Doctor Nijat Imin

Associate Professor in Intensive Food Production,
Food Sciences

Biography
Contact
Publications
Projects
Teaching

Biography

Dr Nijat Imin has a PhD degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the Australian National University. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Australian National University prior to joining the ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Legume research as a Research Fellow. In 2017, He took up a tenured Senior Lecturer position in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland, where we directed and taught various undergraduate and graduate courses related to Plant Biology. He has supervised and has been supervising over a dozen PhD students and many more Honours/Masters students. Dr. Imin leads a team to investigate how plants coordinate growth, development and responses to the environment. In particular, his team studies how plant signalling peptides regulate nutrient update, growth and yield.

This information has been contributed by Doctor Imin.

Professional Memberships

Australian Society of Plant Scientists (2022 - 2027)
New Zealand Society of Plant Biologists (2017 - 2027)

Organisational Unit (School / Division)

Food Sciences

Contact

Email:	N.Imin@westernsydney.edu.au
Phone:	(02) 4570 1730
Mobile:
Location:	M15.G.52 Hawkesbury

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Teaching

Current Teaching Areas

AGRI7001 Agricultural Biosecurity
NATS2031 Toxicology
NATS3015 Field Project 1
NATS3017 Field Project 2
NATS3044 Complex Case Studies in Science

Previous Teaching Areas

NATS3015 Field Project 1, 2022
NATS3017 Field Project 2, 2022

Publications

Chapters in Books

Imin, N. (2008), 'Anther proteome', Plant Proteomics: Technologies, Strategies, and Applications, John Wiley & Sons 9780470069769.
Mathesius, U., Imin, N., Natera, S. and Rolfe, B. (2003), 'Proteomics as a functional genomics tool', Plant Functional Genomics, Humana Press 9781588291455.

Journal Articles

Ivanovici, A., Laffont, C., Larrainzar, E., Patel, N., Winning, C., Lee, H., Imin, N., Frugier, F. and Djordjevic, M. (2023), 'The Medicago SymCEP7 hormone increases nodule number via shoots without compromising lateral root number', Plant Physiology, vol 191, no 3 , pp 2012 - 2026.
Taleski, M., Chapman, K., Imin, N., Djordjevic, M. and Groszmann, M. (2020), 'The peptide hormone receptor CEPR1 functions in the reproductive tissue to control seed size and yield', Plant Physiology, vol 183, no 2 , pp 620 - 636.
Chapman, K., Taleski, M., Ogilvie, H., Imin, N. and Djordjevic, M. (2019), 'CEP-CEPR1 signalling inhibits the sucrose-dependent enhancement of lateral root growth', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol 70, no 15 , pp 3955 - 3967.
Delay, C., Chapman, K., Taleski, M., Wang, Y., Tyagi, S., Xiong, Y., Imin, N. and Djordjevic, M. (2019), 'CEP3 levels affect starvation-related growth responses of the primary root', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol 70, no 18 , pp 4763 - 4774.
Imin, N., Patel, N., Corcilius, L., Payne, R. and Djordjevic, M. (2018), 'CLE peptide tri-arabinosylation and peptide domain sequence composition are essential for SUNN-dependent autoregulation of nodulation in Medicago truncatula', New Phytologist, vol 218, no 1 , pp 73 - 80.
Taleski, M., Imin, N. and Djordjevic, M. (2018), 'CEP peptide hormones : key players in orchestrating nitrogen-demand signalling, root nodulation, and lateral root deployment', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol 69, no 8 , pp 1829 - 1836.
Mohd-Radzman, N., Laffont, C., Ivanovici, A., Patel, N., Reid, D., Stougaard, J., Frugier, F., Imin, N. and Djordjevic, M. (2016), 'Different pathways act downstream of the CEP peptide receptor CRA2 to regulate lateral root and nodule development', Plant Physiology, vol 171, no 4 , pp 2536 - 2548.
Taleski, M., Imin, N. and Djordjevic, M. (2016), 'New role for a CEP peptide and its receptor : complex control of lateral roots', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol 67, no 16 , pp 4797 - 4799.
Eyles, R., Williams, P., Ohms, S., Weiller, G., Ogilvie, H., Djordjevic, M. and Imin, N. (2013), 'MicroRNA profiling of root tissues and root forming explant cultures in Medicago truncatula', Planta, vol 238, no 1 , pp 91 - 105.
Djordjevic, M., Oakes, M., Wong, C., Singh, M., Bhalla, P., Kusumawati, L. and Imin, N. (2011), 'Border sequences of Medicago truncatula CLE36 are specifically cleaved by endoproteases common to the extracellular fluids of Medicago and soybean', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol 62, no 13 , pp 4649 - 4659.
Saur, I., Oakes, M., Djordjevic, M. and Imin, N. (2011), 'Crosstalk between the nodulation signaling pathway and the autoregulation of nodulation in Medicago truncatula', New Phytologist, vol 190, no 4 , pp 865 - 874.
Buer, C., Imin, N. and Djordjevic, M. (2010), 'Flavonoids : new roles for old molecules', Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, vol 52, no 1 , pp 98 - 111.
Holmes, P., Djordjevic, M. and Imin, N. (2010), 'Global gene expression analysis of in vitro root formation in Medicago truncatula', Functional Plant Biology, vol 37, no 12 , pp 1117 - 1131.
Neilson, K., Gammulla, C., Mirzaei, M., Imin, N. and Haynes, P. (2010), 'Proteomic analysis of temperature stress in plants', Proteomics, vol 10, no 4 , pp 828 - 845.
Holmes, P., Goffard, N., Weiller, G., Rolfe, B. and Imin, N. (2008), 'Transcriptional profiling of Medicago truncatula meristematic root cells', BMC Plant Biology, vol 8 .
Kusumawati, L., Imin, N. and Djordjevic, M. (2008), 'Characterization of the secretome of suspension cultures of medicago species reveals proteins important for defense and development', Journal of Proteome Research, vol 7, no 10 , pp 4508 - 4520.
Imin, N., Goffard, N., Nizamidin, M. and Rolfe, B. (2008), 'Genome-wide transcriptional analysis of super-embryogenic Medicago truncatula explant cultures', BMC Plant Biology, vol 8 .
Imin, N., Nizamidin, M., Wu, T. and Rolfe, B. (2007), 'Factors involved in root formation in Medicago truncatula', Journal of Experimental Botany, vol 58, no 3 , pp 439 - 451.
De Jong, F., Mathesius, U., Imin, N. and Rolfe, B. (2007), 'A proteome study of the proliferation of cultured Medicago truncatula protoplasts', Proteomics, vol 7, no 5 , pp 722 - 736.
Imin, N., Kerim, T., Weinman, J. and Rolfe, B. (2006), 'Low temperature treatment at the young microspore stage induces protein changes in rice anthers', Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, vol 5, no 2 , pp 274 - 292.
Prayitno, J., Imin, N., Rolfe, B. and Mathesius, U. (2006), 'Identification of ethylene-mediated protein changes during nodulation in Medicago truncatula using proteome analysis', Journal of Proteome Research, vol 5, no 11 , pp 3084 - 3095.
Imin, N., Nizamidin, M., Daniher, D., Nolan, K., Rose, R. and Rolfe, B. (2005), 'Proteomic analysis of somatic embryogenesis in Medicago truncatula. explant cultures grown under 6-benzylaminopurine and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid treatments', Plant Physiology, vol 137, no 4 , pp 1250 - 1260.
Imin, N., Kerim, T., Rolfe, B. and Weinman, J. (2004), 'Effect of early cold stress on the maturation of rice anthers', Proteomics, vol 4, no 7 , pp 1873 - 1882.
Imin, N., De Jong, F., Mathesius, U., Noorden, G., Saeed, N., Wang, X., Rose, R. and Rolfe, B. (2004), 'Proteome reference maps of Medicago truncatula embryogenic cell cultures generated from single protoplasts', Proteomics, vol 4, no 7 , pp 1883 - 1896.
Kerim, T., Imin, N., Weinman, J. and Rolfe, B. (2003), 'Proteome analysis of male gametophyte development in rice anthers', Proteomics, vol 3, no 5 , pp 738 - 751.
Kerim, T., Imin, N., Weinman, J. and Rolfe, B. (2003), 'Proteomic analysis reveals developmentally expressed rice homologues of grass group II pollen allergens', Functional Plant Biology, vol 30, no 8 , pp 843 - 852.
Mathesius, U., Imin, N., Chen, H., Djordjevic, M., Weinman, J., Natera, S., Morris, A., Kerim, T., Paul, S., Menzel, C., Weiller, G. and Rolfe, B. (2002), 'Evaluation of proteome reference maps for cross-species identification of proteins by peptide mass fingerprinting', Proteomics, vol 2, no 9 , pp 1288 - 1303.
Imin, N., Kerim, T., Weinman, J. and Rolfe, B. (2001), 'Characterisation of rice anther proteins expressed at the young microspore stage', Proteomics, vol 1, no 9 , pp 1149 - 1161.

Plant development and molecular biology

Plant peptide signalling and gene regulation

Root system architecture, nutrient uptake and use

Legume rhizobium symbiosis and biological nitrogen fixation

1. Discovering molecular mechanisms regulating nitrogen demand signalling and nitrogen use efficiency in plants

Nitrogen (N) is a key determinant of crop productivity. In agriculture, the demand for nitrogen (N) fertilisers to produce food, fibre, and feed from crops and pastures is increasing dramatically. The adverse environmental effects of using N-fertilisers in their current form, however, make their use unsustainable. A major challenge in agriculture is to reduce our reliance on environmentally devastating and expensive N-fertilisers. Breeds that boost nutrient-capture and have efficient N usage are highly-desired. Plants coordinate the distribution and allocation of nutrients from the source to support growth. How this is achieved remains unanswered. We have shown that plant-specific small secreted peptides and their receptors act between the roots and the shoots to coordinate root deployment, N-uptake, and, in legumes, nodule formation and N-fixation. This project aims to decipher the output of peptide hormone systems that control nitrogen demand signalling, N-uptake and -utilisation. It will identify key components of these peptide/receptor circuits and investigate how these peptide/receptor circuits operate and how they coordinate growth, maintain homeostasis and respond to nutritional cues. This project will help to identify and nominate key gene candidates for breeding programs for improving plant’s N economy, biological N-fixation and yield, all of which will ultimately aid for sustainable agriculture where N eco-efficiency of intensification of farming and grazing is highly-desired.

2. Uncovering regulatory networks that control symbiotic nitrogen fixation

Legume plants enables atmospheric N fixation in root nodules through symbiotic N-fixation (SNF), delivers substantial amounts of N to agriculture in a sustainable manner and it is an attractive solution for reducing the need for N-fertiliser. However, lack of understanding how SNF is regulated limits its impact. Signalling molecules are known to regulate N-demand signalling, nodule development and SNF. However, it is unclear how they target nodule development and SNF. We recently have identified a ‘regulatory hub’ that is downstream of peptide signalling and directly controls nodulation and SNF. This proposal aims to uncover how this ‘hub’ works to control SNF. In particular, we will investigate how newly discovered transcription factors regulate nodulation and SNF using reverse genetics, gene expression and phenotypic analyses. The overall significance of this work is that it will revolutionise our understanding of how SNF are regulated, providing a unified conceptual framework. It will help to identify key candidate genes for improving the efficiency of SNF. The ultimate goal of this research is to sustain global food security by sustainable N-use in Agriculture. Further, this proposal addresses fundamental questions in plant biology - how plant cells communicate through intercellular peptide signalling, to coordinate growth and respond to their environment.