Understanding the regulation of photosynthesis and metabolism by protein modification in rice leaves

Supervisors: Professor Richard Leegood (Department of Animal and Plant Sciences) and Professor Carl Smythe (Department of Biomedical Science)

Attempts to improve crop photosynthesis include the transfer of the characteristics of C4 photosynthesis into C3 crops, such as rice. In this way the efficiency of photosynthesis and water and nitrogen use efficiency in rice could be improved. This involves engineering the enzymes of C4 photosynthesis into rice, by introducing novel C4 isoforms. It is vital to know how these engineered C4 enzymes are regulated in C4 leaves and how the endogenous enzymes in C3 rice are regulated, so that hypotheses concerning the regulation of introduced enzymes and optimal engineering strategies can be formulated.

The focus of this studentship will be to study post-translational regulation of key enzymes in rice leaves. The student will receive training in a range of techniques.

• The student will use of a state-of-the-art Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer to generate a catalogue of post-translational modifications (PTMs) on major photosynthesis-related proteins in rice.
• Modifications of the C4-related proteins will be assessed in rice leaf material from plants under different environmental conditions by using antibodies and mass spectrometry.
• Modifications in rice will be compared under the same environmental conditions with a C4 counterpart to generate hypotheses about the role of PTMs and to identify whether modifications are involved in regulation of photosynthesis and metabolism, or whether they are involved in other processes, such as enzyme turnover.
• The student will identify whether PTMs of selected C4 proteins are crucial for their function, by analysis of enzyme kinetics.

The project is part a large high profile EU FP7 Collaborative Project (3to4.org).

Applications can be submitted via www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply/applying
The closing date is 31st March 2013