Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Plants and algae obtain all of their energy for growth and reproduction from light using a process called photosynthesis. Within the cells of green tissues, photosynthesis occurs in organelles called chloroplasts, and specifically with by a network of sack-like vesicles called thylakoids. This proposal describes research that would address how thylakoid membranes are generated. The proposed research will explore the spatial organization of the processes that underlie the generation of thylakoid membranes. Our previous research revealed that chloroplasts are much more complex in this regard, and contain compartments that are specialized in the synthesis of proteins that carry out photosynthesis in thylakoid membranes. We are proposing to characterize these membranes in depth using ultramodern approaches to understand their precise roles. The results will be relevant to the development of biotechnologies for Canadian industries because algae have been used in the food industry and as biosensors for environmental pollutants for decades. They have a high potential to be used for the efficient production of proteins as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other marketable products. Realization of this potential will require an understanding of how proteins are made in chloroplasts.