Project title
Photosynthesis in extreme temperatures: from single proteins to whole organisms
Project description
Photosynthetic organisms, known as phototrophs, play a crucial role in sustaining life by providing food and oxygen. However, temperature changes can impose significant stress on their light-harvesting process, necessitating successful adaptation for survival. Failure to adapt to temperature changes can lead to ecological disasters.
Volha Chukhutsina investigates photoregulation in response to temperature changes, spanning from individual proteins to entire organisms. By unraveling the mysteries of temperature-dependent photoregulation, we can gain insights into the resilience and adaptability of photosynthetic organisms in a changing climate.
Selected publications
Chukhutsina, V. U., Baxter, J. M., Fadini, A., Morgan, R. M., Pope, M. A., Maghlaoui, K., … & van Thor, J. J. (2022). Light activation of Orange Carotenoid Protein reveals bicycle-pedal single-bond isomerization. Nature Communications, 13(1), 6420.
Bag, P*., Chukhutsina, V*, Zhang, Z., Paul, S., Ivanov, A. G., Shutova, T., … & Jansson, S. (2020). Direct energy transfer from photosystem II to photosystem I confers winter sustainability in Scots Pine. Nature communications, 11(1), 6388. *equal contributions
Chukhutsina, V., Bersanini, L., Aro, E. M., & Van Amerongen, H. (2015). Cyanobacterial flv4-2 operon-encoded proteins optimize light harvesting and charge separation in photosystem II. Molecular Plant, 8(5), 747-761.