Regulatory mechanisms controlling photomorphogenesis and resource allocation in cyanobacteria

智力优势：蓝细菌进行产氧光合作用，其中输入是二氧化碳和光，产物是以糖的形式储存的能量，氧气作为副产物产生。这一过程与藻类和高等植物等真核生物的光合作用非常相似。与其他光合生物一样，蓝细菌通过经历称为光形态发生的适应过程，表现出精细调整的感知和响应周围环境变化的能力，包括光和营养物质可用性的变化。光合作用能量需求平衡的资源分配的分子机制（糖生产）与应对环境变化的能源成本（光形态建成）的影响尚不十分清楚，将是本次调查的重点。这些研究的结果有望为平衡传感和响应环境波动的能量需求的分子基础提供新的见解。光合生物的光能和养分利用率。除了对研究生和博士后学者的培训以及与历史上黑人学院和大学的学生和教师的合作研究和指导互动外，拟议调查的更广泛影响包括旨在发展本科科学专业和学生能力的研究和教学经验。包括密歇根州立大学查尔斯·德鲁科学浓缩项目的学生，进行批判性和分析性思考。

Intellectual Merit: Cyanobacteria carry out oxygenic photosynthesis in which the inputs are carbon dioxide and light, and the product is stored energy in the form of sugars, with oxygen being generated as a by-product. This process is very similar to photosynthesis in eukaryotes such as algae and higher plants. As also true of other photosynthetic organisms, cyanobacteria exhibit finely tuned abilities to sense and respond to changes in their ambient environment, including changes in light and nutrient availabilty, by undergoing adaptive processes called photomorphogenesis. The molecular mechanisms for allocating resources to balance the energy demands for photosynthesis (sugar production) with the energy costs of responding to environmental variations (photomorphogenesis) are not well understood, and will be the focus of this investigation.Broader Impacts: Results from these studies are expected to provide novel insights into the molecular bases of balancing the energy demands of sensing and responding to environmental fluctuations in light and nutrient availability in photosynthetic organisms. In addition to the training of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars and collaborative research and mentoring interactions with students and a faculty member at an Historically Black College and University, broader impacts of the proposed investigations include research and instructional experiences designed to develop the capacity of undergraduate science majors and students from underrepresented groups, including students in the Charles Drew Science Enrichment Program at Michigan State University, to think critically and analytically.