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Enzymology and Cell wall Research

The Enzymology and Cell Wall Research group is predominantly involved with the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics. The group is headed by Professor Geoff Fincher and still accommodates postgraduate and honours students in suitable projects through the University of Adelaide.

In collaboration with Professors Tony Bacic, Peter Langridge and Dr. Ed Newbigin, we are undertaking a large program on Functional Genomics in the Growth and End-Use Quality of Cereals. Total funding for the project is in the order of $8 million over five years.

Major Research Themes

• Degradation of cell walls in germinating barley grains;
• Investigations of the chemical and physicochemical properties of the polysaccharide components of the walls;
• The purification and characterization of enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis of major wall constituents;
• The developmental patterns of the enzymes and their genetics;
• Molecular biology;
• Molecular modelling; and
• X-ray crystallography.

Research Programmes

• Crystallography
  Approximately 80% of 3D structural data in the protein databases were generated by X-ray crystallography. Most of the remainder has been obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), but NMR is limited to proteins of molecular mass less than 25 kDa. The first and most often the limiting step in this procedure is the production of enzyme crystals. Crystallization requires substantial quantities, usually 5-10 mg, of highly homogeneous enzyme.

• Molecular Modelling
  There are about 100 known members of the family 3 group of glycoside hydrolases, most of which are classified as beta-glucosidases and originate from microorganisms. The only family 3 glycoside hydrolase for which a three-dimensional structure is available is a beta-glucan exohydrolase from barley. The structural coordinates of the barley enzyme is used here to model representatives from distinct phylogenetic clusters within the family.