A5018010964- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Plant Diversity and Evolution
- Plant and animal studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Plant Taxonomy and Phylogenetics
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Plant responses to elevated CO2
- Algal biology and biofuel production
- Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
- Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
- Plant Pathogens and Resistance
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Botany, Ecology, and Taxonomy Studies
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Agriculture, Plant Science, Crop Management
- Plant tissue culture and regeneration
- Biochemical and biochemical processes
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance
- ATP Synthase and ATPases Research
- Protein Structure and Dynamics
Newcastle University
2017-2024
University of New Caledonia
2019
Liverpool John Moores University
2015-2017
Australian National University
2014-2016
University of Oxford
2009-2014
University of Birmingham
2006-2007
Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology
2004-2006
University of Oslo
2006
Green plants (Viridiplantae) include around 450,000-500,000 species1,2 of great diversity and have important roles in terrestrial aquatic ecosystems. Here, as part the One Thousand Plant Transcriptomes Initiative, we sequenced vegetative transcriptomes 1,124 species that span a broad sense (Archaeplastida), including green (Viridiplantae), glaucophytes (Glaucophyta) red algae (Rhodophyta). Our analysis provides robust phylogenomic framework for examining evolution plants. Most inferred...
The relative contribution of advantageous and neutral mutations to the evolutionary process is a central problem in biology. Current estimates suggest that whereas Drosophila, mice, bacteria have undergone extensive adaptive evolution, hominids show little or no evidence evolution protein-coding sequences. This may be consequence differences effective population size. To study matter further, we investigated whether plants using an extension McDonald–Kreitman test explicitly models slightly...
Rubisco enzyme catalyzes the first step in net photosynthetic CO2 assimilation and photorespiratory carbon oxidation is responsible for almost all fixation on Earth. The large subunit of encoded by chloroplast rbcL gene, which widely used reconstruction plant phylogenies due to its conservative nature. Plant systematicists have mainly paying little attention function, question whether it evolves under Darwinian selection has received attention. purpose our study was evaluate how common...
The present study characterizes the kinetic properties of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) from 28 terrestrial plant species, representing different phylogenetic lineages, environmental adaptations and photosynthetic mechanisms. Our findings confirm that past atmospheric CO(2)/O(2) ratio changes pressures have influenced Rubisco kinetics. One evolutionary adaptation to a decreasing has been an increase in affinity for CO(2) (Kc falling), consequent decrease velocity...
The threat to global food security of stagnating yields and population growth makes increasing crop productivity a critical goal over the coming decades. One key target for improving is efficiency photosynthesis. Central photosynthesis Rubisco, which but often rate-limiting component. Here, we present full Rubisco catalytic properties measured at three temperatures 75 plants species representing both crops undomesticated from diverse climates. Some newly characterized Rubiscos were naturally...
Rubisco catalytic traits and their thermal dependence are two major factors limiting the CO2 assimilation potential of plants. In this study, we present profile kinetics for 20 crop species at three different temperatures. The results largely confirmed existence significant variation in among species. Although some tended to with higher sensitivity (e.g. Oryza sativa) than others Lactuca sativa), interspecific differences depended on kinetic parameter. Comparing temperature response...
Significance Using a translational photosynthesis approach, we successfully increased CO 2 -assimilation in leaf chloroplasts of the model plant tobacco. Phylogenetic analysis revealed parallel evolutionary linkages between large (L-) subunit -fixing enzyme Rubisco and its molecular chaperone accumulation factor 1 (RAF1). We experimentally tested exploited this correlation using plastome transformation, producing plants that demonstrated role RAF1 L-subunit assembly resolve quaternary...
Engineering improved Rubisco for the enhancement of photosynthesis is challenged by alternate locations chloroplast rbcL gene and nuclear RbcS genes. Here we develop an RNAi-RbcS tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) master-line, tobRrΔS, producing homogenous plant rbcL-rbcS operon transformation. Four genotypes encoding alternative rbcS genes adjoining 5′-intergenic sequences revealed that production was highest (50% wild type) in lines incorporating a whose codon use 5′ untranslated-region matched...
Rubisco, the primary photosynthetic carboxylase, evolved 3-4 billion years ago in an anaerobic, high CO(2) atmosphere. The combined effect of low and O(2) levels modern atmosphere, inability Rubisco to distinguish completely between O(2), leads occurrence oxygenation reaction that reduces efficiency photosynthesis. Among land plants, C(4) photosynthesis largely solves this problem by facilitating a CO(2)/O(2) ratio at site resembles atmosphere which ancestral enzyme evolved. prediction such...
Rubisco, the most abundant enzyme on Earth and responsible for all photosynthetic carbon fixation, is often thought of as a highly conserved sluggish enzyme. Yet, different algal Rubiscos demonstrate range kinetic properties hinting at history evolution adaptation. Here, we show that Rubisco has indeed evolved adaptively during ancient distinct geological periods. Using DNA sequences extant marine algae red Chromista lineage, define positive selection within large subunit encoded by rbcL, to...
Carbon assimilation by most ecosystems requires ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). Its kinetic parameters are likely to have evolved in parallel with intracellular CO2 availability, the result that faster forms of Rubisco occur species -concentrating mechanisms. The catalytic properties were determined and evaluated relation growth carbon capacity Mediterranean Limonium species, inhabiting severe stress environments. Significant differences between closely related...
Background Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) catalyses the key reaction in photosynthetic assimilation of CO2. In C4 plants CO2 is supplied to by an auxiliary CO2-concentrating pathway that helps maximize carboxylase activity enzyme while suppressing its oxygenase activity. As a consequence, exhibits higher maximum velocity but lower substrate specificity compared with C3 enzyme. Specific amino-acids are associated photosynthesis monocots, it not known whether...
The Chenopodiaceae includes taxa with both C 3 and 4 photosynthesis diverse kinds of Kranz anatomy single-celled species without anatomy; thus, it is key importance for understanding evolution photosynthesis. All the genera except Atriplex , which belongs to Chenopodioideae, are in Salicornioideae / Suaedoideae Salsoloideae s.l. (including Camphorosmeae Sclerolaeneae) clade. Our study focused on relationships main lineages within this clade an emphasis placement single cell functioning genus...
Foliar tissue samples of cultivated daylilies (Hemerocallis hybrids) showing the symptoms a newly emergent foliar disease known as 'spring sickness' were investigated for associated fungi. The cause(s) this remain obscure. We isolated repeatedly fungal species which proved to be member genus Botrytis, based on immunological tests. DNA sequence analysis these isolates, using several different phyogenetically informative genes, indicated that they represent new Botrytis species, most closely...
Abstract Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) is responsible for the conversion of atmospheric CO2 to organic carbon during photosynthesis, and often acts as a rate limiting step in later process. Screening natural diversity Rubisco kinetics main strategy used find better enzymes crop engineering efforts. Here, we demonstrate use Gaussian processes (GPs), family Bayesian models, coupled with protein encoding schemes, predicting from large subunit (RbcL) sequence data....
Improving the performance of CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco is among targets for increasing crop yields. Here, Earth system model (ESM) representations canopy C3 and C4 photosynthesis were combined with species-specific parameters to quantify consequences bioengineering foreign Rubiscos into crops under field conditions. The 'two big leaf' (sunlit/shaded) was used together kinetic including maximum rate (Kcat), Michaelis-Menten constant CO2 at ambient atmospheric O2 (Kc21%O2), specificity (Sc/o),...
Background "Explosive" adaptive radiations on islands remain one of the most puzzling evolutionary phenomena. The rate phenotypic and ecological adaptations is extremely fast during such events, suggesting that many genes may be under fairly strong selection. However, no evidence for adaptation at level protein coding was found, so it has been suggested selection work mainly regulatory elements. Here we report first positive does operate rapid radiations. We studied molecular in Hawaiian...
Abstract Background One of the key forces shaping proteins is coevolution amino acid residues. Knowing which residues coevolve in a particular protein may facilitate our understanding evolution, structure and function, help to identify substitutions that lead desired changes enzyme kinetics. Rubisco, most abundant biosphere, plays an essential role process carbon fixation through photosynthesis, thus facilitating life on Earth. This makes Rubisco important model system for studying dynamics...
"Explosive" adaptive radiations on islands remain one of the most puzzling evolutionary phenomena and genetic processes behind such unclear. Rapid morphological ecological evolution during island suggests that many genes may be under fairly strong selection, although this remains untested. Here, we report a rapid recent diversification in Hawaiian endemic plant genus Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae), 5 36 studied evolved positive selection. Positively selected are involved defence mechanisms,...
Abstract COVID‐19, which was first identified in 2019 Wuhan, China, is a respiratory illness caused by virus called severe acute syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Although some patients infected with COVID‐19 can remain asymptomatic, most experience range of symptoms that be mild to severe. Common include fever, cough, shortness breath, fatigue, loss taste or smell and muscle aches. In cases, complications arise including pneumonia, distress syndrome, organ failure even death,...
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The two carboxylation reactions performed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) are vital in the fixation of inorganic carbon for C4 plants. abundance PEPC is substantially elevated leaves, while location Rubisco restricted to one chloroplast types. These differences compared with C3 leaves have been shown result convergent enzyme optimization some species. Investigation into kinetic properties from Kranz C4, single cell...
Abstract Microalgae and cyanobacteria are effective platforms for environmental remediation (phycoremediation), particularly of air water. There is limited scope to deploy suspension cultures due space, cost maintenance challenges—driving an imperative towards biofilm-based treatment systems; however, these systems ill-equipped rapid mobile deployment. In this study we explored the main technical challenges developing cheap, accessible low-maintenance engineered biofilm (biocomposites)...