Program Results

Introduction to the event

1. Structural Discovery and Red-Shifted Fluorescence in Photosystem I in a Relict Cyanobacterium

This year, Professor Ming-Yang Ho's research team at National Taiwan University, in collaboration with international partners, used cryo-electron microscopy to resolve the structure of Photosystem I in the relict thylakoid-free cyanobacterium Anthocerotibacter panamensis. Remarkably, they discovered a rare red-shifted fluorescence signal—a trait previously only observed in cyanobacteria with thylakoid membranes and in plants. This signal suggests potential photoprotection and high light tolerance mechanisms. Interestingly, this feature is ancestral in cyanobacteria, but was lost in other thylakoid-free cyanobacteria. A. panamensis retained it, offering a unique window into the early evolution of photosynthesis. The findings were published in PNAS in May 2025, opening a new chapter in the study of photosynthetic evolution.

2. Investigating Microbial Dynamics in Simulated Mangrove Soil

In another part of the project, a microcosm experiment simulated mangrove soil environments to assess the effects of nutrient addition and cyanobacterial inoculation on microbial communities. The results revealed that nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization significantly altered microbial composition and unexpectedly promoted native algal growth, raising potential algal bloom risks. However, locally isolated cyanobacterial strains successfully colonized the soil, outperforming non-native strains—highlighting the adaptive advantage of "native strains" in Taiwan's environments. Future research will integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and carbon fixation measurements to assess microbial function and carbon sequestration potential better.

3. International Visibility and Collaboration

On the international stage, the Principal Investigator served as a session chair and invited speaker at the Asia-Pacific Photosynthesis Conference. As the only invited speaker from Taiwan, the PI significantly elevated the global visibility of Taiwan's photosynthesis research and expressed special appreciation for support from the Ministry of Education and NTU during the talk. The PI also built connections with young Japanese scholars, initiating new collaborative directions.

孑遺藍綠菌的光系統一光譜和結構解析