Abstract

C4 photosynthesis has evolved independently in over sixty lineages and in so doing repurposed existing enzymes to drive a carbon pump that limits the oxygenation reaction of RuBisCO. Compared with the ancestral C3 pathway it can increase photosynthetic efficiency by up to 50%. This increased photosynthetic capacity allows higher rates of growth as well as increased water and nitrogen use efficiencies. In all cases, C4 proteins accumulate to levels matching those of the photosynthetic apparatus and to allow this gene expression is modified. To better understand this rewiring of gene expression we undertook RNA - and DNaseI-SEQ on de-etiolating seedlings of C4 Gynandropsis gynandra which is sister to C3 Arabidopsis. In this talk the data will be discussed from two perspectives. First, a more exploratory approach to decipher the mechanisms that underpin the dynamic induction of C4 photosynthesis gene expression. Second, a more targeted functional validation approach using two core C4 pathway genes as examples, hunting down cis-elements and then the identification of trans-factors.

Contact reception@plantsci.cam.ac.uk for a Zoom link prior to a talk if you are not on our mailing list. Due to having to go online, we are restricting the talks to University of Cambridge and alumni to keep them as informal as possible.