University of Tasmania, Australia

Polyketide synthetase genes involved in ciguatoxin biosynthesis by the toxic dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus

The tropical toxic dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus is the causative organism of ciguatera fish poisoning in tropical and warm-temperate coastal reefs. The neurotoxin involved in ciguatera is a large polycyclic compound called ciguatoxin (CTX) thought to be synthesized via a polyketide pathway. This project aims to use molecular approaches to isolate and characterise polyketide synthetase genes from Gambierdiscus and establish their potential role in neurotoxin production. The project is collaboration between UTAS, UWS and UNSW funded by and Australian Research Council discovery grant. The student will be based on the UTAS Launceston campus, but will spend blocks of time at UNSW during the first half of the project.