A5003177528- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Enzyme Structure and Function
- Microbial Metabolism and Applications
- Algal biology and biofuel production
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
University of New Orleans
2016-2024
Significance The regulation of photosynthesis in marine phytoplankton, which account for approximately half the Earth’s primary productivity, is fundamentally important but not well understood. Picocyanobacteria such as Synechococcus , are responsible 10–20% global live environments where light availability often limits photosynthesis. CA4 a process commonly used by to optimize photon capture under conditions. We characterize demonstrating that two proteins, FciA and FciB (for type four...
Significance Marine phytoplankton are responsible for nearly half of the primary productivity on Earth, and picocyanobacterium Synechococcus contributes up to 16% this total. strains optimize their fitness by using different chromophores photosynthetic light-harvesting in light color niches. Many use chromatic acclimation adjust chromophore composition ambient blue green ratios. We determined that interplay between two attachment enzymes, MpeY MpeZ, plays a role at level gene expression. The...
Significance Of all cyanobacteria on Earth, marine Synechococcus are those displaying the greatest pigment diversity. The most sophisticated type is cells able to reversibly modify their color by a phenomenon called IV chromatic acclimation or CA4. Two genetically distinct CA4 types (CA4-A and CA4-B) have evolved in different lineages. Together, they represent almost half of oceanic areas equally abundant but occupy complementary ecological niches. While molecular mechanism CA4-A has...
Marine Synechococcus has successfully adapted to environments with different light colors, which likely contributes this genus being the second most abundant group of microorganisms worldwide. Populations that grow in deep, blue ocean waters contain large amounts blue-light absorbing chromophore phycourobilin (PUB) their harvesting complexes (phycobilisomes). Here, we show all strains possess a gene called mpeU. MpeU is structurally similar phycobilin lyases, enzymes ligate chromophores...