Derrick R. J. Kolling March 16, 2010

The Chemistry of Photosynthetic Water Oxidation: From Fundamentals to Biofuels

Kolling LaboratoryCurrent Members

Yasmine Zeid

Ben Blodgett

Cameron Buchman

Courtney Nichols

James Board

Rebecca Mead

Shaheed Elhamdani

Evan Riley

Matthew Thompson

Former Members

Chase Turner

The lab has three main projects:

1. Assembly of the oxygen-evolving complex

2. [Mn2+] in compartments of phototrophs

3. Metabolomic studies of Chlorella vulgaris

We are looking for students who:

1. Would like to work >3 semesters

2. Are interested in writing grants

3. Enjoy challenging projects

• Psychrophile, 12°C• Antarctic benthic mat

Oscillatoria sp.

• Thermophile, 55°C• PSII crystal structure• Genome sequenced

Thermosynechococcus elongatus

www-dsv.cea.fr/var

www-biol.paisley.ac.uk

cc

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Project 1: OEC Photoassembly

We are studying photoassembly in photosynthetic extremophiles that grow at very different temperatures.

Project 2: Compartmental [Mn2+]

We are working to determine the concentration of Mn2+ in the different compartments of phototrophic prokaryotes and eukaryotes. This will help us to determine the mechanism of photoassembly.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

CytoplasmStromaLumen

Chloroplast

Cytoplasm

Lumen

[Mn2+]?

Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Project 3: Metabolomics

We are developing a strategy to determine the partial metabolome of the lipid generation pathways in Chlorella vulgaris. This organism and its metabolism are of interest, because its lipids can be used to make biodiesel.

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Barber & Iwata (2004) Science

A trip from a leaf to the oxygen-evolving complex.

Ferreira et al. (2004) Science

The oxygen-evolving complex!

How do we probe photosynthesis?

• O2 production

• Fluorescence

• S-State Trapping• EPR Spectroscopy