Elisabeth Gantt

Emerita and Distinguished University Professor

Member, National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A.

Research Interests: Plant Cell and Molecular Biology, Plant Physiology

Carotenoids play essential roles in protecting organisms against potential lethal photo-oxidative damage. In photosynthesis they function in harvesting light for photosynthesis, but also in the dissipation of energy under conditions of excess light. The biosynthetic pathway of carotenoids in oxygen-evolving plants is being studied in photosynthetic microalgae as model systems. Molecular probes for genes encoding several enzymes in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway are being used in studying the expression of genes (phytoene synthase, phytoene desaturase, and lycopene cyclase) during the induction and accumulation of carotenoid pigments in photosynthetic microalgae that are hyperaccumulators of carotenoids under environmental stress conditions.

Success of photosynthetic organisms in natural habitats is dependent upon the organisms' ability to adjust to varying environmental conditions. The uniqueness of the photosynthetic pigment complexes in red algae is being studied prompted by our recent finding of chlorophyll- binding proteins similar to those of green plants. We are studying the structure, function, regulation, and biosynthesis of the complex using immunological, molecular, and biochemical approaches.

Recent Publications:

Grabowski, B., S. Tan, F.X. Cunningham, and E. Gantt. 2000. Characterization of the Porphyridium cruentum Chl a-binding LHC by in vitro reconstitution: LHCaR1 binds 8 Chl a molecules and proportionately more carotenoids than CAB proteins. Photosyn. Res. 63: 85-96.

Cunningham, F.X., and E. Gantt. 2000. Identification of multi-gene families encoding isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase in plants by heterologous complementation in Escherichia coli. Plant and Cell Physiol. 41: 119-123.

Ershov, Y., R.R. Gantt, F.X. Cunningham, and E. Gantt. 2000. Isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase deficiency in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803. FEBS Letters. 473: 337-340.

Cunningham, F.X., T. Lafond, and E. Gantt. 2000. A possible role for LYTB in the non- mevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis. J. Bacteriol. 182: 5841-5848.

Grabowski, B., F.X. Cunningham, Jr., and E. Gantt. 2001. Chlorophyll and carotenoid binding in a simple red algal LHC crosses phylogenetic lines. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 98: 2911-2916.

Cunningham, F.X., Jr. and E. Gantt. 2001. One ring or two? Determination of ring number in carotenoids by lycopene -cyclase. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 98: 2908-2910.

Ershov, Y., R. R. Gantt, F. X. Cunningham,Jr. and E.Gantt. 2002. Isoprenoid biosynthesis in Synechocystis PCC6803 is stimulated by compounds of the pentose phosphate cycle but not by pyruvate and deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate. J. Bact. 184:5045-5051.

Cunningham, F. X., Jr. and E. Gantt.  2002. Molecular control of floral pigmentation: Carotenoids. pp. 273-293. In: A. Vainstein (ed.) Breeding for Ornamentals-classical and Molecular Approaches. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.

Gantt, E., B. Grabowski, and F. X. Cunningham, Jr. 2003. Antenna systems of red algae: phycobilisomes with photosystem II and chlorophyll complexes with photosystem I. pp. 307-322. In:  B. R. Green and W.W. Parson (eds.) Light -Harvesting Antennas in  Photosynthesis. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.

Poliquin, K. Ershov, Y., F. X. Cunningham, Jr., T. Woreta, R.R. Gantt and E. Gantt. 2004. Inactivation of sll1556 in Synechocystis PCC 6803 impairs isoprenoid biosynthesis from pentose phosphate cycle substrates in vitro. J. Bact. 186: 4685-4693.

Cunningham, F. X. and E. Gantt. 2005 A study in scarlet: enzymes of ketocarotenoid biosynthesis in the flowers of Adonis aestivalis. Plant Journal. 41: 478-492.

Green, B. R. and E. Gantt. 2005. Distal and extrinsic photosystem II antennas. pp. 23-44. In: T.J. Wydrzynski and K. Satoh (eds.) Photosystem II. The Light-Driven Water:Plastoquinone Oxidoreductase. Springer.

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