Regulatory mechanisms controlling photomorphogenesis and resource allocation in cyanobacteria

智慧的优点：蓝藻进行氧合光合作用，其输入是二氧化碳和光，产物是以糖的形式储存的能量，副产品是氧气。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。与其他光合作用生物一样，蓝藻通过经历称为光形态发生的适应性过程，表现出微调的能力来感知和响应周围环境的变化，包括光和营养可获得性的变化。分配资源以平衡光合作用(糖类生产)的能量需求与响应环境变化(光形态发生)的能量成本的分子机制尚不清楚，将是本研究的重点。广泛影响：这些研究结果有望为光合作用生物体中平衡感知和响应环境光和养分供应波动的能量需求的分子基础提供新的见解。除了培训研究生和博士后学者，以及与历史悠久的黑人学院和大学的学生和教职员工进行合作研究和指导互动外，拟议调查的更广泛影响包括研究和教学经验，旨在培养本科理科专业学生和来自代表性不足群体的学生的能力，包括密歇根州立大学查尔斯·德鲁科学丰富项目的学生，以批判性和分析性思维。

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.