Research Results
Feb 6, 2023
- Press Release
- Joint Research Paper
- Posting / Publishing
The results of the joint research between Grad. Student Seki (OCU) and Assoc. prof. Fujii (OMU), Prof. Kurisu (Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University), and Pu Qian (ThermoFisher Scientific) were introduced on the Science Japan website
The results of the joint research were introduced on the website of Science Japan, the English version of the Science Newspaper, on February 3, 2023.
■ Efficient photosynthesis of seaweed mills: Analysis by high-resolution electron microscopy, Osaka Metropolitan University, etc.
Group led by Osaka Metropolitan University analyzes efficient photosynthesis in Codium fragile with high-resolution electron microscopy
https://sj.jst.go.jp/news/202302/n0203-01k.html
Photosynthesis in the sea, How can we be efficient?? Light to elucidate the mechanism - Analysis using cryo-electron microscopy -
Point
- High-resolution analysis of the photosynthetic antenna structure of a marine green algae mill using cryo-electron microscopy
- Elucidation of the structure and substitution position of dyes bound to photosynthetic antennas
Summary
A research group led by Associate Professor Ritsuko Fujii (Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, Osaka Metropolitan University), Graduate student Soichiro Seki (2nd year doctoral student, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University), Professor Genji Kurisu (Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University), and Pu Qian (Researcher , Thermo Fisher Scientific Co., Ltd.) used a high-resolution electron microscope to clarify for the first time the structure and binding environment of dyes in proteins called photosynthetic antennas in marine green algae mills. As a result, the molecular mechanism of efficiently using blue-green light, which is the only light available in seawater, for photosynthesis has become clearer.
The research results (including Joint Research #201820) were published online in BBA Advances on November 11, 2022.
These results provide clues to elucidate the mechanism by which seaweed photosynthesizes on the seafloor. I thought that using green light for photosynthesis with just a slight change in the structure of the dye was a cost-effective strategy. Learning the survival strategies of such organisms can be expected to lead to the use of sunlight and the development of renewable energy sources.
Associate Professor Ritsuko Fujii
Many people have been involved in this research for many years, in addition to those whose names are mentioned in the paper. I inherited the baton from my seniors, and ever since I was assigned to the laboratory, I have been devising everything from culture to protein purification methods. I think that tenacity led to this result. When I first saw this structure with Dr. Fujii, I was overwhelmed. Based on the publication of this paper, we will continue to advance our research.
Soichiro Seki, Graduate Student
Publication Information
| Publications: | BBA Advances |
|---|---|
| Title of Paper: | Structural insights into blue-green light utilization by marine green algal light harvesting complex II at 2.78 Å |
| 著者： | Soichiro Seki, Tetsuko Nakaniwa, Pablo Castro-Hartmann, Kasim Sader, Akihiro Kawamoto, Hideaki Tanaka, Pu Qian, Genji Kurisu, Ritsuko Fujii |
| URL: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadva.2022.100064 |
[Published]
An article was published in the Science Newspaper (No. 3902 published on December 23, 2022).
On February 3, 2023, the research was introduced on the website of Science Japan.br>https://sj.jst.go.jp/news/202302/n0203-01k.html
[Domestic Release]
All Press Releases (741.8KB)
[Overseas Release]
EurekAlert!: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/974262
AlphaGalileo: https://www.alphagalileo.org/Item-Display/ItemId/228562
AsiaResearchNews: https://asiaresearchnews.com/content/shedding-light-photosynthesis-sea-0
【OMU Web and SNS】
https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/info/research-news/entry-19936.html
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/OsakaMetUniv.en/posts/pfbid0vJav84HBuiUyH3xQVm3eeWEzGuypmonkFaJpT7H9NZP8WXwjn1qzKjbCezQvTRyjl
Twitter
https://twitter.com/OsakaMetUniv_en/status/1602891724762017793
Inquiries about research
Ritsuko Fujii (Associate Professor, Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis / Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University)
TEL：06-6605-3624
E-mail：ritsuko[at]omu.ac.jp [at] (Change [at] to @)
Inquiries about the press
Osaka Metropolitan University Public Relations Division
TEL：06-6605-3411
E-mail：koho-list[at]ml.omu.ac.jp (Change [at] to @)
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