PROJECT

Unravelling the mechanisms of macromolecule trafficking

What regulates organelle biogenesis?

This project will unravel the underlying mechanisms of protein import and macromolecule targeting to organelles such as the mitochondria, chloroplast and peroxisomes. A variety of functional genomic approaches will be utilized to identify the protein transporters involved in macromolecule trafficking across organelles and to determine the factors that can regulate these processes within the cell. These are processes that are key regulatory mechanisms that govern cellular activity, plant growth and responses to stress.

For more background information, see the suggested readings below.

Suggested readings

Ghifari AS, Gill-Hille M, Murcha MW. Plant mitochondrial protein import: the ins and outs. Biochem J. 2018 Jul 17;475(13):2191-2208
Murcha MW, Kubiszewski-Jakubiak S, Teixeira PF, Gügel IL, Kmiec B, Narsai R, Ivanova A, Megel C, Schock A, Kraus S, Berkowitz O, Glaser E, Philippar K, Maréchal-Drouard L, Soll J, Whelan J. Plant-Specific Preprotein and Amino Acid Transporter Proteins Are Required for tRNA Import into Mitochondria. Plant Physiol. 2016 Dec;172(4):2471-2490
Duncan O, Carrie C, Wang Y, Murcha MW. In vitro and in vivo protein uptake studies in plant mitochondria. Methods Mol Biol. 2015;1305:61-81
Murcha MW, Narsai R, Devenish J, Kubiszewski-Jakubiak S, Whelan J. MPIC: a mitochondrial protein import components database for plant and non-plant species. Plant Cell Physiol. 2015 Jan;56(1):e10
Wang Y, Law SR, Ivanova A, van Aken O, Kubiszewski-Jakubiak S, Uggalla V, vander Merwe M, Duncan O, Narsai R, Whelan J, Murcha MW. The mitochondrial protein import component, TRANSLOCASE OF THE INNER MEMBRANE17-1, plays a role in defining the timing of germination in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. 2014 Nov;166(3):1420-35

Research team leader: Dr Monika Murcha

I am a molecular cell biologist within the School of Molecular Sciences. My lab uses a range of molecular and biochemical techniques to determine the function and regulation of vital cellular processes such as organelle biogenesis, protein targeting and more recently the assembly of mitochondrial complexomes.

How to apply

Interested in becoming part of this project? Complete the following steps to submit your expression of interest:

Step 1 - Check criteria

General UWA PhD entrance requirements can be found on the Future Students website.

Step 2 - Submit enquiry to research team leader

Given name

Family name

Country

Message

Step 3 - Lodge application

After you have discussed your project with the research team leader, you should be in a position to proceed to the next step of the UWA application process: Lodge an application. Different application procedures apply to domestic and international students.

Scholarships

Domestic students

All domestic students may apply for Research Training Program and University Postgraduate Awards (UPA) scholarships

International students

A range of scholarships are available from international organisations and governments. The full list, organised by country, is available on the Future Students website.

In addition, all international students may apply for International Research Training Program scholarships.

Indigenous students

Indigenous students are encouraged to apply for Indigenous Postgraduate Research Supplementary Scholarships.

Forrest Foundation scholarships

All international and Australian students who wish to study towards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at The University of Western Australia may apply for Forrest Scholarships.