Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), also known as retrotransposons, essentially carry two open reading frames that code for GAG and POL. Some ERVs additionally carry a third gene called envelope (env), becoming infectious.

Phylogenetic distance is a key measure used to develop host test lists that will delimit the fundamental and realised host range of candidate biocontrol agents.

Our group is broadly interested in understanding how metazoan cells fold complex proteins, and how the need to fold those proteins impacts their ability to evolve.

Rubisco is the most abundant protein on earth, catalysing photosynthetic CO2 fixation to provide all usable carbon in the biosphere. However, its slow and non-specific catalytic activity limits crop productivity and its resultant over-production represents a huge nitrogen cost.

The rust fungi (Pucciniales) comprise the largest order of plant pathogenic fungi and are among the most serious threats to both agricultural crops and natural ecosystems.

The Australian agrifood sector faces complex and multifaceted challenges to its continued growth and evolution, including a changing climate and geopolitical instability.