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Increasing Absorption Range for Photosynthesis

This project aims to improve photosynthetic efficiency in cyanobacteria by expressing various pigments, including chlorophylls, phycobilins, and carotenoids. By increasing the absorption range of light wavelengths, we seek to enhance energy transfer to the photosynthetic machinery. The goals include investigating the incorporation of beta-carotene into photosystems and exploring the potential introduction of chlorophyll d for its red-shifted spectrum. This research could lead to breakthroughs in bioengineering for improved photosynthetic organisms.

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Increasing Absorption Range for Photosynthesis

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  1. Increasing Absorption Range for Photosynthesis http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/30/27030-004-293E0372.jpg

  2. Goals • Express different photosynthetic pigments in cyanobacteria • Increase the wavelengths that can absorb light energy and transfer to photosynthetic machinery • Potentially increase efficiency? http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/pigment.gif

  3. Photosynthetic Pigments Chlorophylls Phycobilins Β carotene Carotenoids http://www.food-info.net/uk/colour/chlorophyll.htm http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/botany/reds/daisy/phycocyanobilin.gifhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Beta-carotene.png

  4. How do the Photo-Pigs work? • Chlorophylls • Transfers electrons around → reaction center • Incorporated into photosystem protein complexes • Carotenoids • Membrane bound • Transfers electrons to chlorophyll • Phycobilins • Water soluble, in cytoplasm • Also transfers electrons to chlorophyll

  5. Model Organism: Cyanobacteria • Synechococcus, Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 • Chlorophyll a, Phycobilins (phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, allophycocyanin B, phytoerythrin) • Genetically tractable

  6. What has been done before? • Expressed chlorophyll b in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 • Demonstrated that it is incorporated into P700 chlorophyll-protein complex Satoh et al., Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2001 276 (6)

  7. What can we do?

  8. Idea 1: BioBrick: Bba_K152005 • Four enzymes required for beta-carotene synthesis: • geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (CrtE - BbaK152001) • phytoene synthase (CrtB - BbaK152002) • phytoene dehydrogenase (CrtI - BbaK18003) • lycopene beta-cyclase (CrtY - BbaK152003)

  9. Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Synechococcus

  10. Questions to ask / Things to do • When overexpressed is beta-carotene incorporated into a photosystem? • What does beta-carotene normally do in cyanobacteria? • How/Why was this biobrick made? What did they feed the E. coli? • Can E. coli constructs be used in cyanobacteria?

  11. Idea 2: Express Chlorophyll d • Spectrum is red shifted • Can act as reaction center? • Need to find protein that cando this reaction. Larkum and Kuhl, Trends in Plant Science (2005) 10 (8).

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