Please apply for this position online at www.csiro.

au/careers
You will be required to:
1. select your top 2 research projects in order of preference;
2. submit a resume which includes:

the reasons why the research project/s you have selected are
of interest to you; and how your previous skills/knowledge and
experience meets the project requirements;

an outline your longer-term career aspirations and detail how

this program will help you achieve them; and

using the project numbers listed below, list in order of

preference, all of the projects you are interested in.
3. upload your academic results.
Referees: Please ensure that your resume includes the name and
contact details of your academic supervisor and at least one other referee
(work or university).
If you experience difficulties applying online call 1300 984 220 and
someone will be able to assist you. Outside business hours please email:
csiro-careers@csiro.au.
Please do not email your application.
method may not be considered.

Applications received via this

Project Title
Deciphering plant-pathogen interactions
Project Description
Pathogens secrete effector proteins into host plants, which target plant
proteins and modify fundamental plant processes to facilitate infection.
This project aims to identify the plant pathways targeted by an effector
isolated from the fungal pathogen powdery mildew.
Pathogens secrete a plethora of proteins, called effectors, into the cells of
host plants during the infection process. Effectors cause the reprogramming of a diverse array of plant processes, such as defence
responses and nutrient transport, to ensure the parasite can survive.
Identifying the plant pathways targeted by the pathogen provides an
invaluable insight the plant-pathogen interaction, and thereby into
potential targets for novel methods of pathogen control.
This project involves the cloning of an effector from the grapevine
powdery mildew pathogen, Erysiphe necator. To identify plant proteins
that interact with the effector, a yeast two-hybrid screen will be
performed. The effector will be used as a bait to screen a library of
prey proteins generated from grapevine tissue infected with powdery
mildew. The plant-pathogen protein interactions that are identified in the

yeast assay will then be tested in plant cells, using bimolecular

fluorescence complementation.
Project Duties/Tasks

Design primers and clone the effector from powdery mildew

infected grapevine leaf tissue.

Perform a yeast two-hybrid screen and to identify putative

interactions between the effector and plant proteins.

Clone target plant proteins into vectors required for bimolecular

fluorescence complementation (BiFC). Bombard the DNA into onion
cells and perform fluorescence microscopy.

Prepare a written project report, and a presentation to a symposium

in Canberra

Relevant Fields of Study

Molecular biology

Location: Waite Campus (Wine Innovation West), S.A.

Contact: Dr. Laura Davies on (08) 8303 8608 or email
laura.davies@csiro.au
Project Title
Testing endophytes of cereal crops for their plant growth promoting
capabilities
Project Description
Symbiosis
with
recently-discovered
endophytes
(bacteria
and
actinobacteria) may offer a way to increase crop production. Endophytes
that have previously been isolated from different plant types will be
grown in the laboratory, their DNA will be tested for the presence of
genes conferring nitrogen fixation ability and stress tolerance, and the
nitrogen fixation capability of the endophytes will be measured.
Plants have beneficial associations with microorganisms both internally
and externally. Unlike rhizosphere microorganisms, endophytes, which
colonize the interior parts of plants without damaging the host, escape
competence and environmental stresses and so they are considered
better suited to provide benefits to crop production in the field.
Endophytic microorganisms can help plant growth and health through
improved nutrition (nifH gene) and/or stress tolerance (acdS gene). Within
CSIRO a variety of bacterial and actinobacterial endophytes have been
isolated and tested for their plant growth promoting abilities using
bioassays only; their genetic potential in terms of beneficial capabilities is
not known. This project proposes to acquire basic but critical information
that can greatly benefit one of the main objectives of the Integrated
Agricultural Systems program to develop farming systems that deliver
improvements in agricultural productivity.
Project Duties/Tasks

Grow actinobacteria and bacterial cultures (approximately 100) in

the laboratory (2-4 weeks).

Extract DNA and test the isolates for the presence of nifH gene and
acdS gene and positive isolates sequenced.

Test the nifH positive cultures for nitrogenase enzyme activity

using acetylene reduction activity.

Prepare a written project report, and a presentation to a

symposium in Canberra

Relevant Fields of Study

Microbiology and molecular biology

Location: Waite campus (Adelaide)

Contact: Gupta Vadakattu phone (08) 8303 8579 or email
Gupta.Vadakattu@csiro.au