy crops. Wheat, sugarcane and barley are the most important food crops in Australia and there are a growing number of grass model systems for which full genome sequences are available.

Close-up of a barley seedling in the glasshouse.

2013 7

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As the Centre approaches its mid-term review, it is appropriate to step back and examine the impact of our activities, nationally and internationally, over the first three years of our operation.

In the sections below, we assess our impact against various benchmarks, including the stated objectives of the ARC Centres of Excellence scheme, which are to:

• Undertake highly innovative and potentially transformational research to achieve an international reputation and to significantly advance capabilities and knowledge.

• Link existing Australian research strengths and build critical mass with new capacity for interdisciplinary, collaborative approaches to address the most challenging and significant research problems.

• Develop relationships with major national and international programs to strengthen research, achieve global competitiveness and gain recognition for Australian research.

• Build Australia’s human capacity by attracting and retaining researchers of high international standing and the most promising research students from within Australia and abroad.

• Provide high-quality postgraduate and postdoctoral training environments for the next generation of researchers.

• Offer Australian researchers opportunities to work on large-scale problems over longer periods of time.

• Establish Centres of such repute in the wider community that they will serve as points of interaction among higher education institutions, governments, industry and the private sector.

Research and training impacts of the Centre

Publications, journals, citations

In the first three years of the Centre’s research activities, we have published over 100 research papers in international refereed journals. Initial citation data from Google Scholar are now available and indicate that our papers have been cited over 500 times at an average of 22 citations per 2011 paper and 11 citations per 2012 paper. Highlights include publications in leading journals such as Nature, Science, Nature Biotechnology and Current Biology.

Scientific advances

We have identified several major areas in which our research is likely to make a significant international impact, particularly in the:

• Biology of cell wall polysaccharide synthesis, where our data will challenge conventional wisdom on the cellular pathways involved.

• Molecular mechanisms of polysaccharide synthase action and unravelling the complexities of these reactions.

• Development of multi-scale models, not only of cell walls and their constituents, but also of enzymes involved in wall biosynthesis, through a unique partnership with IBM Research–Australia.

• Physicochemical mechanisms of action of wall polysaccharides in human nutrition and health, where our research is also challenging conventional views.

2014 will witness the publication of these breakthroughs in high impact journals.

Research training

Over the last three years the Centre has attracted a large number of top quality postgraduate students, almost all of whom have brought their own scholarships. Currently the Centre has 34 PhD students and 6 MSc and Honours students, together with 6 postgraduate student visitors from overseas. We also have 7 early career researchers.

Invitations to speak at international conferences

Our scientific staff are regularly invited to speak at large international conferences. We have presented more than 100 invited talks in the last three years, together with keynote and plenary lectures, and lectures linked with awards for scientific excellence. In 2012 alone, we presented three plenary lectures including one at the Plant and Animal Genome conference, which attracted close to 3,000 delegates.

Impact Statement

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Attracting scientists to the Centre

In 2013, an ARC Future Fellowship was awarded to Dr Joshua Heazlewood of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute. Josh has expertise in sub-cellular proteomics that will complement existing expertise in cell biology. He will join our team at the University of Melbourne in mid-2014.

Since 2011, we have had more than 70 visitors to the Centre, 20 of whom have been international visitors spending a week or more working in our laboratories. These international visitors include undergraduate and postgraduate students, postdoctoral scientists and academic staff from universities around the world. In particular, we have noticed that international scientists are sending their students to our Centre to undertake experiments for which we have the necessary expertise and supporting infrastructure. In addition, postdoctoral scientists from the laboratories of our international Partner Investigators have visited to work on aspects of their projects involving cell wall biology. We have also had visits from Australian colleagues and their students, again to perform experiments on cell wall biology that are related to the student projects. In 2014, at least four senior professorial fellows will spend 6–12 months at the Centre.

Collaborative research funding

The Centre is involved in many collaborative research programs with our international colleagues that have led to a number of successful joint applications to overseas funding bodies to support collaborative projects. Indeed, one of the important aims of the Centre during its establishment was to leverage ARC investments in the Centre with international research funding bodies: this has been achieved. For example, we have joint projects with our Partner Investigators in which ARC funds have been matched by funds from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC, UK), the German Plant Genome Research Program (GABI) and the Swedish Research Council. During 2012–13, more than $3.8 million was raised through our colleagues from overseas granting bodies to pursue joint projects with Partner Investigators.

Similarly, at the national level, we have leveraged Centre facilities and expertise through strategic alliances that have translated into more than $1 million in additional funding for the Centre in 2012 and 2013. The Centre also successfully supported infrastructure grant applications worth another $1.3 million in 2013. Thus, from a low base at the inception of the Centre in 2011, in 2013 the Centre attracted additional funding that equated to more than the annual ARC contribution (see figure below).

International conference organisation

The Centre is hosting the 5th International Conference on Cell Wall Biology in Palm Cove from 27-31 July 2014. We have assembled a list of high profile speakers and believe this event will greatly enhance the international profile and impact of the Centre.

$0.0 M

2011 2012 2013 2014

$0.5 M

$1.0 M

$1.5 M

$2.0 M

$2.5 M

$3.0 M

$3.5 M

$4.0 M

ARC post-award ECR funding

Australian grants

International grants to PIs

ARC CoE funding

Leverage of ARC Centre Scheme Funds to Centre-related research 2011-2013 (2014 projected)

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Commercial impacts of the Centre

Commercial partnerships

The Centre has consolidated a number of strong linkages with the private sector. We have received cash funding from our Partner Institution, Arcadia Biosciences Inc., to work on the use of sorghum for biofuel production and as an animal feedstock. We are currently re-negotiating our research programs with Arcadia, which is also interested in human health and related patents held by Centre staff.

Following a series of discussions in 2012, two large international malting and brewing companies committed over $1 million in cash towards a collaborative project on the physiology and genetics of barley grain germination. This was used in a successful application for an ARC Linkage Project grant and a new $2 million project commenced under the auspices of the Centre in July 2013.

Patent management

In a more general sense, the Centre is managing a portfolio of patents related to cell walls. These include a series of patents on polysaccharide synthases that are based on IP developed by the Centre and by our scientists prior to the establishment of the Centre. The patent applications have been filed in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Japan and Europe. While the host institution is monitoring the passage of these applications through the various stages in the different countries, the Centre has also engaged independent expert patent advice for the management and commercialisation of our intellectual property (IP).

Other approaches by industry for collaborations

Centre staff have been approached by a number of other private sector companies that wish to take advantage of our expertise in cell wall biology and our research infrastructure. A particularly important project on computational biology has been developed with IBM Research–Australia and the Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative (VLSCI) at the University of Melbourne. With our partners' strong computational skills and resources, we are working to provide ground-breaking insights into cell wall and enzyme structures, and the molecular mechanisms of polysaccharide synthase action.

Other collaborators include the giant USA company E&J Gallo Winery and the Australian company AusAgave Pty Ltd. In both cases, the Centre is undertaking research projects in areas of interest to these companies. The Centre is also involved with the Treasury Wine Estate through a GWRDC grant and contributes expertise to Nestlé Australia through membership of the company’s scientific advisory board.

E& J Gallo Winery (Modesto, California) satellite image from Google Earth.

2013 11

Interactions with governmentSuccessive Premiers of South Australia have visited our headquarters in Adelaide, as has the South Australian Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills and Minister for Science and Information Economy, and the federal and state members for Boothby and Waite. The Centre has also developed a strong working relationship with the Chief Scientist of South Australia, Professor Don Bursill. In all, we have been involved in approximately 50 briefings of government officials in the period 2011–2013.

The State Government of South Australia has been highly supportive of the Centre’s activities, through research funding and more generally in supporting our existing research and our proposals for new research initiatives. The South Australian government contributed $500,000 in cash over three years. A special initiative of the South Australian government resulted in the Centre receiving more than $150,000 cash for projects involving cell walls in durum wheat and their role in pasta production and associated health benefits. The project linked the Centre with universities in Italy and has led to a long-term visit to the Centre by a PhD student from the University of Bari in southern Italy.

The Centre has also been invited to lead a large program on developing a large scale integrated biofuel production facility in South Australia. This proposal is currently being considered by the federal government under ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) and has cash support from the Whyalla City Council and Regional Development Australia.

In more general terms, the Centre is contributing to the Australian government’s national research effort through membership of an ARC College of Experts and Bioplatforms Australia. We also provide advice to the Queensland Government on food security.

Interactions with the communityOur early career researchers, postgraduate students and postdoctoral scientists have enthusiastically thrown their support behind our community engagement programs, which are presented in several states across Australia. In the period 2011 to 2013, our staff engaged with over 3,500 school students, teachers and members of the general public through programs such as Get Into Genes, Tech’n’You, Science Alive, National Science Week, Scientists In Schools and the Royal Adelaide Show. Common areas for engagement and interest of students were the role of cell walls in human health and in renewable biofuel production.

In addition, the Centre has participated in Science Teachers Association conferences and in a number of information day events, many of which have been sponsored by the Centre. A tangible impact from these activities is attracting undergraduate students, to whom we offer summer scholarships. In several cases, students attracted by these programs have gone on to do postgraduate work at one of the three Centre nodes.

The Centre has developed strong relationships with various local media identities and has been featured in more than 100 newsprint, radio or television items in the three years since the Centre was established. The Centre has presented a number of public talks and has established various social media interaction points on its web site, including Twitter and Facebook. In 2013, our web site was accessed over 11,000 times.

Students of St John’s Grammar during a visit by Dr Helen Collins as part of the Scientists in Schools program.

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2013 13

Governance

Governance of The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls is overseen by a Governing Board, chaired by Professor Mike Brooks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) of the University of Adelaide.

The Centre’s Executive Management Committee (EMC), chaired by the Centre Director (CD), monitors progress towards the Centre’s performance targets, takes advice from a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and implements scientific direction and related policy. A Project Leadership Team (PLT), consisting of post-doctoral researchers, directs the day-to-day research activities across the three nodes, and since 2012 has participated in the regular EMC Meetings.

Overall financial control and external reporting responsibility resides with the Administering Institution, The University of Adelaide. Reporting to the EMC, and under direction of the Centre Director, the Centre’s Administrative Group manage and monitor Centre budget and resources, internal funds disbursements, reporting and acquittal.

Governing Board

Centre Director Geoff Fincher

Deputy Director Tony Bacic

Executive Management Committee

Geoff Fincher (Chair), Tony Bacic, Mike Gidley, Rachel Burton

David Mathew (EO)

Partner representatives

Scientific Advisory Committee 6 members: 3 Aus, 2 USA, 1 France

Education/Outreach

IP management

Project Leadership Team

Technology Platforms

Program 3

Deconstruction

Program 2

Molecular and Cellular Interactions

Program 1

Synthesis and Assembly

Administrative Group

Executive Officer Personal Assistant

Mucilage of Plantago stained with Calcofluor White.

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The Governing BoardThe ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls Governing Board met by teleconference on April 4 and December 9 2013. The 2013 Governing Board members were:

• Professor Mike Brooks, University of Adelaide (Chair) (proxy Professor Rob Saint for Meeting 2)

• Professor Robert Henry, University of Queensland

• Professor Ian Woodrow, University of Melbourne (proxy Professor Geoff McFadden for Meeting 2)

• Professor Robbie Waugh, James Hutton Institute, Scotland, UK

• Professor Vincent Bulone, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden (unavailable for Meeting 2)

• Professor Ian Small, Chair, SAC

• Professor Geoff Fincher, Director, ARC CoE

Key issues addressed in 2013 were succession planning and the ARC’s mid-term review. The Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) presented SAC reports and recommendations and the implementation of these by the Centre were reviewed. The Board also reviewed progress toward KPIs and provided advice on areas of impact and strategic planning.

Centre, program and project managementThe Australian-based membership of the Executive Management Committee (EMC) comprises the Director, CIs and the Executive Officer and meets fortnightly with the Project Leadership Team (PLT) by video or teleconference. The full EMC, including International Partner representatives and/or SAC members meet face-to-face (some via Skype) after each Centre Meeting. The PLT have monthly video conference meetings that increase to fortnightly ahead of our Centre Meetings and Annual Retreat.

Following the introduction of the PLT to the Centre’s management structure in 2012, communication between CIs, management and the broader Centre scientific personnel has continued to benefit. PLT input into management decisions has led to many improvements. Of particular note is the improvement of the integration of individual projects into our core programs and development of information systems that ensure Centre activity remains focused on addressing our pre-defined ‘heroic targets’ (p22).

The PLT have also continued to be instrumental in developing the programs for the Centre Meetings and Centre Retreat ensuring tight, relevant programs and maximising opportunities for professional development sessions and presentations by students, early and mid-career researchers. The PLT have also involved our visiting Partner Investigators and SAC members in mentoring sessions at the meetings.

Our Centre Retreats are planned to coincide with the annual face-to-face SAC Meeting. The 2013 Retreat held in May provided the opportunity for the SAC to review and provide an assessment of the PLT structure. The SAC have been impressed with the PLT concept, the benefits to the overall cohesion of the Centre, and the enthusiasm with which the PLT have taken to their role. Some concerns with work-load were addressed and a rotation policy was implemented.

Project Leadership Team membership in 2013 was:

• Dr Monika Doblin, Program 1 (UM).

• Dr Bernadine Flanagan, Program 3 (UQ).

• Dr Kim Johnson, Program 2 (UM).

• Dr Alan Little, Program 2 (UA).

• Dr Matthew Tucker, Program 1 (UA).

• Dr Gleb Yakubov, Program 2 (UQ).

In late 2013, a policy was introduced to rotate one member per node every two years, with a three month cross-over to assist in workload management. Dr Caitlin Byrt (Program 3, UA), Dr Sarah Wilson (Program 1, UM) and Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen (Program 3, UQ) have commenced their terms on the PLT and 2014 will see three current members stand down.

2013 15

The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)The Scientific Advisory Committee comprising of acknowledged national and international plant scientists, continued to provide the Centre with guidance in 2013. The SAC’s mission is to contribute to the development of strategies and vision for the future relative to the proposed goals of the Centre and by serving as a vehicle for creating linkages between academia, industry and government. The SAC advises CIs on the:

• Ambition and clarity of Centre goals.

• Capability of the Centre to achieve these goals, in the context of available expertise, facilities and resources.

• Effectiveness of collaboration, internally and with international partners.

• Centre's public image, i.e. it's national and international reputation and its ability to attract high quality staff and students.

The 2013 SAC members remained unchanged from 2011–12 but will undergo half-membership rotation in late 2014. The current SAC comprises:

• Professor Ian Small (Chair, The University of Western Australia, Australia)

• Professor Marilyn Anderson (La Trobe University, Australia)

• Professor Dan Cosgrove (Pennsylvania State University, USA)

• Professor Emeritus Deborah Delmer (University of California, Davis, USA)

• Professor Paul Gleeson (The University of Melbourne, Australia)

• Professor Herman Höfte (National Institute for Agricultural Research, Versailles, France)

In 2013, the SAC met in person in Queensland during the March Centre Retreat and in November by teleconference.

The March meeting was held after the three-day Centre Retreat at which the SAC had the opportunity to: attend presentations; participate with students and early career researchers in mentoring sessions; have targeted individual discussions with Centre students, staff and attending Partner Investigators; and to interact on a social level.

In addition to the regular agenda, the SAC finished with a review of the recommendations of the 2012 meeting and their implementation, based on what they had gleaned from the previous two and a half days of scientific presentations and forums. Although noting the many achievements of the Centre, the SAC provided some constructive advice on directing research projects, managing risk, particularly in student projects, and positioning for the mid-term review and the next phase of its lifespan.

The second meeting by teleconference paid particular attention to succession planning and preparations for the mid-term review. The SAC acknowledge the further refinement of the research programs and their alignment to the series of ambitious research objectives defined as a result of previous SAC Reports. The SAC reported that the earlier recommendations on enhancing clarity of specific projects and ensuring that individuals could demonstrate how their projects fit into the overall research strategy were being addressed.

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Professor Daniel Cosgrove

Head of Laboratory and Eberly Chair in Biology, Pennsylvania State University, USA

Professor Cosgrove is the Director of the Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation (CLSF). After earning his PhD in Biological Sciences at Stanford, he did postdoctoral stints at the University of Washington and the Nuclear Research Center in Jülich, Germany. His honours include Fulbright and Guggenheim grants and election to the US National Academy of Sciences (2005). He served as President of the American Society of Plant Biologists, Chairman of the ASPB Education Foundation and a member of the Science Advisory Board for the Danforth Plant Science Center (2009–2012).

Professor Paul Gleeson

Professor and Head of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the University of Melbourne

Professor Gleeson’s research interests are in the molecular basis of organ-specific autoimmune diseases, and the molecular mechanisms of intracellular membrane transport in a range of different systems, including transformed and primary cells and whole organisms. He has published over 140 articles in internationally refereed journals and ten book chapters.

Professor Debby Delmer

Professor Emeritus of Biology at the University of California, Davis, USA

Professor Delmer received her PhD from UC San Diego and has held faculty positions at Michigan State University, The Hebrew University and UC Davis. She has served as President of the American Society of Plant Biologists and in 2004 was elected to membership in the US National Academy of Sciences. From 2002 – 2007 she served as Associate Director for Food Security for the Rockefeller Foundation, involved in policy relating to the role of biotechnology in developing world agriculture.

Professor Herman Höfte

Research Scientist, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)- AgroParisTech, Versailles, France

Dr Herman Höfte received his PhD at the University of Ghent (Belgium), and carried out post-doctoral research at the University of San Diego, California. His current research interests are the synthesis and assembly of plant cell walls using molecular genetic approaches in the model plants Arabidopsis and Brachypodium. He is the scientific director of the Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin at INRA, Versailles and has published over 100 articles in internationally refereed journals.

Professor Marilyn Anderson

Professor of Biochemistry, La Trobe University; Associate Professorial Fellow, The University of Melbourne

After graduating from a PhD in Biochemistry at La Trobe University, Professor Anderson spent seven years working on diabetes at the University of Miami and oncogenes at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. She is a founding scientist of Hexima, and was appointed Chief Science Officer in 2009 and a Director in 2010. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Professor Ian Small, Chair

Director, ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia

Professor Small’s PhD at Edinburgh University was followed by a career with France’s National Agronomy Research Institute (INRA). In 2005, he was awarded a WA State Premier’s Research Fellowship and moved to Perth to become the Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. His research interests include the study of gene expression and metabolism relating to energy systems in plants.

Scientific Advisory Committee

2013 17

Associate Professor Rachel Burton, University of Adelaide

Chief Investigator: Molecular Genetics of Wall Synthesis

Associate Professor Burton’s research is focused on cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis. She brings experience and high-level skills in the adoption and application of emerging techniques in functional genomics and molecular biology, particularly associated with cereal grain development.

Professor Mike Gidley, University of Queensland

Chief Investigator: Cell Wall Organisation and Molecular Architecture

Professor Gidley brings experience in linking polysaccharide structure with physicochemical properties, with functionality in walls and with industrial applications. He has capabilities in construction and characterisation of cellulose/polysaccharide composites as functional models for the assembly and deconstruction of walls, and in studies of the mechanisms underlying nutritional and health properties of plant cell walls.

Professor Tony Bacic, University of Melbourne

Deputy Director & Chief Investigator: Cell Biology and Biochemistry of Walls

Professor Bacic has established a concentration of expertise in complex carbohydrates (glycomics), proteomics, metabolomics and other key platform technologies. His capabilities for analysis of wall- related macromolecules are amongst the most comprehensive in the world. His research expertise is in the structure, function and biosynthesis of cell wall polysaccharides/glycoproteins and the role of the cell wall in mechano-sensing.

Professor Diane Mather, University of Adelaide

Professor Mather is an experienced applied plant breeder who advises on the delivery of research outputs through plant variety development. She supervises and advises PhD students and postdoctoral researchers on the choice and development of populations, and on designing and performing genetic experiments.

Professor Geoff Fincher, University of Adelaide

Centre Director

Professor Fincher’s research is focused on the biology of cell walls in commercially important cereals. He has characterised enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis and re-modelling of wall constituents, and is now characterising key polysaccharide synthases.

Associate Investigators

Key Centre personnel

Chief Investigators

Professor Robert Gilbert, University of Queensland

Professor Gilbert’s expertise is in the development of biosynthesis-structure-property relationships for plant cell wall polymers and relating them to the underlying genetics. His input to the concomitant mathematical interpretation of these data to develop causal relations between the genetics and growth conditions controlling the molecular architecture of cell wall polymers, and between this architecture and properties of interest is essential.

Associate Professor Jason Stokes, University of Queensland

Associate Professor Stokes has expertise in the integration of polymer, colloidal, interfacial and material science principles in developing relationships between fundamental characteristics of plant cell wall systems and their properties. His input is leading to an understanding of how structure at different scales influences properties and utilisation of cell walls in diverse applications.

18 Plant Cell Walls

Professor Claire Halpin, University of Dundee, UK

Professor Halpin is the Director of the Cell Wall Lignin program within the £26 million BBSRC Sustainable Bioenergy Centre at the University of Dundee. Her expertise in lignin synthesis is complementary to the Centre’s expertise in wall polysaccharides and will enable collaborations on manipulation of lignin biosynthesis in barley straw.

Professor Christopher Somerville, Energy Biosciences Institute, USA

Professor Somerville is the Director of the Energy Biosciences Institute based at UC Berkeley, the largest biofuels research centre in the world. Collaborations with the Centre involve development and application of biophysical models of plants, metabolic profiling of fungi for biomass conservation, meteorological data and economic metrics to support biomass production opportunities in Australia.

Dr Vic Knauf, Arcadia Biosciences Inc., USA

Dr Knauf is the Chief Technical Officer with Arcadia Biosciences, who develop agricultural products to capitalise on opportunities that benefit the environment and enhance human health. He provides specialised expertise in TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes), a method that allows directed identification of mutations in a specific gene.

Dr Patrick Schweizer, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Germany

Dr Schweizer is the Leader of the Plant Genome Resources Center at the $54m Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK). His collaborations with the Centre will advance knowledge in plant-microbe interactions and disease-resistance mechanisms at the cell-wall level.

Dr Scott Tingey, DuPont Agricultural Biotechnology, USA

Dr Tingey has had a long term research relationship with CIs Bacic, Burton and CD Fincher through ARC Linkage Project grants. Dr Tingey brought expertise in genomics and informatics, particularly in the improvement of stalk strength in maize and in the area of lignocellulosic bioethanol production. Dr Tingey has recently retired from his role as Director of Genetic Discovery at DuPont-Pioneer’s Agricultural biotechnology division.

Professor Robbie Waugh, The James Hutton Institute, UK

Professor Waugh is the leader of Genetics, a department of 90 scientists, at the James Hutton Institute (formerly the Scottish Crop Research Institute). Professor Waugh and colleagues make the most comprehensive barley genetic resources in the world available to the Centre and will contribute to projects on the genetics and evolution of polysaccharide synthases, and on cell wall changes during plant-pathogen interactions.

Professor Vincent Bulone, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) & Biomime, Sweden

Professor Bulone is the Director of the $12m Center for Biomimetic Fiber Engineering. He is an expert in the isolation of membrane rafts and one of few to express cDNAs for polysaccharide synthase enzymes and demonstrate in vitro polysaccharide biosynthesis.

Partner Investigators

2013 19

Dr Monika Doblin, University of Melbourne

Dr Doblin is a plant molecular biologist/biochemist with over ten years of plant cell wall research experience. She received her PhD from The University of Melbourne in 2000 and then worked as a postdoctoral research scientist at UC Davis (USA) for two years. In 2002, she returned to The University of Melbourne as a postdoctoral research fellow.

Dr Caitlin Byrt, University of Adelaide (joined late 2013)

Dr Byrt is a plant biologist with research expertise in plant cell walls, sugar and ion transport in plants. She received her PhD from The University of Adelaide in 2008, with research that led to a breakthrough in the development of salt-tolerant wheat. She then undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Newcastle, working on sugar transport and engineering biomass feedstock crops for biofuel production. Dr Byrt returned to the University of Adelaide in 2011 as a postdoctoral researcher.

Dr Gleb Yakubov, University of Queensland

Dr Yakubov is a physical chemist with research expertise in surface forces, molecular biophysics and scanning probe microscopy. He received his PhD from the University of Mainz and Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (Germany) and then worked as a research scientist and technical project leader at Unilever R&D (UK).

Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen, University of Queensland (joined late 2013)

Dr Mikkelsen has expertise in fermentation microbiology and molecular microbial ecology techniques. She received her PhD in Microbiology from the University of Queensland in 2005. She then worked at the Advanced Water Management Centre (UQ), until moving to the Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences in 2006. Since then, she has worked on modelling plant cell walls of cereals and grasses, developing molecular microbiology techniques to investigate gut microbe-dietary fibre interactions, and investigating the fermentability of cell wall components.

Dr Kim Johnson, University of Melbourne

Dr Johnson is a plant developmental biologist with research expertise in molecular and cell biology; and mechanical regulation of plant growth. She received her PhD from The University of Melbourne in 2004 and then worked as a postdoctoral research scientist at The University of Edinburgh (UK, 2004-2008) and the John Innes Centre (UK, 2009-2012) before returning to The University of Melbourne as a postdoctoral research scientist in 2012.

Dr Sarah Wilson, University of Melbourne (joined late 2013)

Dr Wilson is a cell biologist who uses imaging technology, particularly Transmission Electron Microscopy, to reveal high resolution details of carbohydrate synthesis and deposition in plant cell walls. She received her PhD at The University of Melbourne in the field of phycology focusing on the developmental biology of red algae. Dr Wilson has been working as a post-doctoral research fellow at Melbourne University since achieving her PhD in 2001.

Dr Bernadine Flanagan, University of Queensland

Dr Flanagan is a chemist with expertise in a range of solid state and solution state NMR, IR, IR-microscopy, XRD and crystallography techniques. She received her PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from The University of Queensland in 2002. She then undertook research at the Institute for Molecular Biosciences (UQ) before moving to the Centre for Nutrition and Food Science in 2004 as a postdoctoral researcher working on a wide variety of projects, including the characterisation of starch and plant cell wall materials.

Dr Alan Little, University of Adelaide

Dr Little is a plant pathologist with expertise in molecular biology, plant cell walls and plant-pathogen interactions. He received his PhD from The University of Adelaide and CSIRO Plant Industry in 2004, undertook postdoctoral research in the Molecular Plant Breeding CRC and worked as a research scientist at the Plant Genomics Centre (Adelaide).

Dr Matthew Tucker, University of Adelaide

Dr Tucker is a developmental geneticist with research expertise in plant reproduction, meristem growth and fluorescence microscopy. He received his PhD from The University of Adelaide and CSIRO Plant Industry in 2003, undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Freiburg in Germany and worked as a research scientist at CSIRO Plant Industry.

Project Leadership Team

20 Plant Cell Walls

2013 ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls Staff (not including external grant funded)

Executive Officer Mr David Mathew UA

Administrative Group (3.5 FTE) Mrs Karen Chance (p-time) UA

Mrs Anne Auricht (p-time) UA

Ms Penny Cameron (p-time) UM

Ms Andrea Gallo (p-time) UM

Ms Cassie Watts (p-time) UM

Ms Ann Dunn (p-time) UQ

Ms Liz Eden (p-time) UQ

Ms Melissa Rowan (p-time) UQ

Postdoctoral Researchers Dr Helen Collins UA

Dr Matthew Tucker UA

Dr Alan Little UA

Dr Neil Shirley UA

Dr Rohan Singh UA

Dr Monika Doblin UM

Dr John Humphries UM

Dr Kim Johnson UM

Dr Sunil Ratnayake UM

Dr Allison Van de Meene UM

Dr Sarah Wilson UM

Dr Bernadine Flanagan UQ

Dr Jim Hanan UQ

Dr Marta Martinez-Sanz UQ

Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen UQ

Dr Barbara Williams UQ

Dr Gleb Yakubov UQ

ECR Postdoctoral Researchers Dr Natalie Betts UA

Dr Caitlin Byrt UA

Dr Yves Hsieh UA

Dr Natalie Gilka UM

Dr Wei Zeng UM

Dr Mauricio Rincon Bonilla UQ

Dr Sushil Dhital UQ

Dr Purnima Gunness UQ

Dr Patricia Lopez-Sanchez UQ

Research Support Ms Sophia Dimitroff UA

Dr Marilyn Henderson UA

Ms Natalie Kibble (Lab Manager) UA

Ms Bianca Kyriacou UA

Mr Jelle Lahnstein UA

Ms Kylie Neumann UA

Mr Julian Schwerdt UA

Mr Kuok Yap UA

Mrs Melissa Bain UM

Mrs Cherie Beahan UM

Mr Andrew Cassin UM

Mr Roshan Cheetamun UM

Mrs Kristina Ford UM

Mr Andrew Lonsdale UM

Ms Kirsty Turner UM

Dr Enamul Haque UQ

Dr Gabriele Netzel UQ

Dr Dongjie Wang UQ

Visiting Fellows Dr Kelly Houston (UK) UA

Dr Farkhondeh Rezanejad (Iran) UA

Dr Kay Trafford (UK) UA

Dr Ingvild Austarheim (Norway) UM

Dr Lili Song (China) UM

Dr Christelle Masson (France) UQ

Plantago major plants in the glasshouse.

2013 21

22 Plant Cell Walls

Research Report

Towards the end of 2012, our Executive Management Committee (EMC) and Project Leadership Team (PLT), in consultation with our Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), compiled a list of major challenges facing the global plant cell wall community, and identified a number of areas in which the Centre was seen to occupy a competitive position internationally. These high-impact ‘heroic’ targets have formed the basis of both our Strategic Plan and our research activities in 2013.

1. Define the molecular mechanism for non-cellulosic polysaccharide synthesis

2. Identify genes that mediate xylan synthesis

3. Define regulatory mechanisms for non-cellulosic polysaccharide synthesis at the enzymic, molecular and cellular levels

4. Develop a 3D structure of a plant GT2 family polysaccharide synthase

5. Develop a 3D multi-scale model of a cellulose-based plant cell wall

6. Define the role of plant cell walls in innate immunity in plant-pathogen interactions

7. Define a key mechano-sensing pathway at the cell surface

8. Discover the mechanisms underlying molecular transport properties of plant cell walls

9. Determine the role of plant cell walls in complex microbial ecosystems, including the human gut

10. Elucidate the mechanism(s) of action of plant cell walls and components in dietary cholesterol management.

The heroic targets are linked with our three overall research programs. Program 1 focuses on the synthesis, assembly and regulation of individual cell wall polysaccharide constituents and the cell wall as a whole. In Program 2, the molecular and cellular aspects of cell wall biology are addressed, while in Program 3, the deconstruction and re-modelling of walls are examined. The three programs are integrated so that each capitalises on the breadth of expertise and infrastructure available, not only through our Australian nodes and collaborators, but also through our international partner investigators and collaborators.

The three research Programs are underpinned by a series of platform technologies, which include bioinformatics, transcriptomics, proteomics, glycomics, genomics, metabolomics, imaging, multi-scale modelling, plant transformation, spectroscopy, rheology and mechanical analysis. These platform technologies are distributed around the three nodes, but can be accessed remotely. Our general policy is to encourage both our postgraduate students and postdoctoral scientists to visit other nodes in order to gain first-hand experience with as many of our core technologies as possible.

Thus, the Centre’s Strategic Plan includes approaches for addressing the training of our own staff and students, but also outlines our objectives for providing community service and for enhancing our international activities over the next few years. We now have 34 postgraduate students and more than 70 scientific and administrative staff across the three nodes. We have focused considerable effort on ensuring that all our research scientists and students clearly understand where their individual projects fit within the overall program structure, and how their projects can capitalise on the combined resources and cross-nodal expertise of the CIs, PIs and Collaborating Organisations to address our heroic targets. During 2013, we were delighted to host more than 25 postdoctoral scientists and postgraduate students from around Australia and globally in our laboratories in Adelaide, Melbourne and Queensland. Many of these visits were for several months and the projects undertaken with these visiting scientists proved to be extremely fruitful in the development of collaborative projects and joint publications. Highlights of selected projects from our three Programs are provided in the following pages.

Platform Technologies

Program 1: Synthesis & Assembly

Program 2:Molecular & Cellular Interactions

Program 3:Deconstruction

Gene discovery

Physicochemical Hydrolysis

Assembly mechanism

Developmental Fermentation

Regulation

Environmental Remodelling

2013 23

Program 1: Synthesis and assemblyWe are focusing on the synthesis of the two major non-cellulosic wall polysaccharides of grasses, namely heteroxylans and (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucans, but also have projects on cellulose and arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs). The primary aims are to identify genes involved in the biosynthesis of these major wall polysaccharides of the grasses and to unravel the molecular mechanisms through which the wall polysaccharides are assembled. In addition, we have identified regulatory factors that control the biosynthesis of key wall polysaccharides and related extracellular components. The selected project summaries outlined below fall under Program 1, but are closely linked and integrated with cell biology projects described under Program 2.

(1,3;1,4)-ß-Glucan biosynthesis

One of our high impact targets is to define the molecular mechanism for (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan synthesis and assembly. This polysaccharide is found as a major component of some cell walls in the grasses (Poaceae), which include the commercially important cereals.

The grass family has evolved relatively recently but has been hugely successful in terms of the area of the planet it now occupies.The appearance of the grass family was accompanied by a dramatic switch in primary cell wall composition. In the dicots and most other non-commelinoid monocots, the core non-cellulosic wall components are the xyloglucans, pectins, and in some cases, heteromannans. However in the grasses, the core non-cellulosic wall polysaccharides are the heteroxylans and (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucans; the latter is not widely distributed in plants.We believe that understanding the evolution and biosynthesis of these polysaccharides is of special significance in plant biology and that this understanding will find applications in lignocellulosic bioenergy production systems based on grasses and as a source of dietary fibre for improving human health.

In evolutionary terms, phylogenetic analyses on polysaccharide synthase genes for all grass species for which genome sequences are available revealed large rate heterogeneity in nucleotide substitutions, and potentially variation in selection pressure. Selection pressure can be estimated as dN:dS ratios, where dN is the rate of non-synonymous nucleotide substitution and dS is the rate of synonymous substitution. When viewed across the cellulose synthase (CESA) and cellulose synthase-like (CSL) gene super-family, dN:dS ratios were low and indicated stationary selection barriers that probably reflect the evolution of functionally useful enzymes or polysaccharides. However, in some individual lineages the apparent selection pressure varied considerably. For example, some barley HvCSLF genes have low dN:dS ratios suggestive of a selection barrier, while other HvCSLF genes show much higher dN:dS ratios, suggesting ongoing evolution of these genes under positive selection pressure. Members of the CSLF gene family are known to mediate (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan synthesis in the grasses.

Research activities of Program 1

24 Plant Cell Walls

In collaboration with our PI Professor Robbie Waugh from the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, we have now completed a genome wide association scan for (1-3;1-4)-ß-glucan content in the grain of contemporary 2-row spring and winter barley varieties. Professor Waugh’s senior postdoctoral scientist, Dr Kelly Houston, spent three months finalising the analyses in our Adelaide laboratories during 2013. The association mapping analyses have identified a number of chromosomal regions and genes, including genes encoding various ß-glucan hydrolases, that influence levels of (1-3;1-4)-ß-glucan in barley grain (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Genome-wide association mapping of genes that influence (1-3;1-4)-ß-glucan levels in barley grain (unpublished data from Kelly Houston and Robbie Waugh). The arrows indicate two regions of special interest on barley chromosomes 1H and 2H; these regions have been implicated in earlier QTL studies.

At the cell biology level, we have previously suggested that the (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucans might be synthesised via a two-phase system that might involve the synthesis of oligosaccharides and their subsequent polymerisation. During 2012, a good deal of effort was directed to the successful production of specific antibodies against the (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan synthase enzymes and in 2013, these antibodies were applied in immunocytochemical studies to show that the conventional view of how wall (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucans are assembled at the cellular level, namely in the Golgi apparatus, might need to be revised. The cell biology projects have necessitated the application of advanced sectioning and imaging technologies at greatly enhanced spatial resolution, as described under Platform Technologies.

Xylan biosynthesis

Another of our high impact research targets is the identification of genes that mediate xylan synthesis in the grasses. Heteroxylans are core constituents of primary cell walls and generally contain a backbone of (1,4)-ß-xylan substituted mainly with single α-arabinosyl and/or α-glucuronosyl residues. The identification of genes involved in the synthesis of the (1,4)-ß-xylan backbone of heteroxylans has become a key focus of the international cell wall research community. Transcript profiling in barley and Plantago spp. enabled us to identify members of the cellulose synthase / cellulose synthase-like (CESA/CSL) gene superfamily as additional candidate genes for the synthesis of the (1,4)-ß-xylan backbone. Over-expression of this subset of genes in transgenic barley and transient expression in a range of heterologous plant systems provide evidence for their participation in (1,4)-ß-xylan biosynthesis.

Transcript profiling in a range of plant species and tissues has also identified candidate genes for enzymes that add arabinosyl and xylosyl substituents to the (1,4)-ß-xylan backbone of wall heteroxylans. In particular we are focusing our attention on members of the GT47 and GT61 families, which have been cloned and expressed in a range of heterologous systems in Australia and in collaboration with our PI, Professor Vincent Bulone at KTH in Sweden. Diverse fine structures of heteroxylans from various species of Plantago have been detected and indicate that this genus will be very useful for the examination of genetic determinants of heteroxylan biosynthesis in higher plants. We have prepared a mutant library from a Plantago species, which will enable us to dissect the complex array of genes that participate in heteroxylan synthesis in plants.

A large proportion of the mucilage secreted from Plantago seeds is heteroxylan. Genetic screening of the mutagenised Plantago population has led to the identification of mutants showing heritable phenotypic differences in mucilage release compared with the parental wild-type line. In Figure 3, the left hand panel shows a 3D representation of mucilage released from a Plantago seed. Different polysaccharides present in the mucilage are labelled with specific antibodies that bind heteroxylan (red) and cellulose (green). The right hand panel shows a light microscopy image of released mucilage stained with ruthenium red to highlight pectic polysaccharides. Using these staining methods, mutants showing altered polysaccharide amount and structure have been identified and are being characterised to identify the responsible genes.

2013 25

In associated work, we have established other systems in which to study xylan biosynthesis from a biochemical perspective. Garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) spears contain high levels of heteroxylan, which increase after harvest during lignification. Xylan xylosyltransferase activity assays have been established and xylan biosynthesis activity is detected in green asparagus spears: activity in Asparagus is considerably higher (8–10 fold) than those of comparable model systems used in dicots (Arabidopsis) and grasses (wheat/barley), demonstrating the utility of this species as a model. Activity increases after harvest and correlates with increases in xylan content. Using RNA-seq, a reference transcriptome has been built and expression patterns of potential xylan backbone biosynthetic genes (for example IRX9, IRX10 and IRX14) have been defined via RT-PCR.

Molecular mechanisms of polysaccharide synthesis: computational models of the synthases

A key objective of the Centre is to define the molecular mechanisms for wall polysaccharide synthesis. This objective spans Programs 1 and 2. Cellulose synthase (CESA) and the related cellulose synthase-like (CSL) proteins are responsible for generating an array of cell wall glycans in plants. Differences in wall composition reflect the relative activity of many CESA and CSL proteins. These compositional variations give the wall distinctive physicochemical properties that are important for plant function, e.g. providing flexibility, structural support, intercellular signalling and defence against various stresses, but are also critical in a broad range of agro-industrial purposes, e.g. food, dietary fibre, animal feed, paper, textiles, wood and biofuels.

A major breakthrough late in 2012 was the publication of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of a bacterial cellulose synthase by Dr Jochen Zimmer's group at the University of Virginia. Although the degree of sequence identity between the bacterial enzyme and higher plant CESA and CSL proteins is relatively low, new collaborations with Dr Jochen Zimmer and Dr John Wagner of IBM Research–Australia and the Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative (VLSCI) at the University of Melbourne have enabled us to generate homology models of the CSLF6, CSLJ, CSLH1 and CSLA7 proteins with high levels of reliability. 3D conformations are analysed by Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), Root Mean Square Fluctuation (RMSF), interaction energies, hydrogen-bond occupancies, water occupancies and substrate volume maps. An example of the CSLF6 (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan synthase enzyme structure is shown in Figure 4.

The model suggests that the cytoplasmic catalytic domain binds the UDP-glucose substrate and transfers the glucosyl residue to the end of the elongating (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan chain. The nascent polysaccharide chain is fed through the membrane via a long ‘tunnel’ that is surrounded by transmembrane helices that form a pore through the membrane. This general mechanism of synthesis matches the current view of CESA activity, but the mechanisms for insertion of (1,3)-ß-glucosyl residues and the potential role of other proteins in (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan synthesis are the subject of ongoing investigations.

Figure 3: Microscopic methods can be used to characterise mucilage polysaccharide composition in Plantago spp.

26 Plant Cell Walls

In parallel with, and informed by, the homology modelling experiments, domain swaps of key polysaccharide synthases are being performed together with site-directed mutagenesis of specific amino acid residues that are implicated in substrate specificity and enzyme kinetics. In addition to providing a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of wall polysaccharide synthesis, these projects are also likely to suggest strategies for optimising wall composition and fine structure for applications in human health and biofuel applications.

Figure 4: Three dimensional molecular dynamics (MD)-refined model of the barley CslF6 enzyme, showing the cytosolic domain (lower region), the transmembrane helices embedded in the lipid membrane (central region).

2013 27

Program 2: Molecular and cellular interactionsAn important high impact target of the Centre is to define the precise physical and chemical relationships between individual polysaccharides in plant cell walls; these include intra- and inter-polysaccharide interactions. Cellulosic microfibrils are embedded in a matrix of non-cellulosic polysaccharides and protein in primary cell walls, which also have relatively high water contents. During secondary wall formation, water content decreases to very low levels, the polysaccharide composition and their fine structures usually change, and lignin is deposited into the wall. These changes occur in biological systems under relatively high pressures. It is believed that wall integrity is maintained mainly through non-covalent interactions between constituent polysaccharides, but it has been shown that covalent linkages occur between some classes of wall polysaccharides, and between wall polysaccharides and lignin. In Program 2, the Centre is combining approaches ranging from the molecular scale to macroscopic levels in order to define these interactions, to understand the role of molecular heterogeneity, and to develop models for the validation of cell wall architecture. In addition to these physicochemical interactions, we are addressing the developmental control of wall synthesis at the cellular and biochemical levels, and the effects of environment on cell wall biology.

Developing a three-dimensional multi-scale model of a cellulose-based plant cell wall

New dynamic computer models of the plant cell wall have been constructed in collaboration with IBM Research–Australia and the Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative (VLSCI) at the University of Melbourne. The Centre has been allocated generous computing time by the VLSCI and is using IBM's specialised computational and modelling skills to provide insights into cell wall organisation. Multi-nodal teams are using the supercomputer of the VLSCI to improve understanding of how the construction of cell wall polysaccharides and their assembly into walls generates a 'dynamic composite' that fulfils different functions. The wall must act as a structurally rigid skeleton that enables plants to grow to great heights, but must also be sufficiently flexible to allow tissues to develop into a mature shape and to resist mechanical forces, including high winds. Cell walls also sense the external environment, responding to biological and physical stresses.

The projects with IBM focus on the development of a 3D dynamic computational model of the plant’s wall as a tool for future research initiatives. The models will predict interactions at the molecular and inter-molecular scales, for example, within a cellulose microfibril, and also between microfibrils and other non-cellulosic polysaccharides such as xyloglucans (Figure 5).


28 Plant Cell Walls

Predicting micromechanics of cellulosic microfibril gels using poroelastic theory

The plant cell wall is remarkable because it must be sufficiently flexible and deformable to allow morphogenesis and cell expansion at the microscopic scale, whilst providing structural integrity and rigidity in plants at the macroscopic scale. In addition, the water content of the wall decreases markedly during the transition from primary wall deposition to secondary wall synthesis. In this project we are using a cell wall analogue to elucidate the structural function of various constituents in the plant cell wall. These cellulose gel and composite wall analogues are generated using the bacterium Gluconacetobacter xylinus, which secretes cellulose into the extracellular liquid medium where other polymers can be added to test for spontaneous assembly of multi-component structures.We use poroelastic theory to accurately predict our micromechanical measurements and discover that the weak resistance to axial compression is governed by movement of water through the cellulose-gel, while there is strong resistance to radial extension from the cellulose fibres (Figure 6).

Figure 5: Three-dimensional model of a cellulose microfibril, which is believed to consist of between 18 or 24 individual glucan chains that aggregate through extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonding and van der Waals' interactions.

Figure 6: The evolution of normal stress over time after a compression-relaxation cycle for a cellulose gel can be predicted accurately using poroelastic theory. The measured normal stress is a function of both the viscoelastic nature of the solid matrix and the movement of water to the surroundings. The dynamics of force relaxation at cessation of compression is governed by water diffusion.

2013 29

Theoretical predictions of the experiments show that water movement through the network dampens its response to deformation over long time scales that correspond to slow compression speeds. Future work will test how the relaxation time of the water movement and micromechanical properties are influenced by the presence of polymers commonly present in plant cell walls. We propose that cellulose microfibrils provide structural rigidity during deformation at short time scales, while water movement and interaction with non-cellulosic polymers control deformation over long time scales.

The role of plant and fungal cell walls in plant-pathogen interactions

The cell wall-cell wall interface is the first point of contact between a potential pathogen and its plant host, yet little is known of the changes that occur in either wall during plant-pathogen interactions. Our current research is making important discoveries regarding cell wall synthesis during the defence response and is expected to challenge many of the long standing tenets of plant pathology.During the defence response, plants deposit a polysaccharide barrier (papilla) at the attempted point of fungal penetration. The current theory is that papillae consist primarily of callose along with minor amounts of other polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, reactive oxygen intermediates and proteins. Most attempts to improve resistance to fungal penetration have therefore focused on the manipulation of callose synthesis, deposition and degradation. In 2013, our immunohistochemical screens of papillae cell wall composition with polysaccharide-specific antibodies have shown that other polysaccharides are involved, which could provide new opportunities for developing improved disease resistance. Technical challenges associated with autofluorescence have now been overcome (Figure 7) and the compositional analyses of papillae are almost complete. This project is undertaken in collaboration with our Partner Investigator, Professor Patrick Schweizer of IPK in Germany.

Cell wall sensing

Plant cells have mechanisms that monitor and detect wall structure, and feed this information back to the cytoplasm to regulate production of new polysaccharides and wall-modifying enzymes. A number of plant proteins have been implicated in sensing wall integrity and include: integral membrane-proteins, such as stretch-activated channels and receptor-like protein kinases (RLKs), and peripheral membrane-bound proteins that associate with the membrane through a glycolipid anchor (GPI), such as the fasciclin-like arabinogalactan-proteins (FLAs). Projects investigating FLAs, the wall-associated kinases (WAKs) and a novel wall integrity sensor, DEFECTIVE KERNEL1 (DEK1), are currently being undertaken to understand the complex feedback mechanisms that maintain wall structure.

To date, WAKs have largely been characterised in Arabidopsis and are shown to bind directly to structural cell wall components such as pectin. Grasses contain relatively low levels of pectin, so it is of considerable interest to define the wall polysaccharides to which WAKs bind, and to determine whether they play similar developmental roles in cell wall expansion and stress responses.

The DEFECTIVE KERNEL1 (DEK1) protein is embedded in the plasma membrane through multiple transmembrane domains and has at least one potential loop on the extracellular side of the membrane. A calpain-like cysteine protease on the cytoplasmic face can be uncoupled from DEK1 by intramolecular proteolysis to transmit information to downstream cytoplasmic substrates, presumably by altering their structure and/or activity. Plants that overexpress just the active cytoplasmic calpain-like domain show altered growth, including an increased thickness of the cell wall, and an altered leaf phenotype. How changes in cell wall composition impact on plant development in plants overexpressing the DEK1 calpain-line domain are being addressed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), growth kinematic studies, molecular biology and cell wall chemical analysis.

Figure 7: Fluorescence microscopy image of papillae in the epidermal cells of barley leaves during infection with Blumeria graminis.Sections were labelled with polysaccharide-specific antibodies.The green colour shows fungal spores and germination tubes; the blue colour indicates barley cell walls.

30 Plant Cell Walls

Program 3: DeconstructionCell wall re-modelling and degradation are important biological processes during normal growth and development and in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. For example, wall degradation is important during grain germination and in leaf senescence, while re-modelling is important for cell elongation and the transition from primary to secondary wall deposition. These processes of wall deconstruction are also of central importance in the two major commercial applications of higher plant cell wall biology, namely in biofuel production and in human health and nutrition.

Cellulose and associated non-cellulosic polysaccharides of plant cell walls make up a high proportion of biomass sources such as wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse and timber (Figure 8). An increased understanding of wall architecture will facilitate the development of more efficient biomass deconstruction and conversion technologies. The fact remains that cell wall polysaccharides and lignin represent the most abundant renewable sources of biofuel on the planet, and it is equally certain that we will continue to pursue biofuel production from these sources. Our Centre is developing an acute understanding of the fundamental science of cell wall biology that will enable us to engineer new plant feedstocks to fit the needs of the production system.

Figure 8: Diagram showing the relationships between the chemistry of cell wall polysaccharides and selected applications in renewable biofuel production and human health. Reprinted from Current Opinion in Biotechnology, Vol 26, Burton RA, Fincher GB, Plant Cell Wall Engineering: Applications in Biofuel Production and Improved Human Health, Pages 79-84 (2014) with permission from Elsevier.


2013 31

As more information is obtained on the health benefits and mechanisms of action of dietary fibre, one can predict that cell wall polysaccharides will increase in importance in human diets. Metagenomics technologies will help us understand the consequences that wall components in the diet bring to metabolic processes and the compositions of microbiotic populations, and how these in turn affect bowel health. Emerging information on the role of short chain fatty acids in reducing the risk of inflammatory diseases such as emphysema and asthma might provide further impetus to increasing dietary fibre in human diets. It may also be possible to increase the levels of beneficial microorganisms in the large intestine, to better compete for incoming carbon from a range of wall polysaccharides. During 2013, the Centre forged and strengthened a number of collaborative projects with national and international groups in the fields of biofuel production and human health.

Bioethanol production from sorghum and agave

In collaboration with our Partner Organisation, Arcadia Biosciences Inc., we have investigated the potential to engineer forage sorghum (Figure 9) with genes that mediate cell wall metabolism to enhance conversion of wall polysaccharides to fermentable sugars. As reported in the 2012 Annual Report, we have collaborated with Associate Professor David Jordan's group at the University of Queensland, to quantitate genetic variation in (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan and arabinoxylan content and structure in highly diverse wild and domesticated Sorghum bicolor lines. Although the results suggested that manipulation of (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan levels for human health benefits might be challenging, it was likely that higher (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan levels could be achieved in vegetative tissues for industrial applications. The relationship between CSL gene transcripts and (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan levels in sorghum stem tissues was therefore quantified in lines of interest at different developmental stages, with a view to defining the point of maximal yield of the polysaccharide and hence the appropriate time for harvesting.

The Centre has developed a series of collaborative projects with the private sector company AusAgave and its CEO, Mr Don Chambers. Agave is used extensively in Mexico for tequila production. It is a desert plant, with a water-use efficiency some 10-fold higher than most other plants. It is therefore well suited to growth in the marginal, non-arable areas of Australia. Our Partner Organisation, the Energy Biosciences Institute at UC Berkeley, also has an interest in agave as a bioenergy crop. We have analysed the leaves of six agave lines for free sugar, oligosaccharide and fibre contents, and have defined their cell wall compositions. Large variations in composition are seen and the effects of different pre-treatments on enzymatic saccharification have been tested. The Centre has also developed, with AusAgave and other collaborators, an application to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for the establishment of an integrated biofuel production facility in South Australia.

Figure 9: Sorghum crops are a potentially valuable source of biomass for bioenergy production.

32 Plant Cell Walls

Molecular mechanisms of action of cell wall polysaccharides in human health and nutrition

Plant cell walls and component polysaccharides, such as (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan and arabinoxylan, are associated with desirable nutritional properties of reduced post-prandial glycemia (a risk factor for type 2 diabetes) and reduced plasma cholesterol (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease). Both of these effects are enhanced with high molecular weight cell wall polysaccharides, suggesting that the responsible mechanism is related to physical properties.

During 2013, we built on earlier findings on the relationships between cell wall polysaccharides, dietary fibre and human health, namely:

• (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan increases residence time in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs, and the effect is greater than that observed with arabinoxylan.

• Combining (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan and arabinoxylan leads to enhanced/balanced fermentation.

• Soluble cell wall polysaccharides such as arabinoxylans and (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan reduce α-amylase activity in the proximal small intestine.

• (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan binds directly with bile micelles, while arabinoxylan affects bile micelle diffusion.

The viscosity effect of fibres on starch digestion and glucose transport in the small intestine may not be the major factor controlling the postprandial glucose and insulin response in vivo. Glycemic control by dietary fibre had been thought to work through reduction of both sugar diffusion and amylolytic activity. By studying starch samples with increasing concentrations of (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan and/or arabinoxylan, we have shown that the effect of viscosity is surprisingly small, i.e. a 100-fold increase in viscosity results in only a 1.5-fold reduction of amylolytic activity. In addition, it was shown that mixing can completely compensate for the slowing effect of viscosity, so that reaction rates for quiescent no-fibre controls and stirred fibre-containing samples were indistinguishable (Figure 10).

Figure 10: The effect of a 100-fold increase in viscosity (water = 0.001 Pa.s; 2% barley ß-glucan = ~0.1 Pa.s) on glucose diffusion (mass transfer coefficient) is completely offset by efficient mixing at 750 rpm (left panel, key data points circled). Both arabinoxylan and (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan show weak and reversible binding to bile salt micelles, unlikely to be sufficiently strong to result in bile salt excretion (right panel).

The proposed mechanism for cholesterol reduction is that polysaccharides bind with bile salts in the small intestine, causing high levels of bile salt excretion, and the concomitant recruitment of plasma cholesterol to synthesise fresh bile salts. We have studied the interactions of (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan and arabinoxylan samples with bile salts by NMR spectroscopy and have shown that these indeed occur, but are weak and reversible. Consistent results from a pig trial show that no more bile salt exited the small intestine in the presence than in the absence of arabinoxylan. These detailed tests have therefore found current proposed mechanisms for important nutritional properties of plant cell wall polysaccharides to be in need of refinement.

2013 33

Micronutrient binding to plant cell wall components

Plants contain a range of nutritionally-beneficial polyphenolic and other water-soluble components, which are primarily located in the vacuole within plant cells and which therefore never come into contact with cell walls in the plant. Once plants are harvested, processed and eaten, these cellular components come into contact with plant cell walls and have the potential to bind non-covalently via either hydrophobic associations, ionic association, or hydrogen bonding. In 2013, we have shown that bound anthocyanins and phenolic acids are not released from plant material under the biochemical conditions operating in the human digestive tract, and are therefore predicted to enter the large intestine and serve as potential substrates for the resident microbiota. Detailed studies of the interactions between cellulose and a range of representative water-soluble plant micronutrients have shown that all bind relatively quickly (Figure 11). Binding equilibria can be represented by Langmuir isotherms, which predict that the capacity for cellulose to bind water-soluble plant secondary metabolites is in the range of 0.4-0.8 g/g. This range suggests that a large fraction of these potentially health-benefiting micronutrients are bound to plant cell walls, particularly in diets rich in whole plant foods.The fact that these bound micronutrients are predicted to resist digestion in the small intestine suggests that their actions in the large intestine may be important for human health outcomes.

Technology platformsIn collaboration with its international partner organisations the Centre has made a number of important advances in its technological capabilities in 2013.

Tissue sectioning and imaging

A central activity in the Centre is to define the sequence of cellular events and their locations that lead to the biosynthesis of key cell wall polysaccharides.To achieve the aims associated with these projects, rigorously controlled tissue preparation and sectioning are central prerequisites for obtaining good quality images at high resolutions.

An important goal in 2013 was to improve the quality of cellular details for TEM investigations, not only for morphological observations, but also for the application of antibodies that recognise specific cell wall components and the enzymes responsible for their synthesis.Images show that both the subcellular details and protein epitopes are well preserved and the results have been confirmed through biochemical studies. Thus, by combining High Pressure Freezing and Freeze Substitution technologies, and by choosing the types of plant cells amenable to fixation, high quality images can be generated. The results obtained from our studies in 2013 represent a critical advance that will support many of our cell wall studies in 2014 and beyond.

Figure 11: Cellulose composite stained with Calcofluor White ST (Control) compared with autofluorescence from cyanidin-3-glucoside or ferulic acid bound to cellulose, showing the widespread and relatively even coating of cellulose fibres by each.

34 Plant Cell Walls

Transformation systems

During 2013, the Centre consolidated reliable transformation technologies for a wide range of plant species, including barley, rice, Arabidopsis, Lolium multiflorum, Setaria viridis and Brachypodium. These systems are used for proof-of-function of many of the genes for which a role in wall synthesis or modification is suggested. Further, the transformation systems can be applied for proof-of-concept experiments, in which we evaluate the phenotypic effects of either over- or under-expression of particular candidate genes.

A good deal of attention was focused on the transformation of Setaria viridis, which is a small, C4, rapidly maturing member of the Triticeae that can be used for rapid analyses of the effects of candidate genes. Using our Setaria viridis transformation system (Figure 12), 93 transgenic Setaria viridis plants have been generated. Ten of these are control lines and the remaining 83 have been transformed with promoters or genes of interest. Promoters of interest include five different putative mesophyll-specific promoters, which are potentially useful in generating sorghum lines with enhanced levels of (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan in stems. Plants grown from the T1 seed of three of these lines are currently being characterised. Genes of interest include the (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan synthase gene (CSLF6) from sorghum and barley. Transgenic Setaria plants transformed with HvCSLF6 are now growing on soil in preparation for phenotyping. Our preliminary results show that it is possible to manipulate the levels of (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan in the transgenic lines.

Bioinformatics resources

A major recent breakthrough in cereal science has been the publication of the barley scaffold genome sequence in Nature in December 2012. In this paper, the sequences of more than 26,000 barley genes were defined, the genes were anchored on high density genetic and physical maps, an expression atlas was generated and several barley varieties were re-sequenced. The scaffold sequence has been a key resource in many of the projects from Programs 1 and 2 during 2013.

As Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) replaces traditional methods for high throughput transcript profiling, our methods are continually evolving to obtain maximum benefits from both public and in-house data. We now have transcriptomes for genera for which there were no other large scale, public data sets. Publicly available transcript data from rice, sorghum, barley and Brachypodium provide opportunities to compare patterns of gene expression of cell wall-related genes in four grass species from a set of matched tissues.

Furthermore, we can now assemble genomes of our model plants, such as Plantago spp., and use these to study expression patterns of cell wall-related genes during our search for genes involved in heteroxylan biosynthesis.

Figure 12: Transformation of Setaria viridis. (A) Emergence of putative transformed callus on culture medium containing 30mg/L hygromycin; (B) Putative transformed callus demonstrating shoot elongation on regeneration medium in the absence of the selection agent; (C) Putative transformant on rooting medium containing 40mg/L hygromycin; (D) Plants established in soil

Plantago growing in the glasshouse

A barley anther filament cleared with Hoyer’s Solution.

2013 35

36 Plant Cell Walls

Activity Plan for 2014

Research

A major focus for 2014 will be updating our strategic plan, with a view to comprehensively review our current programs and future research directions.The development of the new strategic plan will coincide with our mid-term review. We will continue to pursue and advance our high impact, ‘heroic’ research targets as identified in Programs 1, 2 and 3. Our projects will focus on defining the molecular mechanisms of action of selected polysaccharide synthases, together with ancillary proteins and essential cofactors; these projects will combine biochemical, genetic and structural biology approaches. More specifically, we anticipate submitting papers, several in conjunction with our Partner Investigators, describing:

• Sub-cellular locations of key polysaccharide synthases. The data contest long-held dogma on the location of enzymes involved in non-cellulosic polysaccharide synthesis and on the delivery of polysaccharide products to the wall.

• The roles of cell walls in plant-microbe interactions.

• Molecular interactions of cell walls and wall polysaccharides with other dietary components, enzymes and microbiota in in vitro and in vivo models of the human digestive tract.

• Molecular interactions underlying the mechanical behaviour of cellulose-based networks.

Funding

In 2014, we plan to submit applications for additional projects and infrastructure to:

• The ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award scheme.

• The ARC Future Fellowship scheme.

• The ARC Discovery Project and Linkage Project schemes.

• The State government of South Australia.

• The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

• The ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities scheme.

Staffing and visitors

The Centre will support the establishment of a research group for our new ARC Future Fellow, Dr Josh Heazlewood, at the School of Botany, University of Melbourne. In addition, we will develop collaborative projects with Professor Staffan Persson, who has been appointed to a Chair in the School of Botany at the University of Melbourne.

A number of senior scientists will visit the Centre for extended sabbatical visits in 2014. These visitors will work at the Centre for between 3 and 12 months and are interested in developing, and obtaining international funding for collaborative research programs with the Centre.

International Cell Wall conference

The Centre is organising the 5th International Conference on Plant Cell Wall Biology, which will be held at Palm Cove in Far North Queensland from 27-31 July 2014. An impressive group of world-leading scientists have accepted our invitation to speak at the meeting. International cell wall conferences are held once a year and up until now have rotated mainly between the USA and Europe, with occasional meetings held elsewhere.

2013 37

ARC mid-term review

As the Centre enters its fourth year of funding, the ARC mid-term review will be conducted in June 2014. The review panel will evaluate the Centre against the Terms of Reference, by:

• Considering written submissions from the Centre, the Administering Organisation and invited stakeholders;

• Making a site visit to the Administering Organisation; and

• Considering documentation provided by the ARC.

Preparation of the required documentation has commenced, including the development of a revised strategic research plan.

Administration and governance

Several administrative matters will be addressed, including:

• Partial turnover of Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) members.

• Partial turnover of the Project Leadership Team members.

• Variation of the research agreement with respect to the roles of some of our Partner Investigators.

• Organising a Research Retreat at the University of Melbourne, together with the Adelaide Scientific Meeting, the Cell Wall Conference in Queensland, two SAC meetings and two meetings of the Governing Board.

• Finalising succession planning issues.

38 Plant Cell Walls

Education and Public Awareness

Education

Student training

During 2013, the ARC CoE in Plant Cell Walls supervised and mentored 55 students across its three Australian nodes, comprising:

• 34 higher degree by research (HDR) students, including 2 MSc (Research).

• 6 Honours and MSc (Coursework) students, each a full-time load with the Centre.

• 3 undergraduate summer scholars or interns.

• 10 overseas visiting students (half HDR and half undergraduate work experience).

• 2 external students associated with the Centre.

The Centre had seven student degrees conferred in 2013. These included:

• 1 PhD , 1 MSc (Coursework) and 1 Honours in Adelaide;

• 1 PhD, 1 MSc (Research) and 1 Honours in Melbourne; and,

• 1 MSc (Coursework) in Brisbane.

The two successful PhD completions were by students who commenced prior to the formal establishment of the Centre, but whose research was aligned to Centre aims and outcomes. The Centre’s HDR completion-time key performance indicator (KPI) of 2 years for MSc and 3.5–4 years for a PhD were achieved:

• The PhD completions were 4 years and 4 years, 2 months.

• The MSc (Research) completion was 2 years, 4 months but the student had transferred from a MPhil after 12 months, there by completing the research component in less than 2 years.

• The MSc (Coursework) and Honours students all completed their research project components within 12 months.

The Centre continued to attract high-calibre students, most of whom were successful in gaining a range of scholarships. Across the Centre, each node provides supplementary scholarships where necessary to ensure an equitable scholarship of at least $30,000 is accessed by all PhD students. Full external scholarships, or partial scholarships including Australian Postgraduate Awards (APAs), awarded to new Centre PhD students in 2013 included:

• A Grains Research & Development Council (GRDC) scholarship to Jana Phan in Adelaide.

• 6 China Scholarships to University of Queensland.

• Funding by the SA Government, through the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology (DFEEST) for a further full scholarship to Iraqi student Ali Hassan and another supplementary scholarship to Jamil Chowdhury.

Lecturing by Centre staff in undergraduate and MSc (Coursework) programs was again successful in extending the name and reputation of the Centre, and resulted in numerous applications for the 2014 Honours program. The Centre is clearly providing a high quality training pathway for its students. Three current PhD students come from successful 2011 or 2012 Masters (Coursework) research projects and two 2013 Honours students came from our undergraduate Summer Scholarship programs. The Centre also hosts undergraduate internships and secondary school work experience students, although the latter are not included in our KPI data.

Progression from undergraduate to PhD

With a strong interest in identification of arabinoxylan biosynthesis genes in wheat, Adelaide student Jana Phan began a PhD in 2013. Following an undegraduate Summer Scholarship in 2011 and a successful Honours degree in 2012 under CI Burton and Dr Matthew Tucker, Jana won an Australian Postgraduate Award and a Grains Research & Development Council (GRDC) Grains Industry Research Scholarship. The scholarship provides additional operating funds over 3 years for her studies using Plantago as a model to identify xylan biosynthetic genes. Selection and modification of these genes may be used in future breeding programs to produce wheat with desirable amounts and types of arabinoxylan in the grain.

Continuing linkages with China

There are currently six holders of China Scholarship Council PhD scholarships who are working with the Brisbane node of the Centre under CI Gidley and Centre postdoctoral staff. These prestigious postgraduate scholarships are highly sought by the top students from China. The UQ cohort are contributing to several Centre targets, particularly the role of cell walls in human nutrition and the mechanisms of interactions between polysaccharides which underlie the structure and properties of plant cell walls. The UQ node is also supporting applications from a further two students in 2014.

2013 39

Centre ECRs and students presenting at international conferences took the opportunity to visit the labs of international Partner Investigators and to set up training periods in other laboratories.

• UM students Arianna Hernandez-Sanchez and Joan Narciso spent a week at the laboratories of SAC member Professor Herman Höfte at Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire (INRA, France) to learn FTIR techniques and associated tissue preparation.

• UM student Yin Ying Ho spent a week with PI Vincent Bulone in Sweden to learn techniques in performing glycosyltransferase activity assays and membrane protein handling.

• UM ECR Natalie Gilka spent a week at the University of Washington, Seattle collaborating on high-performance computing (HPC) and computational chemistry.

• UQ ECR Patricia Lopez-Sanchez visited the University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden to carry out studies of molecular diffusion in plant cell wall analogues with Dr Anna Strom for three weeks in April and a further week in October.

• UQ ECR Nima Gunness spent a week at Katholiek University Leuven and Ghent University, both in Belgium, to undertake in vivo experiments with Dr Joris Michiles.

PhD students Joan Narciso and Arianna Hernandez-Sanchez enjoy a ride on a mechanical bird during the gala dinner at the XIII Cell Wall Meeting in Nantes, July 2013

Dr Neil Shirley explaining quantitative-PCR during a practical with Masters students

40 Plant Cell Walls

2013 ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls - students

Student, PhD Mr Md Jamil Chowdhury UA

Ms Kendall Corbin UA

Mr George Dimitroff UA

Ms Riksfardini Ermawar UA

Mr Christopher Hakachite UA

Ms Sarah Moss UA

Ms Jana Phan UA

Mr Ali Hassan UA

Mr Julian Schwerdt UA

Ms Hwei Ting Tan* UA

Mr Sie Chuong Wong UA

Mr Tony Chin UM

Miss Amanda Dhika UM

Ms Arianna Hernandez-Sanchez UM

Ms Yin Ying Ho UM

Ms Nadeeka Jayawardana UM

Mr Edgar Liu UM

Ms Joan Narciso UM

Mr Xingwen Wu UM

Ms Aiping Yuan UM

Mr Shane Emanuelle* UM

Mr Jizhi Zhou* UM

Ms Si-Qian Chen UQ

Ms Grace Dolan UQ

Mr John Gorham UQ

Mr Lucas Grant UQ

Ms Mingxia Han UQ

Ms Dongjie Liu UQ

Ms Dorrain Low UQ

Ms Anh Phan UQ

Mr Anton Pluschke UQ

Ms Honglei Zhai UQ

Mr Bin Zhang UQ

Student, MSc-R Ms Kelsey Picard UM

Student, MSc-coursework (project) Mr George Mondah UA

Ms Astrada Ersya UQ

Ms Munirah Ismail UQ

Student, Honours, Mr Chao Ma UA

Ms Dawn Thean UA

Ms Lauren McAloney UM

Student, PgradDip (project) Ms Cordelia Reeves (Aust) UQ

Student, Visiting or Externally Supervised Mr Quang Doan (Aust) UA

Mr Bradley Hocking (Aust) UA

Ms Juanita Lauret-Smith (Aust) UA

Ms Jeanne Loue-Manifel (France) UA

Ms Ilaria Marcotuli (Italy) UA

Ms Miriam Schreiber (UK) UA

Ms Denise Weidenbach (Germany) UA

Mr Matthias Nigg (Liechtenstein) UM

Ms Ophelie Branellec (France) UQ

Ms Juliette Deweirdt (France) UQ

Ms Dehui Lin (China) UQ

Ms Christelle Masson (France) UQ

Student Summer Schshp (UG) Ms Caitlin Morrison UA

Ms Lauren McAloney UM

*completed

2013 41

Student and ECR Conference attendance

With Centre support, 19 postgraduate students and ECRs attended conferences locally, interstate and internationally. Highlights included:

• Three poster presentations by postgraduates at the 13th International Cell Wall Meeting in Nantes, France.

• Four student speakers and ECR attendance at the 2013 Joint Annual Scientific Meeting of the Nutrition Societies of Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane.

• An ECR presentation at the International Polysaccharide Conference in Nice, France.

• ECR attendance at the Very Accurate and Large Computations and Applications (VALCA) 2013 and Supercomputing 2013 meetings in the USA.

• Presentation of completed PhD research at the Food Structures, Digestion and Health International Conference.

• Postgraduate attendance at The Plant Genomics Congress in London.

A further seven talks and three posters were presented at major national conferences by students and ECRs.

Centre meetings

The Centre held its Annual Retreat and two additional Scientific Meetings in 2013. Centre Retreats are held over three full days and include all personnel. The Scientific Meetings are rotated between the three nodes and only core researchers and students travel to attend. All meetings are attended by at least one international partner, a guest speaker and/or our Scientific Advisory Committee. Visitor feedback on the Centre is solicited, and feeds into our management discussions and associated planning activities.

The first Scientific Meeting in 2013 was held in Adelaide and was attended by Markus Pauly from the Energy Biosciences Institute (USA), Kay Trafford from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB, UK) and John Golz from the University of Melbourne, who all gave invited lectures. The program and guests provided for an informative and highly interactive career planning workshop. A student workshop on microscopy was well attended.

Participants at the Adelaide meeting held at the Waite Campus, Plant Research Centre Auditorium

The three-day Retreat held in late May in Queensland was attended by our full Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and PI Vincent Bulone. Invited guest Dr Fiona Cameron, Executive Director of the Australian Research Council, gave a presentation on the ARC Centres Program. The meeting was attended by most Centre staff and students, including those on associated externally funded projects. The format developed by the PLT allowed for program overviews and research highlight presentations as well as student workshops on ‘project building’ and a researcher

Student success in France

Second-year PhD student Yin Ying Ho from the University of Melbourne travelled to the 13th International Cell Wall Meeting in Nantes, France in July 2013. Her poster presented her work on elucidating the molecular mechanism of assembly of (1,3;1,4)-ß-D-glucan in Lolium multiflorum suspension-cultured cells (SCCs) by the Cellulose Synthase Like (CSL) F/H proteins. The trip was funded from travel scholarships from the University of Melbourne’s School of Botany Foundation and from the Melbourne Abroad Travelling Scholarship. In addition, Yin Ying had the privilege to work with Centre Partner Investigator Vincent Bulone at KTH, Sweden as part of the ongoing collaborative project on the biochemistry of glycosyltransferases.

The mouthfeel of wine

Ms Hui Hui Chong of E & J Gallo Winery is currently completing a PhD under the co-supervision of CD Fincher. Her project, uncovering how polysaccharides from grape skins and yeast from the fermentation process affect wine’s sensory perception, has taken a multi-disciplinary approach using expertise at all three nodes of the Centre. The data generated with the help of Centre’s scientists, will open new opportunities to improve winemaking through the development of more sustainable and better tasting products. E & J Gallo Winery is based in California, USA, and is the largest family-owned winery in the world, with operations in more than 90 countries.

42 Plant Cell Walls

workshop on publications. Every member of the Centre was required to prepare a mini-poster on their work to assist the SAC in its review of Centre programs and assessment of project integration into the Centre’s research programs. SAC members gave four invited talks, with Professor Delmer’s presentation on Plotting a scientific career providing invaluable insights to students and ECRs. The SAC members attended all sessions and took the opportunity to have many formal and informal discussions with Centre staff and students, which made for an informative and robust meeting with the EMC and PLT following the close of the retreat.

The Scientific Meeting in Melbourne in October had an emphasis on student presentations and also included a communication workshop, Getting science across—science communication in the evolving world. Staff attended a paper writing and planning workshop.

In addition to ensuring all personnel maintain their understanding and sense of integration within the Centre, these meetings ensure consistency in training and professional development for both students and ECRs, and furthermore provide invaluable opportunities for social interaction. The vibrancy of interpersonal relationships between Centre personnel at all nodes and at all levels has been acknowledged by our visitors and SAC, and helps support our strong science with an attractive work environment.

Mentoring programs

The formal higher degree by research (HDR) Structured Programs and Enterprise Bargaining (EB) requirements for staff reviews and planning meetings are supplemented with:

• Nodal mentoring groups, information sessions and publication workshops.

• CD Fincher spending a day at each node in separate meetings with students and staff to discuss a range of issues from management to research direction, publication and resource access.

• Regular paper writing workshops at each node, with a Centre-wide session at the Retreat and Scientific Meetings.

• Mentoring workshops at our Scientific Meetings.

The Centre has also supported attendance at a range of formal professional development and other training sessions provided through the collaborating universities and some service providers. Of particular importance to the Centre is the attendance of ECRs, as well as more senior supervisors, in supervision and leadership development training.

Leadership Development & Training Success

The Waite Research Institute offers the WRI Research Leadership Development Program utilising expert facilitators to a select few trainees each year. In 2013, Dr Matthew Tucker attended the 12-month long program and was one of the winners of a $5,000 seed-funding award based on a research proposal ‘pitch’ to an expert panel of academics, industry leaders and scientists.Matthew intends to use the funds for travel to the 2014 International Conference on Sexual Plant Reproduction in Portugal, and will also undertake visits to collaborators in France and Germany.

Highlights from Get Into Genes

A World Food Security challenge was conducted for 210 Year 8 students from Urrbrae Agricultural High school, the largest agricultural school in South Australia. A specialised program explored the challenge of increasing fibre in our cereal crops.

A GiG session was run for PICSE (Primary Industry Centre for Secondary Education). Twenty one students receiving the PICSE industry placement scholarships attended. For more information about PICSE, please refer to: http://www.picse.netParticipants during the Scientific Meeting held at The University of Melbourne.

2013 43

Public awarenessThe Centre has a performance measure target for participation in at least three public awareness campaigns. The Centre addresses this requirement with a range of outreach, marketing and sponsorship initiatives across each node.

Outreach programs

The Centre continued to be actively involved in Community Outreach programs at each node, with a focus on primary and secondary schools and prospective tertiary students. As introduced in the earlier Impact Statement, our interactions with the community are an important contribution to improving awareness of the benefits of publically funded research. Our contributions to informed debate on issues such as genetic modification in agriculture are relevant to our research and provide invaluable learning experiences for our students and staff.

Schools Outreach

The Centre was again a financial partner in Get into Genes (GiG) and through this program alone, we had exposure to over 3000 secondary school students and over 260 teachers. GiG is a free, hands-on, 2-hour workshop for secondary students, usually in classes of 30. The workshops highlight the application of biotechnology to food production and raise awareness of issues in modern agricultural research. The program has been running since 2004 and is now run in partnership with Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG), Dairy Futures CRC and La Trobe University Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering.

Centre research staff and postgraduate students provided expertise into the review and re-design of activities and information packs, or contributed as demonstrators to over 150 sessions in Melbourne and Adelaide and at regional workshops across Victoria and South Australia.

Participation in the national Scientists in Schools program run by the CSIRO also continued in 2013 with four Centre staff in South Australia and Queensland working with primary students in their schools. All nodes have taken on year 10 or 11 work experience students with an interest in pursuing a career in science. In South Australia, this work experience is primarily coordinated by PICSE (Primary Industry Centre for Secondary Education). In response to demand, the Adelaide node has established an information pack and coordinated a structured week-long program.

Tertiary Outreach

At all three collaborating universities, Centre personnel participated in Open Days, Careers Nights and Postgraduate Student Information Sessions. Although primarily aimed at attracting undergraduates into broader postgraduate programs, the opportunity to highlight the Centre of Excellence and its capacities and resources was again successful, resulting in numerous expressions of interest and applications for mentoring by Centre researchers. Teaching of undergraduate and MSc (Coursework) programs has also had direct results, with top students seeking summer internships, Honours and PhDs with the Centre.

Community Outreach

The Centre's ‘Sticky Fingers’ hands-on activity developed under Get into Genes was again a key feature at the Tech’n’You National Science Week booth in Adelaide and at the Seymour Alternative Farm Fair in Victoria. The Royal Adelaide Show and the University of Adelaide Open Day again provided an opportunity for SA node staff and students to engage with children and adults with activities at stands run with the University of Adelaide’s School of Agriculture, Food & Wine.

Industry liaison and participation

Industry liaison activities in 2013 included sponsorships, participation in professional development and other training programs, and sitting on various editorial and professional boards and panels.

The Centre gained exposure across the biological, nutrition and agricultural scientific community by providing sponsorships to a range of conferences including the:

• 16th Australian Barley Technology Symposium.

• 24th International Conference on Arabidopsis Research (ICAR).

• Food Structures, Digestion and Health International Conference.

• Nutrition Society of Australia and Nutrition Society of New Zealand Joint Meeting.

• International Grasslands Congress, through the AW Howard Trust.

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The expertise of our Chief Investigators continued to attract attention domestically and internationally. In 2013:

• CI Tony Bacic’s expertise and reputation was recognised with a position on the Board of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne and a Distinguished Alumni Award from La Trobe University. He continues to Chair the Selby Travelling Fellowship and the Rudi Lemberg Fellowship Committees for the Australian academy of Sciences. Tony is also an Expert Panel Member for the Rural Industries R & D Corporation and has recently become an Editorial Board Member of the prestigious Japanese Journal of Plant Research. He is also on the Organising Committee for the International Conference on Systems Biology, to be held in Melbourne in September 2014.

• CI Rachel Burton became a reviewer for the AgreenSkills programme that is coordinated by INRA, the French National Institute for Agricultural Research. AgreenSkills is designed to increase the research potential and career prospects of ECRs to better respond to the current and future challenges of food security and global changes. Rachel has also accepted a role as a Research Proposal Reviewer for the Council for Chemical Sciences of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.

• CI Mike Gidley participated on the Organising Committee for the Food Structures, Digestion and Health International Conference. Mike also ran a Food design for biological function masterclass as a pre-conference workshop.

• CI Geoff Fincher accepted a position on the ARC College of Experts, Biological Sciences and Biotechnology discipline group.Geoff was also recognsed internationally by his peers with the American Association of Cereal Chemists International Thomas Burr Osborne Medal for his career-long contribution to the field.

• All Centre CIs and the EO formed the Organising Committee for the 5th International Conference on Plant Cell Wall Biology (PCWB2014) to be held in Far North Queensland in July 2014. Active engagement with world leading scientists has ensured an impressive field of invited speakers.

Other Centre researchers have also contributed nationally and internationally in training and development programs. Dr Monika Doblin presented a talk at the VCE Biology Conference (hosted by the Science Teachers Association of Victoria) on biotechnology applications of plant cell walls. She then participated in trialing the viscosity test developed by the Adelaide GiG team at a teacher professional development workshop. Dr Helen Collins presented a talk at the SA Science Teacher Association 2013 Conference. Centre researchers have also given numerous seminars to research groups and other faculty when visiting institutions overseas.

To garner support for research proposals, or as part of our involvement in feasibility assessments for areas like renewable energies, CD Fincher and CI Burton have engaged with State and local government representatives, the Federal Department of Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy, and end-user groups in the transport and mining industries. CI Bacic met with collaborators at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) in Brasilia and gave a presentation, while EMBRAPA representatives also visited Adelaide to meet with CD Fincher and CI Burton.

Marketing and communications

In addition to the outreach programs, the primary marketing and communications activity in 2013 was to improve our new website and to increase our social media presence. The website now showcases headline activities in a dynamic banner that links to new pages that provide an overview of the activity and links to associated industry and other partner websites. We have also improved our frequency of reporting newsworthy items from the Centre and post regular news items on Facebook and Twitter.

Our website, www.plantcellwalls.org.au, received over 15,000 discrete visits in 2013 (Google Analytics), although a few thousand would have been our access during the site redesign and in posting news updates. Even allowing for the known overestimation of

‘unique’ site visits by Google Analytics (up to 5 times in certain circumstances), interest in the site is exceeding expectations and the performance measure of 500 hits in 2013. The statistics do provide an insight to the relevance of our research internationally: about 90% of all site visits are coming from 25 countries with the most non-Australian visits being from the USA, China, Ukraine, the UK and India. We have had visits from over 100 countries, with the average visitor returning at least twice and each visit viewing three pages.The most popular pages were our 2011 and 2012 Annual Reports and the News stories, particularly on Adelaide postdoctoral researcher Natalie Betts and her path from Rhodes Scholar to cell wall research, and the human nutrition stories on Anneline Padayachee from Brisbane.

Plantago husk with extruding mucilage (blue) with a viscosity marker (red).

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46 Plant Cell Walls

Key Result Areas & Performance Measures

Many of the Performance Measures (PMs) agreed with the ARC have been detailed in the preceding sections of this report, particularly in relation to media, research training and mentoring. In the following section, we provide further highlights and address progress in other Key Result Areas (KRAs) with particular emphasis on publications, training, and links with scientific colleagues and end users. The full details behind the summaries and highlights are included in the Appendix to the Annual Report.

1. Research Findings

a Total number of research outputs b Quality of CoE Attributed research outputsc Number of invited talks/papers/keynote lectures given at major international meetingsd Number and nature of commentaries about the Centre's achievements e Citation data for publications

2. Research Training and Professional Education

a Number of attended professional training courses for staff and postgraduate studentsb Number of Centre attendees at all professional training coursesc Number of new postgraduate students working on core Centre research and supervised by Centre staff d Number of new postdoctoral researchers recruited to the Centre working on core Centre researche Number of new Honours and MSc-Coursework students working on core Centre research and supervised by Centre stafff.1 Number of postgraduate completions and completion times, by students working on core Centre research and supervised by Centre stafff.2 Postgraduate completion times, by students working on core Centre research and supervised by Centre staffg Number of Early Career Researchers (within 5 years of completing their PhD) working on core Centre researchh Number of students mentored (incl Summer Scholars, Honours, MSc-coursework(project), PhD & Visiting/ cosupervised)i Number of mentoring programs

3. International, national and regional links and networks

a Number of international visitors and visiting fellowsb Number of national and international workshops held/organised by the Centrec Number of visits to overseas laboratories and facilitiesd Examples of relevant interdisciplinary research supported by the Centre

4. End-user links

a Number of government, industry and business community briefingsb Number and nature of public awareness programsc Currency of information on the Centre's websited Number of website hitse Number of public talks given by Centre staff

KRA performance measures addressed in other sections of the Annual Report are indicated by page number, the highlighted KRA's are addressed under "Research Collaborations and Funding" after KRA 4.

5. Organisational support Page

a&b Contributions from Collaborating Organisations #

c&d Contributions from Partner Organisations#

e Other research income secured by Centre staff 54f Number of new organisations collaborating with, or involved in, the Centre 55g Level and quality of infrastructure provided to the Centre 56

6. Governance

a Breadth, balance and experience of the members of the Advisory Committee 15b Frequency, attendance and value added by Advisory Committee meetings 15c Vision and usefulness of the Centre strategic plan *d The adequacy of the Centre's performance measure targets *e Effectiveness of the Centre in bringing researchers together to form an interactive and effective research team *f Capacity building of the Centre through scale and outcomes *

7. National benefit

a Contribution to the National Research Priorities and the National Innovation Priorities 56b Measures of expansion of Australia's capability in the priority area(s) *

8. Centre-specific KPIs

a Attracting international funding into CoE collaborative projects 56b Developed joint projects with international collaborators 56c New commercial applications for CoE outcomes identified 10, 56d Document new technologies and file patent applications as appropriate 10, 56

* To be reported at Review# Not included for public release

2013 47

Key Result Areas & Performance Measures

Publications and Citations (PM 1a, b & e)

With 49 accepted or published papers, reviews and book chapter contributions in 2013, the overall level of publication outputs from the Centre was pleasing. Our PM total of 28 does not include 11 late year acceptances and 10 publications of work not directly linked to core Centre research. Our target for Impact Factor (IF) journals of IF 3–6 has been met with 14 publications, but targets for journals of IF 6–9 and IF 9+ have again been difficult to achieve. With 11 papers accepted for publication in early 2014, we are optimistic of meeting this PM going forward.

Balanced against publication numbers is the very pleasing citation data for our 2011 Centre-attributed publications. The performance measure of 4 citations/2011 Centre output has been exceeded by a factor of 5, with 21.7 citations per paper.Although there is not a 2013 requirement to report citations of 2012 outputs, they have already received 14.4 citations per paper.

2013 publication highlights include Dr Matthew Tucker’s collaboration with Dr Anna Koltunow (CSIRO) to produce the paper Traffic monitors at the cell periphery: the role of cell walls during early female reproductive cell differentiation in plants in Current Opinion in Plant Biology and CI Burton's and CD Fincher’s paper Plant Cell Wall Engineering: Applications in Biofuel Production and Improved Human Health in Current Opinion in Biotechnology. In what was a difficult year with respect to completing manuscripts, it is worth noting that the Queensland node succeeded in having 14 papers published.

KRA 1: Research Findings

Key Result Area Performance Measure 2011Target 2011

2012Target 2012

2013Target 2013

1. Research Findings

a. Total number of research outputs (CoE Attributed) Total outputs incl non-CoE Attributed

10 29

25 2838

35 2838

35

b. Quality of CoE Attributed research outputs (Impact Factors based on 5 yr rolling average) - IF>9 - IF>6 - IF>3 Impact Factor <3 and other non-Journal outputs (book chpt, web jnls, etc)

24

167

38

14 n/a

53

146

61514 n/a

24

148

61514

c. Number of invited talks/papers/keynote lectures given at major international meetingsTotal # National and International conference Invited lectures

19 12 19 15 23

31

20

d. Number and nature of commentaries about the Centre's achievements (Total incl internet & social media) - Media releases - Articles (newsprint, radio & television)

21

813

15

87

145

563

15

87

37

1027

20

128

e. Citation data for publications - Total CoE Attributed AvgTotal # citations for CoE attributed papers in the KPI range

- n/a - n/a 21.7217

av 4 / 2011 paper

Conferences and Meetings (PM 1c)

PM 1c considers how the Centre extends its research into the international scientific community through invited talks,and is a measure of peer recognition.

In 2013, Centre researchers presented 31 invited lectures at national and international conferences, 22 of which were delivered at leading international conferences. Centre work was also presented in 19 posters at these international conferences. Invited plenary lectures were presented by:

• CI Fincher at the AACCI Annual Meeting, where he was awarded the Thomas Osborne Medal.

• CI Gidley at the Food Structures, Digestion and Health International Conference.

• CI Bacic at 61st International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research.

CIs Burton and Bacic were session chairs at the 13th International Cell Wall Meeting in Nantes, France and CI Burton was also a session chair at the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) meeting in Valencia, Spain. CI Gidley was on the organising committee of two international conferences hosted in Australia in 2013.

48 Plant Cell Walls

Media (PM 1d)

Traditional ‘media releases’ involve working with media liaison officers within our institutions to bring newsworthy stories to the attention of media outlets. We have also embraced modern methods of publicising Centre activities, by promoting our staff for radio interviews and preparing news and website articles accessible to the general public.

The main media releases prepared and picked up by a range of outlets in 2013 were:

• Involvement by The University of Adelaide and our Centre in algal biofuel research funding.

• The commencement of a new ARC Linkage Project on barley germination physiology that involves Carlsberg Breweries and Cargill Australia (through Joe White Maltings). This story was run by rural press such as the Stock Journal and Plains Producer; US-based online news blogs Scoop It and Silobreaker also generated interest and discussion.

• A follow-up by Food Navigator after the publication of CI Gidley’s paper Hydrocolloids in the digestive tract and related health implications in Current Opinion, in Colloid and Interface Science.

• The success of PhD student Anneline Padayachee in a national communication competition, as reported by Food Australia Magazine.

• CD Fincher’s Thomas Osborne Medal ceremony in the US, which appeared in The Advertiser (Adelaide) and the Stock Journal.

• The release by Qantas and Shell of their commissioned aviation biofuel report, which generated significant international interest.

Other media exposure highlights in 2013 included:

• Two live radio interviews (Researcher Profiles) of Adelaide researchers CI Burton and Dr Matthew Tucker on Radio Adelaide’s weekly program, Harvest.

• CD Fincher’s ABC regional radio interview highlighting the support being given to the Centre’s ARENA project application by the Whyalla City Council and Regional Development Australia.

National success and recognition

At the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA) in December 2013, UQ ECR Dr Nima Gunness and former CoE PhD student Dr Anneline Padayachee were joint winners of the first NSA Award of Excellence in Nutrition and Dietary Fibre Research. The aim of the award is to recognise and encourage original research by NSA members, and is assessed on both the potential contribution to nutrition and dietary fibre science, and the presentation style and clarity of the talk delivered at the conference.

Cross-disciplinary involvement

Dr Mauricio Rincon Bonilla, a chemical engineer with a background in modelling and physics of porous media, looks at how plant cell walls respond to applied forces and the role of mechanics in plant cell growth. In 2013, he joined the ARC Centre as an ECR at UQ and is contributing to projects aimed at understanding the 3D structure of walls. Mauricio has a unique combination of skills, such as comprehensive knowledge of transport and adsorption phenomena across different length scales and the ability to model and simulate these phenomena on a host of programming platforms that he applies to biological problems.

2013 49

Professional training and development (PMs 2a, b & i)

2013 saw the continuation of the Centre’s good record in supporting staff and student training. Training courses included professional or personal development; technique- or instrument-specific training (not including basic inductions); research management; and statutory compliance training. In addition to these and not included in PM 2a, Centre personnel attended numerous local safety and compliance training courses run by the respective collaborating universities.

Centre research staff also ran training programs for Centre students and visitors on various computer hardware and software platforms, tools and techniques.

Mentoring programs were held centrally and at all three nodes, and have been discussed on p42.

KRA 2: Research Training and Professional Education

Centre personnel: students and Early Career Researchers (PMs 2c-h)

The Centre maintained its record of meeting PMs with respect to attracting and retaining new staff and students; all students who completed degrees did so in a timely manner. The earlier Education section (p38) and the personnel tables in Centre Personnel (p20) cover the underlying detail of much of this KRA.

With respect to PM2d, each node had at least two new postdoctoral or ECR postdoctoral appointments in 2013 to work on core Centre research. Included in these new appointments were four international researchers from New Zealand, Columbia and Spain. Two postdoctoral researchers formerly engaged on Centre-associated, but externally funded, grants were transferred to core Centre research to ensure skills and capacity were not lost. One of these has already been transferred to a new project awarded in late 2013.


2012Target 2012

2013Target 2013

2. Research Training and Professional Education

a. Number of attended professional training courses for staff and postgraduate students

13

6

28

6

15

6

b. Number of Centre attendees at all professional training courses 28 6 49 10 38 10

c. Number of new postgraduate students working on core Centre research and supervised by Centre staff (including PhD & Masters by research) 6 8 12 8 8 8

d. Number of new postdoctoral researchers recruited to the Centre working on core Centre research 16 18 5 3 7 3

e. Number of new Honours and MSc-Coursework (12-Unit-research-project) students working on core Centre research and supervised by Centre staff. 4 6 10 6 6 6

f.1. Number of postgraduate completions and completion times, by students working on core Centre research and supervised by Centre staff

0

0

2

2

3

2

f.2. Postgraduate completion times, by students working on core Centre research and supervised by Centre staff

n/a

n/a

refer p38

g. Number of Early Career Researchers (within 5 years of completing their PhD) working on core Centre research 5 4 9 4 8 6

h. Number of students mentored (incl Summer Scholars, Honours, MSc-coursework(project), PhD & Visiting/ cosupervised)PhD and Masters by Research

24

15

45

21

55

34

27

i. Number of mentoring programs 2 6 10 6 6 6

50 Plant Cell Walls

Visits to and from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls (PMs 3a&c)

International recognition of the Centre, its CIs and its researchers continues to be reflected in the number of visitors to our facilities and the invitations to, or willingness to, host Centre personnel at international facilities. Not including visiting students referred to in the Education section (p40), the ARC Centre has more than doubled its visitor target in 2013. Of the 27 international visitors, 10 stayed in our labs for a week or more, with 3 visiting fellows staying for over three months.

• Dr Lili Song commenced her sabbatical in 2012 and returned to Food Science Institute, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China in April 2013.

• Dr Farkhondeh Rezanejad from Kerman University in Iran worked in the Adelaide laboratory for nine months to learn cell wall analysis techniques and undertake studies on cell wall proteins.

• Dr Ingvild Austarheim is a postdoctoral researcher with a PhD in Medicinal Plants Research from the University of Oslo, Norway. Ingvild is visiting the Melbourne node for ten months on a demanding and ambitious project involving several analytical techniques researching the structure of two specific arabinogalactan-proteins in Arabidopsis. She is working in collaboration with Dr Wei Zheng, Dr Kim Johnson, Kris Ford and Edgar Lui.

There were numerous visits by Centre personnel to existing and prospective collaborators at international universities, companies and our Partner Institutions in 2013. Visits generally coincided with conference attendance, but in some circumstances, Centre students made arrangements for longer stays.

• Melbourne students Arianna Hernandez-Sanchez and Joan Narciso spent a week at the Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) to learn FTIR techniques to analyse polysaccharide content in the cell walls of the wild-type and mutant plants.

• Co-supervised Adelaide wine science student Brad Hocking attended UC Davis to work though his research results with wine and viticultural scientists. The trip was supported by a $5,000 Farrer Memorial Trust award, which also supported conference attendance at the IX International Symposium on Grapevine Physiology & Biotechnology in Chile.

CD Fincher visited Partner Organisation Arcadia Biosciences, UC Davis, Monsanto and North Carolina State University. He was also invited to Lund University, Sweden to assess a thesis defense, at which time he also visited Partner Investigator Vincent Bulone at KTH University, Sweden.

CI Bacic had visits to PI Bulone at KTH University, Sweden and to Dr Gwyneth Ingram, Group Leader, Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon (Ens), France. Tony also travelled to Brasilia at the invitation of EMBRAPA (The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) as noted in Industry liaison and participation (p44).

KRA 3: International, national and regional links and networks


2012Target 2012

2013Target 2013

3. International, national and regional links and networks

a. Number of international visitors and visiting fellows 21 12 26 15 27 15

b. Number of national and international workshops held/organised by the Centre 1 2 0 2 2 3

c. Number of visits to overseas laboratories and facilities 12 12 26 15 26 15

d. Examples of relevant interdisciplinary research supported by the Centre 9 8 18 8 20 9

Dr Farkhondeh Rezanejad Dr Ingvild Austarheim Visitors Dr Ai-min Woo and Dr Lili Song with Dr Wei Zeng

2013 51

Hosted or organised workshops (PM 3b)

CI Gidley and his team at the University of Queensland organised two workshops in conjunction with international conferences.

• A pre-conference masterclass—Food design for biological function—was held at the Food Structures, Digestion and Health International Conference in Melbourne in October. This masterclass aimed to provide an overview of the latest industry developments, to examine the application and limitations of current state-of-the-art experimental approaches, and to review the applicable methodologies for researching how food interacts with humans. The session also included a career advice and case study discussion to assist ECRs in identifying career paths and opportunities.

• A satellite symposium—Gut feelings:what can we learn from recent research on gut microbiota—was held at the Nutrition Society of Australia and Nutrition Society of New Zealand 2013 Joint Annual Scientific Meeting in December. This forum presented an update on the rapidly developing field of the gut microbiome, and provided an understanding of the relevance of the field to nutritionists, health professionals and the food industry.

The 1st NZ-Australia Cell Wall Workshop held in Auckland, New Zealand was co-organised by CI Rachel Burton and Dr Rosie Schroeder of the The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research to ascertain respective strengths in Australia and New Zealand plant cell wall research and to identify areas for future collaborative programs.

Other local workshops held by Centre personnel, but not included in the PM total, include:

• CI Bacic developing and delivering a Carbohydrate and Glycomics workshop to the University of Melbourne School of Botany

• AI Jason Stokes delivering into a rheology short course to the Fonterra group in New Zealand.

• CD Fincher & CI Burton co-organising a workshop on guar and its potential as a crop in southern Australia.

• Dr Helen Collins and Dr Monika Doblin teaching and demonstrating the Get into Genes cell wall experiments to the SA and Victorian Science Teachers Associations respectively.

Centre-funded interdisciplinary research (PM3d)

As outlined in previous sections, we have established many co-funded collaborations with both national and international partners. In addition, the Centre hosts and supports a large number of interdisciplinary research projects at the local, national and international levels. We support short- and medium-term visits to our laboratories for specific experiments using our equipment. In many cases, these interactions have developed into long-term collaborations.

We have had at least 70 collaborations to date, approximately 30 of which have had external funding attached to them. Of the unfunded collaborations, 26 are international: fifteen of these involve universities and 11 involve government and industry institutions. Eight collaborations involve Australian institutions including CSIRO, DAFF, SARDI and AWRI, and there are numerous others within the three collaborating universities.

A key interdisciplinary collaboration between Professor Rachel Ankeny of the Faculty of Humanities, Associate Professor Wendy Umberger of the Faculty of Professions and CI Burton in the Faculty of Sciences was started through attendance at the Making ‘Good’ Food Workshop held in late 2013. This workshop was funded by a grant from the DVCR's Interdisciplinary Research Fund and will lead to a joint grant application in 2014 on novel grains.

Other examples of our interdisciplinary research include:

• Our ongoing collaboration with IBM Research–Australia to develop a 3D dynamic computational model of important proteins in cell wall biosynthesis using molecular dynamics on IBM's Blue Gene/Q supercomputer.

• A new partnership with The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to apply cutting edge neutron and X-ray scattering methods to investigate the structure of cell walls and key components.

• The Centre’s application to ARENA for funding for an integrated approach to renewable liquid transport fuel supply has bought together local, state and federal government agencies with scientists in plant biology, agronomy and chemical engineering and related industry bodies.

• Co-supervising an American PhD student, Ms Hui Hui Chong of E & J Gallo Wines. Her project has utilised resources at all three nodes to investigate the structures and amounts of polysaccharides in wine, and how their physicochemical properties affect mouthfeel and texture perception.

Above: Participants of the 1st NZ-Australia Cell Wall Workshop

52 Plant Cell Walls

KRA 4:End-user linksKey Result Area Performance Measure 2011

Target 2011

2012Target 2012

2013Target 2013

4. End-user links a. Number of government, industry and business community briefings 21 6 20 9 23 12

b. Number and nature of public awareness programs 3 3 3 3 14 3

c. Currency of information on the Centre's website n/a n/a

d. Number website hits 2669 200 2779 300 15327 500

e. Number of public talks given by Centre staff 4 6 5 9 3 9

PMs 4a, b & c in this KRA have been exceeded in 2013. Some highlights have been previously discussed in the Public Awareness section (p43-44).

Centre CIs participated in 12 government-based briefings in 2013, with audiences of:

• Two SA Government MPs in May.

• Martin Hamilton-Smith MP was briefed on the ARENA application for the biofuels pilot project.

• Grace Portolesi MP, Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills and for Science and Information Economy was briefed on the multiple applications of Centre research to biofuels and human health.

• SA Chief Scientist Dr Don Bursill and Dr Mary Reiger of the SA Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology on the future directions of the Centre and the State Government investment.

• Whyalla City Council with Rural Development Australia representatives to secure support for the ARENA grant application.

• Across-agency group in Canberra, also on the ARENA application. This group was hosted by Jill McCarthy, Bilateral Engagement, Resources Division, Department of Industry and including Mr Rick Belt, Manager, Clean Energy Policy Unit, Renewables, Technology and Climate Branch; Mr Stuart Richardson, Governance and Demand Management Branch; and Ms Jennifer Beckman, Liquid Fuels Security and Policy, Energy Security Branch.

Seven business and industry related briefings by Centre investigators included:

• CI Bacic meeting with The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) in Brasilia.

• CD Fincher and CI Burton addressing delegates of the Brazillian petrochemical company, Braskem, in Adelaide.

• CD Fincher, CI Burton and Dr Natalie Betts hosting the Guar Committee, chaired by Mr Terry Dwyer, Senior Projects Officer, Department of Manufacturing and Innovation, Trade, Resource and Energy (DMITRE).

Five community and other briefings included lectures to teacher professional development workshops; presentations to secondary and university students at Open Days; and a range of seminars provided to University Departments and industry scientific groups at the collaborating universities and when visiting overseas. Key international seminars included:

• CI Fincher presenting to the UC Davis Plant Sciences Seminar Series and the Monsanto Biodirect Delivery Platform Group in California.

• CI Bacic presenting to researchers at the University of Lyon, France.

• Dr Kim Johnson presenting at Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon (Ens), France

The public talks presented in 2013 were:

• CD Fincher’s presentations:

• Realizing benefits from basic research investments in Australia to the Victorian Probus Group.

• Opportunities in liquid biofuel production and Science at the Waite: applications of plant cell walls in human health and biofuel production to a public meeting held at the Waite Institute.

• CI Bacic presenting Biotechnological applications of plant cell walls: from human nutrition to biofuels to a forum hosted by international biofuel research consortium SUNLIBB in Brazil.

Lectures in real-time public forums are becoming increasingly infrequent. To compensate, the Centre has adopted a very active approach to publicsing our research via alternative means. The success of our website and the frequency of our appearance in print, radio and other media, has been discussed in the Media section (p48).

Further details are presented in the relevant Appendix tables.

2013 53

The remaining four Key Result Areas (KRA) of the Funding Agreement between the ARC and the Host Institution include some performance measures (PMs) that have been addressed in preceding sections of the Annual Report.

This section will address KRAs 5e-g from Organisational Support and 8a & 8b from Centre-specific KPIs. These KRAs refer to research income and collaboration activities and are best addressed together in terms of the 3-year life of the Centre of Excellence.

In the table above, as in the earlier Impact Statement, we address the research funding PMs as the combination of:

• Performance Measure 5e, which comprises:

• Research grants to Centre CIs and staff for Centre-based research.

• Other grants awarded to Australian investigators for infrastructure and research not specifically linked to the Centre’s core activities (not including NCRIS, CRIS and EIF facilities*)

• Performance Measure 8a: Cash funding specifically available to PIs in their own regions (PM 8a).

The Centre benefits from all these activities through increased numbers of associates and collaborators and also from access to improved infrastructure at each Collaborating Organisation

Research Collaborations and FundingPerformance Measures relating to securing other income to the Centre

2011 2011

Target2012

2012 Target

2013 2013

TargetTotal

Total Target

Performance Measure 5e

Research income (grants and other) secured by Centre staff (Australian CI's)

i. Grant Income for Centre Based Research (Australian)

ii. Other Income secured but not specifically linked to Centre Research *

546,000 887,936 1,359,847 2,793,783

1,625,000 1,245,392 3,035,142 5,905,534

Subtotal 2,415,000 2,171,000 2,133,328 1,418,000 4,394,989 504,000 8,699,317 4,337,000

Performance Measure 8a Cash funding specifically available to PI's in their own regions 450,000 1,245,335 850,000 1,493,298 850,000 2,738,633 2,150,000

Total Collaborative Funding expected under Key Result Areas 5 & 8 2,865,000 2,171,000 3,378,663 2,268,000 5,888,287 1,354,000 11,437,950 6,487,000

* not including Australian Plant Phenomics Facility and Metabolomics Australia EIF and NCRIS funding awarded to CI's Fincher and Bacic

* The Funding Agreement includes reference to $7M infrastructure funding awarded to CIs Fincher and Bacic for the Australian Plant Phenomics Centre and Bioplatforms Australia in 2011. Due to the scale of these programs and as they were awarded prior to commencement of the Centre, they have been removed from the figures and corresponding charts.

Total funding received by Centre Investigators (not including 2011 awarded NCRIS and EIF infrastructure grants*)

Funding secured by Center Investigators (incl non-Centre related)

2011-2013

54 Plant Cell Walls

PM 5e: Other research income secured by Centre staff (Australian CIs)

PM 5e was established prior to formal commencement of the Centre with the knowledge that certain grants had been awarded to Centre CIs or were pending announcement. These grants included three then current ARC Linkage Project grants, including one with Centre Partner DuPont Pioneer; two ARC Discovery Project grants; the CSIRO Flagship; and the Australian Pork CRC. Two national facilities (the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility (APPF) funded under NCRIS and Metabolomics Australia funded under the CRIS and EIF schemes)*. In 2013, the University of Melbourne with other sponsors including the ARC, NHMRC and the Australian Cancer Research Foundation, committed over $3.3 million funding for four major infrastructure initiatives with CI Bacic as a co-investigator. The resulting facilities will have use by the Centre of Excellence in future and include:

• Three proteomics facilities across The University of Melbourne and Monash University.

• A three-dimensional cryo-electron-microscopy facility.

• CI Gidley is a Chief Investigator in the newly established ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre (IC130100011) Agents of Change: transforming the food industry for Australia and beyond. Although separate to the Centre of Excellence, synergies will exist with food industry partners and at UQ for the benefit of both Centres from 2014

• Australian grants have also been awarded to Centre investigators for research and infrastructure that complement, but are not directly linked with, Centre research. The following figure shows the sources of this new funding received by Centre investigators (forecast for 2014) since commencement of the Centre in April 2011, and include:

• $2.35 million from the ARC through:

• Two ARC Discovery projects at UQ.

• One ARC Linkage project grant that also secured $1.2m industry contributions (late 2013–16).

• One ARC Future Fellowship to commence in 2014.

• $150,000 in RDC and industry scholarships.

• $272,000 in South Australian and Victorian government grants.

Breakdown of the funding secured by Centre Investigators 2011-2013.

Grant income inked to Centre research 2011-2013

Other income not directly linked to Centre research 2011-2013

International grants secured by Partner Investigators 2011-2013

2013 55

PM 5f: Number of new organisations collaborating with, or involved in, the Centre

Under PM 5f, Centre personnel were required in 2011–13 to involve or collaborate with seven new organisations. To date, the Centre has formalised collaborations that have leveraged external funding with eleven institutions and organisations.

Through the previously mentioned research grants, the Centre is now collaborating with the following institutions in funded programs:

• Joe White Maltings (Cargill Australia) and the Carlsberg Group (Denmark) through LP 130100600.

• Grains Research & Development Corporation through PhD scholarships and conference support grants.

• Treasury Wine Estates through a Grape & Wine Research & Development Corporation grant.

• The South Australian Government Department of Premier and Cabinet for collaborations involving the Universities of Bari and Molise (Italy) and the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (UK).

• Bio Innovation SA for an application to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency that involved industry and all levels of government.

• German Academic Exchange Service for a Go 8 funded exchange with German institutions.

• Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation for funding and access to resources.

• Qantas and Altair (USA) to prepare a bio-aviation fuels report.

• Through the BARLEY-fortress research consortium project with PI Schweizer at IPK Gatersleben, involvement with the German institutes and companies: MLU Halle, TU München, RWTH Aachen, Fraunhofer IFF Magdeburg, IT Breeding Gatersleben, Saatzucht Josef Breun GmbH & Co. KG Herzogenaurach and KWS-Lochow GmbH.

There are also at least 30 further on-going collaborations that Centre Investigators have with over twenty Australian and international institutions and companies. Parties to these informal collaborations provide in-kind and service contributions, and mechanisms for staff and student exchanges. It is expected that these collaborations will progress to grant applications and further external funding opportunities for Centre research in Australia and overseas.

New Infrastructure at UQ

Centre researchers now have exclusive access to a new Asylum Research Cypher atomic force microscope (AFM), the world’s highest resolution and fastest closed loop scanning probe instrument. The Cypher AFM, based at the Australian National Fabrication Facility - Queensland Node located in the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, achieves atomic resolution using sensors in all three axes without compromising scanning speed and flexibility. It is envisaged that the new instrument will allow us to generate new insights into the architecture of plant cell walls on a truly molecular scale, which will provide a key link with the molecular modelling conducted at the IBM Co-laboratory in Melbourne.

Soft-contact tribological (friction) measurements of wine. Two soft elastomer (rubber) surfaces, a ball and a disk, are pressed against each other creating a compliant contact akin to that between the tongue and the hard palate. When surfaces start to move and rub against each other, the friction force comes into play. When wine is entrained between the surfaces it mediates friction. The reduction in friction depends on wine’s viscosity as well as presence of wine polysaccharides adsorbing on the elastomer surface.

Dr Gleb Yakubov (UQ, right) with Dr Keith Jones of Asylum Research (Santa Barbara, CA) during the installation of the Cypher AFM.

56 Plant Cell Walls

PM 5g: Level and quality of infrastructure provided to the Centre

Our Centre has been provided with excellent infrastructure resources across its three nodes in Australia. Each University has invested substantial funds in refurbishments, relocations, or to key resources such as plant-growth facilities.

Collaborating university relationships with medical research facilities in Melbourne (through Bio21 Institute) and at the IBM Co-laboratory have been extensively utilised in Centre research as have the resources of Bioplatforms Australia. In Adelaide, the Centre has access to the state of the art resources of the Plant Accelerator and Adelaide Microscopy, who in 2013 established a node on the Waite Campus (with Centre contributions to staffing). The Queensland node has a presence in the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology that is providing access to its unique combination of facilities and capabilities.

In 2013, through Faculty, School or Institute budgets, Centre personnel have successfully applied for equipment grants either for their node or in collaboration with campus partners. The resources of our Partner Institutions have been available to Centre research programs, and conversely, Centre infrastructure and expertise has attracted visits from numerous collaborators’ students and staff in 2013.

PM 7a: Contribution to the National Research and National Innovation Priorities

This Key Result Area captures our overall contribution to addressing the National Research Priorities and the National Innovation Priorities. The Performance Measures to this Key Result Area for the period from commencement to 2013 are:

• Establish a world-leading research Centre in cell-walls

• Make multiple transformational discoveries

• Have education and training programs at full capacity

• Leverage ARC cash

• Deliver outcomes for market evaluation

• Be recognised internationally in both the private and public sectors

Throughout this Annual Report we have outlined a range of achievements and initiatives that describe our contribution to the Australian Government’s research and innovation priorities and through achieving or exceeding almost all of our stated performance measure targets, we believe our claim to be a key global focus for plant cell wall research is clearly demonstrated.

PM 8a: Attracting international funding to PIs in their own regions

As we have reported in previous years and earlier in this section, the Centre has been highly successful with international grant applications through Partner Investigators. Centre participation has helped to leverage nearly $3 million to date for PIs Waugh, Halpin, Bulone and Schweizer in their regions, with nearly $2 million still to come in 2014–2016 based on awarded grants.

PM 8b: Developed joint projects with international collaborators

Under PM 8b, the Centre was required to submit five joint applications and five joint papers by 2013. To the end of 2013, we have had four successful joint applications and five joint publications with Partner Investigators and numerous other publications with international collaborators. Researchers or students involved in the international collaborative projects in KRA 5f have already visited Centre laboratories across Australia, many for extended stays to utilise our facilities and expertise. We anticipate several joint publications in 2014 resulting from these visits (Refer p50 and the Appendix table (p71) for more detail). In addition to formalised joint projects, the Centre also has a considerable number of international collaborations that have arisen as a consequence of our specialised technology platforms, and publications are starting to flow from these new activities.

8c& d: New commercial applications for CoE outcomes identified, and document new technologies and file patent applications as appropriate.

These performance measures are largely addressed in the Impact Statement and the Research Report. We have attracted considerable industry interest and support and have collaborative work underway in areas with potential commercial outcomes. Our polysaccharide synthase patents, previously referred to continue to attract industry interest for commercialisation. Our target of four new projects with new partners (2 in 2012 and 2 in 2013) has been realised in a funding context with formalised projects with IBM, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Carlsberg Breweries and Cargill Australia, and Treasury Estates Wines through a GWRDC project to commence in 2014.

2013 57

58 Plant Cell Walls

Appendix

Research Outputs - PublicationsImpact Factors (IF) are the five-year impact factors as sourced from Thompson Reuters ISI Web of Knowledge Journal Citation Reports, 2012.

Authors from the Adelaide node; the Melbourne node; the Queensland node; Partner Investigators; are indicated in bold colour.

2013 Centre attributed publications (counted towards the Performance Measure)Impact Factor

(5yr av)

Primary Research Program

Johnston S, Prakash R, Chen NJ, Kumagai MH, Turano HM, Cooney JM, Atkinson RG, Paull RE, Cheetamun R, Bacic A, Brummell DA and

Schroeder R. (2013) An enzyme activity capable of endotransglycosylation of heteroxylan polysaccharides is present in plant primary cell walls.

Planta, 237: 173-187

3.4 1

Lampugnani E, Moller I, Cassin A, Jones DF, Koh PL, Ratnayake S, Beahan CT, Wilson SM, Bacic A and Newbigin E. (2013) In vitro grown

pollen tubes of Nicotiana alata actively synthesise a fucosylated xyloglucan. PLoS ONE, 8 (10): e77140. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.00771404.5 1

Boehm MW, Baier SK and Stokes JR. (2013) Capturing changes in structure and rheology of an oily brittle snack food during in vitro oral

processing. International Food Journal, 54 (1): 423-4313.4 2

Fredericks CH, Fanning KJ, Gidley MJ, Netzel G, Zabaras D, Herringtone M and Netzel M. (2013) High-anthocyanin strawberries through

cultivar selection. Journal of the Science of Food Agriculture, 93: 846–8521.8 2

Ashton L,Pudney PDA, Blanch EW and Yakubov GE. (2013) Understanding glycoprotein behaviours using Raman and Raman optical activity

spectroscopies: Characterising the entanglement induced conformational changes in oligosaccharide chains of mucin. Advances in Colloid

and Interface Science, 199-200: 66-77. doi: 10.1016/j.cis.2013.06.005

6.2 2

Selway N and Stokes JR. (2013) Insights into the dynamics of oral lubrication and mouthfeel using soft tribology: differentiating semi-fluid

foods with similar rheology. International Food Journal, 54 (1): 423-4313.4 2

Stokes JR, Boehme MW and Baier S. (2013) Oral processing, Texture and Mouthfeel: from rheology to tribology and beyond. Current Opinion

in Colloid & Interface Science, 18: 349–3597.8 2

Trafford K, Haleux P, Henderson M, Parker M, Shirley NJ, Tucker MR, Fincher GB, and Burton RA. (2013) Grain development in

Brachypodium and other grasses: possible interactions between cell expansion, starch deposition, and cell-wall synthesis. Journal of

Experimental Botany, 64 (16): 5033-5047. doi:10.1093/jxb/ert292

5.5 2

Tucker MR,and Koltunow AMG. (2013) Traffic monitors at the cell periphery: the role of cell walls during early female reproductive cell

differentiation in plants. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 17: 137-145. doi 10.1016/j.pbi.2013.11.0159.2 2

Burton RA, and Fincher GB. (2014) Plant cell wall engineering: Applications in biofuel production and improved human health. Current

Opinion in Biotechnology, 26: 79-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2011.03.0319.0 3

Byrt CS, Betts NS, Farrohki N and Burton RA. (2013) Deconstructing plant biomass: cell wall structure and novel manipulation strategies. In:

Biofuel Crops: Production, Physiology and Genetics. BP Singh , ed. Wallingford: CABI. Ch. 7book 3

Comino P, Collins HM, Lahnstein J and Gidley MJ. (2013) Separation and Purification of Soluble Polymers and Cell Wall Fractions

from Wheat, Rye and Hull less Barley Endosperm Flours for Structure-Nutrition Studies. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 61:

12111−12122

3.3 3

Dhital S, Shelat K, Shrestha AK and Gidley MJ. (2013) Heterogeneity in maize starch granule internal architecture deduced from diffusion of

fluorescent dextran probes. Carbohydrate Polymers, 93:365–3734.0 3

Dhital S, Lin AHM, Hamaker BR, Gidley MJ, Muniandy, A. (2013) Mammalian mucosal α-glucosidases coordinate with α-amylase in the initial

starch hydrolysis stage to have a role in starch digestion beyond glucogenesis. PloS One 8 (4): e625464.5 3

Gibbins HL, Proctor GB, Yakubov GE, Wilson S and Carpenter GH. (2013) Concentration of salivary protective proteins within the bound oral

mucosal pellicle. Oral Diseases, doi: 10.1111/odi.121942.7 3

Gidley MJ (2013) Hydrocolloids in the digestive tract and related health implications, Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science, 18:

371–3787.8 3

Hasjim J, Li E and Dhital S. (2013) Effects of grain milling on starch structures and flour/starch properties. Starch/Stärke, 66: 15-27. doi:

10.1002/star.2012002241.6 3

Hasjim J, Li E and Dhital S. (2013) Milling of rice grains. Effects of starch/flour structures on gelatinisation and pasting properties.

Carbohydrate Polymers, 92:682–6904.0 3

Scanning Electron Microscopy image of a cross-section of maize stem (inverted and falsely coloured)

2013 59

Appendix

2013 Centre attributed publications (counted towards the Performance Measure)Impact Factor

(5yr av)


Padayachee A, Netzel G, Netzel M, Day L, Mikkelsen D and Gidley MJ. (2013) Lack of release of bound anthocyanins and phenolic acids

from carrot plant cell walls and model composites during simulated gastric and small intestinal digestion. Food Function, 4: 906-9162.7 3

Van Sluyter S, Warnock N, Schmidt S, Anderson P, Van Kan JAL, Bacic A and Waters E (2013) An aspartic acid protease from Botrytis cinerea

removes haze forming proteins during white winemaking. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 61 (40): 9705–9711. doi: 10.1021/

jf402762k

3.3 3

Zhang B, Dhital S, and Gidley MJ. (2013) Synergistic and antagonistic effects of alpha-amylase and amyloglucosidase on starch digestion.

Biomacromolecules, 14: 1945-19545.8 3

Dawei L, Ford K, Roessner U, Natera S, Cassin AM, Patterson J, and Bacic A. (2013) Rice suspension cultured cells are evaluated as a

model system to study salt responsive networks in plants using a combined proteomic and metabolomic profiling approach. Proteomics 13

(12-13): 2046-2062. Special issue ‘Plant proteomics in crop improvement'

4.2 PT

Hill CB, Taylor JD, Edwards J, Mather D, Bacic A, Langridge P and Roessner U. (2013) Whole genome mapping of agronomic and metabolic

traits to identify novel quantitative trait loci in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in a water-limited environment. Plant Physiology, 162:

1266-1281

7.1 PT

Liu W, Maurer HP, Reif JC, Melchinger AE, Utz HF, Tucker MR, Ranc N, Della Porta G and Würschum T. (2013) Optimum design of family

structure and allocation of resources in association mapping with lines from multiple crosses. Heredity, 110:71-794.5 PT

Milne RJ, Byrt CS, Patrick JW and Grof CPL. (2013) Are sucrose transporter expression profiles linked with patterns of biomass partitioning in

Sorghum phenotypes? Frontiers in Plant Science, 4:223. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2013.00223no IF PT

Shelden MC, Roessner U, Sharp RE, Tester M and Bacic A. (2012) Genetic variation in the root growth response of barley cultivars to salinity

stress. Functional Plant Biology, 40 (5): 516-530. dx.doi.org/10.1071/FP122902.7 PT

Wijetunge CD, Li Z, Saeed I, Bowne J, Hsu AL, Roessner U, Bacic A andHalgamuge SK. (2013) Exploratory analysis of high-throughput

metabolomics data. Metabolomics, 9:1311–1320. doi: 10.1007/s11306-013-0545-64.7 PT

Würschum T, Tucker MR and Maurer HP. (2013) Stress treatments influence efficiency of microspore embryogenesis and green plant

regeneration in hexaploid triticale (x Tritosecale Wittmack L.) In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Plant, 50 (1): 143-148. doi: 10.1007/

s11627-013-9539-3

1.1 PT

2013 Publications from Centre Personnel, not attributed to the ARC Centre (not counted towards 2013 Performance Measure)Impact Factor

(5yr av)


Kravchuk O and Stokes JR. (2012) Review of algorithms for estimating the gap error correction in narrow gap parallel plate rheology. Journal

of Rheology, 57: 365 – 375 3.1 2

Shewan HM and Stokes JR. (2013) Review of techniques to manufacture micro-hydrogel particles for the food industry and their applications.

Journal of Food Engineering, 119 (4):, 781-7922.9 2

Wang D, Williams BA, Ferruzzi MG and D'Arcy BR. (2013) Different concentrations of grape see extract affect in vitro starch fermentation by

porcine small and large intestinal inocula. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 93 (2) 276-2831.8 3

Conn SJ, Hocking B, Dayod M, Xu B, Athman A, Henderson S, Aukett L, Conn V, Shearer MK, Fuentes S, Tyerman SD and Giliham M. (2013)

Protocol: optimising hydroponic growth systems for nutritional and physiological analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana and other plants. Plant

Methods, 9:4

2.7 PT

Garnett T, Conn V, Plett D, Conn S, Zanghellini J, Mackenzie N, Enju A, Francis K, Holtham L, Roessner U, Broughton B, Bacic A, Shirley N,

Rafalski A, Dhugga K, Tester M, and Kaiser BN. (2012) The response of the maize nitrate transport system to nitrogen demand and supply

across the lifecycle. New Phytologist, 198: 82-94

6.7 PT

Grof CPL, Byrt CS, Patrick JW. (2013) Phloem transport of resources. In: Sugarcane: Physiology, Biochemistry and Functional Biology. John

Wiley and Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781118771280.ch12book PT

Knauer S, Holt AL, Rubio-Somoza I, Tucker EJ, Hinze A, Pisch M, Javelle M, Timmermans MC, Tucker MR and Laux T (2013) A protodermal

miR394 signal defines a region of stem cell competence in the Arabidopsis shoot meristem. Developmental Cell, 24 (2): 125-13214.2 PT

60 Plant Cell Walls

2013 Publications from Centre Personnel, not attributed to the ARC Centre (not counted towards 2013 Performance Measure)Impact Factor

(5yr av)


Moore KL, Chen Y, van de Meene AML, Hughes L, Liu W, Geraki T, Mosselmans F, McGrath SP, Grovenor C and Zhao, F-J (2014) Combined

NanoSIMS and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence reveal distinct cellular and subcellular distribution patterns of trace elements in rice tissues.

New Phytologist 201: 104-115. DOI: 10.1111/nph.12497

6.7 PT

Okada T, Hu Y, Tucker MR, Taylor JM, Johnson SD, Spriggs A, Tsuchiya T, Oelkers K, Rodrigues JCM, Koltunow AMG (2013) Enlarging cells

initiating apomixis in Hieracium praealtum transition to an embryo sac program prior to entering mitosis. Plant Physiology. 163 (1):216-31.

DOI:10.1104/pp.113.219485

7.1 PT

Eini O, Yang N, Pyvovarenko T, Pillman K, Bazanova N, Tikhomirov N, Eliby S, Shirley N, Sivasankar S, Tingey S, Langridge P, Hrmova M,

Lopato S (2013) Complex regulation by Apetala2 domain-containing transcription factors revealed through analysis of the stress-responsive

TdCor410b promoter from durum wheat. PLoS ONE 8, e58713

4.5 PT

2013 Centre manuscripts accepted for publication in 2014 (not counted to 2013 Performance Measure)Impact Factor

(5yr av)


Coombe D, Davis C, Fincher G, McConville M, Packer N, Stubbs K, Williams S and Dell A. (2013) Letter to the Glycoforum: Transforming

Glycoscience: An Australian Perspective. Glycobiology, 24(1): 1-34.0 1

Doblin MS, Johnson K, Humphries J, Newbigin EJ and Bacic A. (2014) Are designer plant cell walls a realistic aspiration or will the plasticity

of the plants metabolism win out? Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 26: 108-114 9.0 1

Ratnayake S, Beahan CT, Callahan DL and Bacic A. (2014) The reducing end sequence of wheat endosperm cell wall arabinoxylans.

Carbohydrate Research, 386C: 23-32. doi: 10.1016/j.carres.2013.12.0132.2 1

Trafford K and Fincher GB. (2013) Barley Grain Carbohydrates: Starch and Cell Walls. In: Barley: Chemistry and Technology (2nd Edition).

Shewry PR and Ulrich S (editors). Saint Paul MN: AACC Monograph Seriesbook 1

Zhang Q, Cheetamun R, Dhugga KS, Rafalski JA, Tingey SV, Shirley NJ, Taylor J, Hayes K, Beatty M, Bacic A, Burton RA and Fincher

GB (2014) Spatial gradients in cell wall composition and transcriptional profiles along elongating maize internodes. BMC Plant Biology, 14: 27.

doi:10.1186/1471-2229-14-27

4.4 1

Fincher GB. (2013) Chemistry and Physicochemistry of Non-starchy Polysaccharides. In: Encyclopedia of Food Grains, 2nd Edition (C.

Wrigley, H Corke and C.E. Walker, eds) Elsevier Academic Press.book 2

Tucker MR, Roodbarkelari F, Truernit EB, Adamski NM, Hinze A, Lohmüller B, Würschum T and Laux T. (2014) Accession-specific modifiers

act with ZWILLE/ARGONAUTE10 to maintain shoot meristem stem cells during embryogenesis in Arabidopsis. BMC Genomics, 14: 809.

doi:10.1186/1471-2164-14-809

4.6 2

Mares DJ, Mrva K, and Fincher GB. (2013) Enzyme Activities. In: Encyclopedia of Food Grains (C. Wrigley, H Corke and C.E. Walker, eds),

Elsevier Academic Press.book 3

Martin AP, Palmer W, Byrt CS, Furbank RT and Grof CPL. (2014) A holistic high-throughput screening framework for biofuel feedstock

assessment that characterises variations in soluble sugars and cell wall composition in Sorghum bicolor. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 6:1866.5 3

Padayachee A, Day L, Howell K and Gidley MJ. (2014) Complexity and health functionality of plant cell wall fibres from fruits and vegetables.

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.6.3 3

Zhang D, Williams B, Mikkelsen D, Li X, Keates HL, Lisle AT, Collins HM, Fincher GB, Bird AR, Topping DL, Gidley MJ and Bryden WLA.

(2014) Soluble arabinoxylan-rich wheat fraction modulates amino acid digestion, gastrointestinal transit and microbial biomass in pigs fed a

red meat-containing Western-style, human diet. Journal of Nutritrion.

4.4 3

2013 61

Research Outputs - Conference and Meetings

Invited Keynote Lectures /Talks/Papers/Posters and Participation at major meetings

Meeting / Conference Name Location Attendee Additional Role

Invi

tatio

n

Pre

sent

atio

n

Po

ster

Presentation Title

Hosted International Workshop

Food Structures, Digestion and Health International Conference: Pre-conference Masterclass - Food design for biological function

Melbourne, Australia

Gidley, Mike OrganiserPre-conference Masterclass - Food design for biological function

The Nutrition Society of Australia and Nutrition Society of New Zealand, 2013 Joint Annual Scientific Meeting: Gut feelings - what can we learn from recent research on gut microbiota.

Brisbane, Australia

Gidley, Mike OrganiserHosted Symposia "Gut feelings - what can we learn from recent research on gut microbiota"

International Meeting

Fifth International Symposium on Human Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables

Dharwad, India

Netzel, Gabriele

YBreeding anthocyanin rich strawberries for a healthy diet

Plant and Animal Genome XXI (PAG) USA Fincher, Geoff Y YComparative Genomics of Cellulase Gene Families in the Grasses

The 6th Biennal Australian Colloid and Interface Syposium

Noosa, Australia

Yakubov, Gleb Y YLoad Bearing and Nano-Friction Behaviour of Salivary Proteins Complexes

Stokes, Jason Y Y YRheology of Soft Sphere Suspensions: Observation of an Unexpected Viscoelastic Fluid Regime at Phase Volumes above Random Close Packing

IX International Symposium on Grapevine Physiology & Biotechnology

La Serena, Chile

Hocking, Brad Y Investigating the origin of grape cell wall failure

Plant Genomics Congress London, UK Shirley, Neil

Schwerdt, Julian

19th Penn State Plant Biology SymposiumPennsylvania USA

Gidley, Mike Y YInsights into cellulose-matrix interactions with bacterial nanocomposite analogues

Very Accurate and Large Computations and Applications (VALCA) 2013

Fevik, Norway Gilka, Natalie

Olomouc Plant Biotech 2013Olomouc, Czech Republic

Bacic, Tony Y YThe role of non-starchy polysaccharide (“soluble” dietary fibre), in particular (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucans and arabinoxylans, in promoting bowel health

24th International Conference on Arabidopsis Research 2013 (ICAR 2013)

Sydney, Australia

Fincher, Geoff Y Y

Tucker, Matthew

Y

Hernandez-Sanchez, Arriana

YCharacterisation of two putative galactosyl transferases potentially involved in arabinogalactan-proteins biosynthesis

Narciso, Joan YThe Tale of GalT14 and its possible role in AGP glycan biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana

Society for Experimental Biology (SEB)Valencia, Spain

Doblin, Monika

Y YDetermining the biosynthetic machinery, molecular mechanism and assembly of non-cellulosic polysaccharides in Poaceae species

Bacic, Tony Y YThe role of cell surface molecules, DEK 1, arabinogalactan-proteins and wall-associated kinases, in mechano-sensitive growth of plant cells

Fincher, Geoff

62 Plant Cell Walls


Invi

tatio

n

Pre

sent

atio

n

Po

ster

Presentation Title

Burton, Rachel Session Chair

Gordon Research Confereces - Applied & Environmental Microbiology "Exploring and Exploiting the Depths of the Microbial Biosphere"

South Hadley, USA

Mikkelsen, Deirdre

Y Y Plant cell wall breakdown in complex ecosystems

13th International Cell Wall MeetingNantes, France

Fincher, Geoff Y‘The role of genes from the cellulose synthase superfamily in xylan biosynthesis’ (2013)

Doblin, Monika

Y YInvestigation of the mechanism of (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan biosynthesis and assembly in Poaceae spp

Johnson, Kim Y YThe role of Defective Kernel (DEK1) in mechanosensitive growth

Tucker, Matthew

YThe role of cell wall polysaccharides in ovule and seed development

Wilson, Sarah Y YSubcellular location of the Cellulose Synthase-Like CslF and CslH genes in members of the Poaceae

Bacic, Tony Session Chair Y Y

Burton, Rachel Session Chair

Hernandez-Sanchez, Arianna

YCharacterisation of two putative galactosyl transferases potentially involved in arabinogalactan-proteins biosynthesis

Ho, Yin Ying Y

Identification of potential protein and/or lipid components involved in (1,3;1,4)-beta-glucan biosynthesis in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) suspension-cultured cells (SCCs)

Narciso, Joan YThe Tale of GalT14 and its possible role in AGP glycan biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana

61st International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research

Munster, Germany

Bacic, Tony Plenary Y YThe role of non-starchy polysaccharides (“soluble” dietary fibre), in particular (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucans and arabinoxylans, in promoting bowel health

57th Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics Annual Congress

Foggia, ItalyMarcotuli, Ilaria

YCarbon partitioning between starch and cell walls in Durum: implication in human health

ComBioPerth, Australia

Bacic, Tony Poster judge Y

Tucker, Matthew

Y Y YGenetic characterisation of seed coat development in Plantago ovata.

AACCI Annual MeetingAlbuquerque, USA

Dhital, Sushil YWhy are starch granule ghosts not hydrolysed completely? Molecular and microscopic insights into amylase digestion

Dhital, Sushil YStarch granule amylolysis—Differentiating effects of particle size and crystalline polymorph.

Dhital, Sushil YHealth benefits from soluble cereal non-starch polysaccharides- Gastro-intestinal passage rate as a major determinant?

Dhital, Sushil YStarch granule amylolysis in the presence of soluble fibres

Dhital, Sushil YSynergistic and antagonistic effects of alpha-amylase and amyloglucosidase on starch digestion.

Fincher, Geoff Plenary Y YNew technologies in cereal chemistry and related industries: From biochemistry to genome sequences

Food Structures, Digestion and Health International Conference

Melbourne Australia

Padayachee, Analine

YPlant fibre structural inferences on polyphenol release

Stokes, Jason Y Y

Oral processing of structured foods: using rheology and tribology to uncover how subtle formulation differences lead to unacceptable textures and mouthfeel?

2013 63


Invi

tatio

n

Pre

sent

atio

n

Po

ster

Presentation Title

Gidley, Mike Organiser Y Y Health from foods – challenges and opportunities

Asia Pacific Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Conference combined with Australia New Zealand NMR Conference

Brisbane, QldFlanagan, Bernadine

YSpectroscopic characterisation in foods before and after digestion and fermentation

Supercomputing 2013Denver, Colarado

Gilka, Natalie

The African Studies Association of Australasia and the Pacific AFSAAP

Murdoch University, Perth

Mondoh, George

Y YMajor factors preventing release of Bt-Maize variety in Kenya

The Nutrition Society of Australia and Nutrition Society of New Zealand - 2013 Joint Annual Scientific Meeting

Brisbane, Australia

Dhital, Sushil YEffects of soluble fibres on the amylolysis of raw and cooked starches

Netzel, Gabi YBlack carrot polyphenols and their effect on plant cell wall fermentability

Padayachee, Analine

YFibre interactions with polyphenols and implications for gut release

Phan, Anh YThe roles of cellulose in controlling the bioaccessibility of dietary polyphenols

Gunness, Purnima

Y YMechanisms behind effects of cereal soluble dietary fibres on blood lipids

Mikkelsen, Deirdre

Y YMechanisms behind effects of cereal soluble dietary fibres on blood lipids

Williams, Barbara

YHigh dietary soluble fibre affects taste receptor expression in pig stomach

Gidley, MikePlenary & Organiser

YPlant polysaccharides – architecture, molecular organisation and implication for health

Wang, Dongjie YFermentation of bacterial cellulose and its pectin composites

Low, Dorrain YMastication influences carotenoid bioaccessibility from plant tissue in vitro

EPNOE 2013 International Polysaccharide Conference

Nice, France Lopez- Sanchez, Patricia

YMicromechanics of bacterial cellulose composites under high pressures.

National Meeting

AIFST Food Science Summer SchoolSydney, Australia

Gidley, Mike Y Y The science of food and roles for food scientists

Pluschke, Anton

Y YCombining soluble fibres arabinoxylan and beta glucan increases pancreatic α-amylase activity in growing pigs

Australiasian Proteomic Society SymposiumLorne, Australia

Ho, Yin Ying YPurification and characterization of the (1,3;1,4)-ß-D-glucan synthase in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) suspension-cultured cells

Bacic, Tony Y Y Background to ACPFG

Ford, Kristina YA method to study alkali labile O-linked glycosylation in plants

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering (ATSE) - Transforming SA's Manufacturing Sector Workshop

Adelaide, Australia

Fincher, Geoff Panel Member Y

National Youth Science ForumBrisbane, Australia

Pluschke, Anton

Speed Dating with Scientists

Primary Industries Education Foundation (PIEF) National Conference

Canberra, Australia

Ogierman, Monica

YPresentation highlighting the integration of PCW research (Fibre) into GiG

46th Annual Australian Institute of Food Sciences (AIFST) Convention

Brisbane, Australia

Stokes, Jason Y Y Y Rheology and Tribology: a mouthful

Zhang, Bin YEffects of endo- and exo-acting enzymes on starch digestion in vitro

UWA Institute of Advanced Studies: Glycoscience Workshop

Perth, Australia

Fincher, GeoffWorkshop Participant

Y Y 5 minute flash talk on the ARC CoE

64 Plant Cell Walls


Invi

tatio

n

Pre

sent

atio

n

Po

ster

Presentation Title

Frontiers in Light Microscopy SymposiumMelbourne, Australia

Van de meene, Alison

Bioenergy Australia 2013 - Building the Future- Biomass for the Environment, Economy & Society

Hunter Valley, Australia

Verma, Meera Y

Fincher, Geoff Y

BioInfo Summer 2013Adelaide, Australia

Phan, Jana

Ermawar, Riksfardini

Marcotuli, Ilaria

Hakachite, Christopher

Tan, Hwei ting

State Meeting

South Australian Science Teachers Association

Adelaide, Australia

Collins, Helen Y Presentation of Centre work to SA Science Teachers

Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovatoin (QAAFI) Annual Research Meeting

Brisbane, Australia

Mikkelsen, Deirdre

Bio21 Environment and Sustainability Symposium

Melbourne, Australia

Wilson, Sarah YThe role of non-starchy polysaccharides (“soluble” dietary fibre), in particular (1,3;1,4)-ß- glucans and arabinoxylans, in promoting bowel health

Making 'Good' Food WorkshopAdelaide, Australia

Burton, Rachel Y

Other

1st NZ-Australia Cell Wall Workshop Auckland, NZBeahan, Cherie

YCell wall analysis capabilities: The University of Melbourne

Henderson, Marilyn

Y

Fincher, Geoff Organiser Y

Gunness, Purnima

YMechanisms behind lipid reducing properties of plant cell walls

Little, Alan Y

Collins, Helen Y Arabinoxylan biosynthesis

Doblin, Monika

Y (1,3;1,4)-ß-glucan

Flanagan, Bernadine

YNMR spectroscopy of plant cell wall polysaccharides

Johnson, Kim Y FLAs and DEK in development

Mikkelsen, Deirdre

YBacterial cellulose composites: a model for plant cell walls

Shirley, Neil Y Monocot Genetic Resources

Tucker, Matthew

YThe role of cell wall polysaccharides in ovule and seed development

Williams, Barbara

Y The role of gut fermentation and how to measure it

Wilson, Sarah YThe Electron Microscopy Platform, University of Melbourne

Yakubov, Gleb Y Nano-scale mechanics of plant materials

Burton, Rachel Organiser Y

Gidley, Mike Organiser Y

School of Agriculture, Food & Wine 2013 Postgraduate Symposium

Adelaide, Australia

Ermawar, Riksfardini

YMetabolic engineering of C4 grasses for biofuel applications

Corbin, Kendall

Y

66 Plant Cell Walls

2013 - arc centre of excellence in plant cell walls cell walls 2013.… · spp. and other perennial...

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