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Robert D. Willows

Bio: Robert D. Willows is an academic researcher from Macquarie University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Magnesium chelatase & Protoporphyrin IX. The author has an hindex of 31, co-authored 88 publications receiving 5378 citations. Previous affiliations of Robert D. Willows include Carlsberg Laboratory & University of Sydney.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
Sabeeha S. Merchant1, Simon E. Prochnik2, Olivier Vallon3, Elizabeth H. Harris4, Steven J. Karpowicz1, George B. Witman5, Astrid Terry2, Asaf Salamov2, Lillian K. Fritz-Laylin6, Laurence Maréchal-Drouard7, Wallace F. Marshall8, Liang-Hu Qu9, David R. Nelson10, Anton A. Sanderfoot11, Martin H. Spalding12, Vladimir V. Kapitonov13, Qinghu Ren, Patrick J. Ferris14, Erika Lindquist2, Harris Shapiro2, Susan Lucas2, Jane Grimwood15, Jeremy Schmutz15, Pierre Cardol3, Pierre Cardol16, Heriberto Cerutti17, Guillaume Chanfreau1, Chun-Long Chen9, Valérie Cognat7, Martin T. Croft18, Rachel M. Dent6, Susan K. Dutcher19, Emilio Fernández20, Hideya Fukuzawa21, David González-Ballester22, Diego González-Halphen23, Armin Hallmann, Marc Hanikenne16, Michael Hippler24, William Inwood6, Kamel Jabbari25, Ming Kalanon26, Richard Kuras3, Paul A. Lefebvre11, Stéphane D. Lemaire27, Alexey V. Lobanov17, Martin Lohr28, Andrea L Manuell29, Iris Meier30, Laurens Mets31, Maria Mittag32, Telsa M. Mittelmeier33, James V. Moroney34, Jeffrey L. Moseley22, Carolyn A. Napoli33, Aurora M. Nedelcu35, Krishna K. Niyogi6, Sergey V. Novoselov17, Ian T. Paulsen, Greg Pazour5, Saul Purton36, Jean-Philippe Ral7, Diego Mauricio Riaño-Pachón37, Wayne R. Riekhof, Linda A. Rymarquis38, Michael Schroda, David B. Stern39, James G. Umen14, Robert D. Willows40, Nedra F. Wilson41, Sara L. Zimmer39, Jens Allmer42, Janneke Balk18, Katerina Bisova43, Chong-Jian Chen9, Marek Eliáš44, Karla C Gendler33, Charles R. Hauser45, Mary Rose Lamb46, Heidi K. Ledford6, Joanne C. Long1, Jun Minagawa47, M. Dudley Page1, Junmin Pan48, Wirulda Pootakham22, Sanja Roje49, Annkatrin Rose50, Eric Stahlberg30, Aimee M. Terauchi1, Pinfen Yang51, Steven G. Ball7, Chris Bowler25, Carol L. Dieckmann33, Vadim N. Gladyshev17, Pamela J. Green38, Richard A. Jorgensen33, Stephen P. Mayfield29, Bernd Mueller-Roeber37, Sathish Rajamani30, Richard T. Sayre30, Peter Brokstein2, Inna Dubchak2, David Goodstein2, Leila Hornick2, Y. Wayne Huang2, Jinal Jhaveri2, Yigong Luo2, Diego Martinez2, Wing Chi Abby Ngau2, Bobby Otillar2, Alexander Poliakov2, Aaron Porter2, Lukasz Szajkowski2, Gregory Werner2, Kemin Zhou2, Igor V. Grigoriev2, Daniel S. Rokhsar2, Daniel S. Rokhsar6, Arthur R. Grossman22 
University of California, Los Angeles1, United States Department of Energy2, University of Paris3, Duke University4, University of Massachusetts Medical School5, University of California, Berkeley6, Centre national de la recherche scientifique7, University of California, San Francisco8, Sun Yat-sen University9, University of Tennessee Health Science Center10, University of Minnesota11, Iowa State University12, Genetic Information Research Institute13, Salk Institute for Biological Studies14, Stanford University15, University of Liège16, University of Nebraska–Lincoln17, University of Cambridge18, Washington University in St. Louis19, University of Córdoba (Spain)20, Kyoto University21, Carnegie Institution for Science22, National Autonomous University of Mexico23, University of Münster24, École Normale Supérieure25, University of Melbourne26, University of Paris-Sud27, University of Mainz28, Scripps Research Institute29, Ohio State University30, University of Chicago31, University of Jena32, University of Arizona33, Louisiana State University34, University of New Brunswick35, University College London36, University of Potsdam37, Delaware Biotechnology Institute38, Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research39, Macquarie University40, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences41, İzmir University of Economics42, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic43, Charles University in Prague44, St. Edward's University45, University of Puget Sound46, Hokkaido University47, Tsinghua University48, Washington State University49, Appalachian State University50, Marquette University51
12 Oct 2007-Science
TL;DR: Analyses of the Chlamydomonas genome advance the understanding of the ancestral eukaryotic cell, reveal previously unknown genes associated with photosynthetic and flagellar functions, and establish links between ciliopathy and the composition and function of flagella.
Abstract: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a unicellular green alga whose lineage diverged from land plants over 1 billion years ago. It is a model system for studying chloroplast-based photosynthesis, as well as the structure, assembly, and function of eukaryotic flagella (cilia), which were inherited from the common ancestor of plants and animals, but lost in land plants. We sequenced the approximately 120-megabase nuclear genome of Chlamydomonas and performed comparative phylogenomic analyses, identifying genes encoding uncharacterized proteins that are likely associated with the function and biogenesis of chloroplasts or eukaryotic flagella. Analyses of the Chlamydomonas genome advance our understanding of the ancestral eukaryotic cell, reveal previously unknown genes associated with photosynthetic and flagellar functions, and establish links between ciliopathy and the composition and function of flagella.

2,554 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
10 Sep 2010-Science
TL;DR: It is proposed that chlorophyll f is [2-formyl]-chlorophyll a (C55H70O6N4Mg), which suggests that oxygenic photosynthesis can be extended further into the infrared region and may open associated bioenergy applications.
Abstract: Chlorophylls are essential for light-harvesting and energy transduction in photosynthesis. Four chemically distinct varieties have been known for the past 60 years. Here we report isolation of a fifth, which we designate chlorophyll f. Its in vitro absorption (706 nanometers) and fluorescence (722 nanometers) maxima are red-shifted compared to all other chlorophylls from oxygenic phototrophs. On the basis of the optical, mass, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, we propose that chlorophyll f is [2-formyl]-chlorophyll a (C55H70O6N4Mg). This finding suggests that oxygenic photosynthesis can be extended further into the infrared region and may open associated bioenergy applications.

418 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides has been used as a model system for the study of the Mg chelation reaction and the implications for chlorophyll biosynthesis in plants are discussed.
Abstract: Magnesium-protoporphyrin chelatase lies at the branch point of the heme and (bacterio)chlorophyll biosynthetic pathways. In this work, the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides has been used as a model system for the study of this reaction. The bchH and the bchI and -D genes from R. sphaeroides were expressed in Escherichia coli. When cell-free extracts from strains expressing BchH, BchI, and BchD were combined, the mixture was able to catalyze the insertion of Mg into protoporphyrin IX in an ATP-dependent manner. This was possible only when all three genes were expressed. The bchH, -I, and -D gene products are therefore assigned to the Mg chelatase step in bacteriochlorophyll biosynthesis. The mechanism of the Mg chelation reaction and the implications for chlorophyll biosynthesis in plants are discussed.

178 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In chlorophyll biosynthesis, insertion of Mg(2+) into protoporphyrin IX is catalysed in an ATP-dependent reaction by a three-subunit (BchI, BchD and BchH) enzyme magnesium chelatase, and the three-dimensional structure of the ATP-binding subunit BchI is presented to provide insight into the subunit organisation of magnesiumChelatase and the homologous colbalt chelatases.

167 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest that Chl f is a red‐light inducible chlorophyll that is reversibly changed from 1:8 under red light to an undetectable level of ChL f under white‐light culture conditions.

133 citations


Cited by
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28 Jul 2005
TL;DR: PfPMP1)与感染红细胞、树突状组胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用,在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作�ly.
Abstract: 抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1(PfPMP1)与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用,在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员,通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。

18,940 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Phytozome provides a view of the evolutionary history of every plant gene at the level of sequence, gene structure, gene family and genome organization, while at the same time providing access to the sequences and functional annotations of a growing number of complete plant genomes.
Abstract: The number of sequenced plant genomes and associated genomic resources is growing rapidly with the advent of both an increased focus on plant genomics from funding agencies, and the application of inexpensive next generation sequencing. To interact with this increasing body of data, we have developed Phytozome (http://www.phytozome.net), a comparative hub for plant genome and gene family data and analysis. Phytozome provides a view of the evolutionary history of every plant gene at the level of sequence, gene structure, gene family and genome organization, while at the same time providing access to the sequences and functional annotations of a growing number (currently 25) of complete plant genomes, including all the land plants and selected algae sequenced at the Joint Genome Institute, as well as selected species sequenced elsewhere. Through a comprehensive plant genome database and web portal, these data and analyses are available to the broader plant science research community, providing powerful comparative genomics tools that help to link model systems with other plants of economic and ecological importance.

3,728 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A brief summary of the current knowledge on oleaginous algae and their fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis, algal model systems and genomic approaches to a better understanding of TAG production, and a historical perspective and path forward for microalgae-based biofuel research and commercialization are provided.
Abstract: Microalgae represent an exceptionally diverse but highly specialized group of micro-organisms adapted to various ecological habitats. Many microalgae have the ability to produce substantial amounts (e.g. 20-50% dry cell weight) of triacylglycerols (TAG) as a storage lipid under photo-oxidative stress or other adverse environmental conditions. Fatty acids, the building blocks for TAGs and all other cellular lipids, are synthesized in the chloroplast using a single set of enzymes, of which acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACCase) is key in regulating fatty acid synthesis rates. However, the expression of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis is poorly understood in microalgae. Synthesis and sequestration of TAG into cytosolic lipid bodies appear to be a protective mechanism by which algal cells cope with stress conditions, but little is known about regulation of TAG formation at the molecular and cellular level. While the concept of using microalgae as an alternative and renewable source of lipid-rich biomass feedstock for biofuels has been explored over the past few decades, a scalable, commercially viable system has yet to emerge. Today, the production of algal oil is primarily confined to high-value specialty oils with nutritional value, rather than commodity oils for biofuel. This review provides a brief summary of the current knowledge on oleaginous algae and their fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis, algal model systems and genomic approaches to a better understanding of TAG production, and a historical perspective and path forward for microalgae-based biofuel research and commercialization.

3,479 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of second generation biodiesel production systems using microalgae can be found in this paper, where the main advantages of second-generation microalgal systems are that they: (1) have a higher photon conversion efficiency (as evidenced by increased biomass yields per hectare): (2) can be harvested batch-wise nearly all-year-round, providing a reliable and continuous supply of oil: (3) can utilize salt and waste water streams, thereby greatly reducing freshwater use: (4) can couple CO2-neutral fuel production with CO2 sequestration: (
Abstract: The use of fossil fuels is now widely accepted as unsustainable due to depleting resources and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the environment that have already exceeded the “dangerously high” threshold of 450 ppm CO2-e. To achieve environmental and economic sustainability, fuel production processes are required that are not only renewable, but also capable of sequestering atmospheric CO2. Currently, nearly all renewable energy sources (e.g. hydroelectric, solar, wind, tidal, geothermal) target the electricity market, while fuels make up a much larger share of the global energy demand (∼66%). Biofuels are therefore rapidly being developed. Second generation microalgal systems have the advantage that they can produce a wide range of feedstocks for the production of biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane and biohydrogen. Biodiesel is currently produced from oil synthesized by conventional fuel crops that harvest the sun’s energy and store it as chemical energy. This presents a route for renewable and carbon-neutral fuel production. However, current supplies from oil crops and animal fats account for only approximately 0.3% of the current demand for transport fuels. Increasing biofuel production on arable land could have severe consequences for global food supply. In contrast, producing biodiesel from algae is widely regarded as one of the most efficient ways of generating biofuels and also appears to represent the only current renewable source of oil that could meet the global demand for transport fuels. The main advantages of second generation microalgal systems are that they: (1) Have a higher photon conversion efficiency (as evidenced by increased biomass yields per hectare): (2) Can be harvested batch-wise nearly all-year-round, providing a reliable and continuous supply of oil: (3) Can utilize salt and waste water streams, thereby greatly reducing freshwater use: (4) Can couple CO2-neutral fuel production with CO2 sequestration: (5) Produce non-toxic and highly biodegradable biofuels. Current limitations exist mainly in the harvesting process and in the supply of CO2 for high efficiency production. This review provides a brief overview of second generation biodiesel production systems using microalgae.

2,254 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The molecular and biochemical characterization of HOs is reviewed, with a discussion on the mechanisms of signal transduction and gene regulation that mediate the induction of HO-1 by environmental stress, to lay a foundation for potential future clinical applications of these systems.
Abstract: The heme oxygenases, which consist of constitutive and inducible isozymes (HO-1, HO-2), catalyze the rate-limiting step in the metabolic conversion of heme to the bile pigments (i.e., biliverdin and bilirubin) and thus constitute a major intracellular source of iron and carbon monoxide (CO). In recent years, endogenously produced CO has been shown to possess intriguing signaling properties affecting numerous critical cellular functions including but not limited to inflammation, cellular proliferation, and apoptotic cell death. The era of gaseous molecules in biomedical research and human diseases initiated with the discovery that the endothelial cell-derived relaxing factor was identical to the gaseous molecule nitric oxide (NO). The discovery that endogenously produced gaseous molecules such as NO and now CO can impart potent physiological and biological effector functions truly represented a paradigm shift and unraveled new avenues of intense investigations. This review covers the molecular and biochemical characterization of HOs, with a discussion on the mechanisms of signal transduction and gene regulation that mediate the induction of HO-1 by environmental stress. Furthermore, the current understanding of the functional significance of HO shall be discussed from the perspective of each of the metabolic by-products, with a special emphasis on CO. Finally, this presentation aspires to lay a foundation for potential future clinical applications of these systems.

2,111 citations