Thylakoid membrane biogenesis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

• Applicant: Dr. Marco Schottkowski
• Subject Area: Plant Biochemistry and Biophysics
• Term: from 2010 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 175653453

Chloroplasts contain an elaborate network of membranes, called thylakoids, where three integral membrane complexes carry out photosynthetic electron transport and proton translocation. The biogenesis of thylakoid membranes requires multiple concerted biochemical pathways and the expression of the polypeptides from the organelle and nuclear genomes. A long-standing problem concerns the precise location(s) of these processes.I propose to characterize a novel thylakoid biogenesis compartment and the dynamics of thylakoid biogenesis in the chloroplasts of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and plant model organisms using cell biological, genetic, and proteomic approaches. The results have a high potential to provide a cytological context in which to study in thylakoid biogenesis as well as membrane trafficking, photosystem assembly, and protein synthesis and targeting. I also expect to reveal general principles underlying membrane biogenesis.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: Canada
• Host: Professor Dr. William Zerges