Amy Newell
Photosynthesis is the process in which plants use light energy and carbon dioxide to generate the carbohydrates necessary for growth. Photosynthesis is light-dependent and occurs in the chloroplasts of a cell. Plants also use light as an information source to assemble and modulate photosynthetic capacity. Detection of light amount and quality is done through photoreceptors which initiate signalling in the cell nucleus, and this eventually leads to a response in the chloroplast. Photosynthesis is mostly driven by Red and Blue light. For photosynthesis to occur gene expression in the nucleus and chloroplast must be coordinated. Much about how the photoreceptors alter chloroplast gene expression is unknown. Gene expression involves transcription of a gene from DNA into mRNA and translation of the mRNA into a functional protein. In the chloroplast, the final protein content is modulated at the level of mRNA modifications in post-transcriptional processes by chloroplast RNA binding proteins (cpRNPs) that work in the chloroplast but are encoded in the nuclear genome. Recent research has indicated red-light controls cpRNP gene expression. The contribution of blue light to cpRNP function is poorly understood. This project seeks to characterise the role of Blue light in cpRNP modulation and contribution to photosynthetic regulation.
Amy Newell
- Blue light is involved in cpRNP signalling
- cpRNPs are under both photoperiodic and circadian control
- Further insights will be gained from lab experiments with cpRNP mutants under blue light
Chloroplast RNA binding proteins in the coordination of light inputs and photosynthetic responses
cpRNP mutants show issues in greening under red light so could be under photoreceptor control
