Abstract:
Harvesting light as the primary source of energy is one of the major phenomena behind life on earth which is mediated by several photoreceptors. Photoreceptors are critical for several physiological phenomena viz. photo-acclimatisation, phototropism, stomatal opening etc, thus making its characterisation extremely important in order to use it as optogenetic scaffold. I have been specifically interested in blue light responsive photoreceptors, found exclusively in photosynthetic stramenopile. My work primarily focuses on molecular understanding of aureochromes from two species (Vaucheria frigida and Thalassiosira oceanica) through biochemical and biophysical assays to understand its contribution towards natural phenomena or even using it to intervene in biological pathways. Further I have also explored the principles of protein design and engineering to develop light responsive synthetic transcription factor, suitable for application in optogenetics.
