Badger Group - Photosynthetic functional genomics

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My group is focused on understanding the ways different photosynthetic organisms have adapted their photosynthetic biochemistry and physiology to efficiently fix CO₂ in environments where CO₂ is a limiting substrate. This includes interests in the biochemical deficiencies of Rubisco (where I started in my PhD), how organisms have developed CO₂ concentrating mechanisms (my first postdoc) to overcome these limitations, and how the biochemical pathway of photorespiration deals with the waste products of the Rubisco interaction with O₂. We use organisms ranging from cyanobacteria and algae up the plant model systems such as Arabidopsis, spanning different evolutionary scales of photosynthetic development.

Photosynthesis and plant energy biology

Group Leader

Murray Badger

Project	Status
Characterization of low and high CO2 sensitive Arabidopsis photosynthetic mutants	Current
Characterization of low CO2 sensitive Arabidopsis photosynthetic mutants	Current
Investigating the interactions between respiration and photosynthesis in leaf photosynthetic function	Current
Understanding chloroplast/nuclear signaling and response pathways which determine photosynthetic capacity	Current
Understanding the cellular and genetic basis of differences in photosynthetic leaf capacity between Arabidopsis and a close mustard relative Hirschfeldia incana	Current

Selected publications

Cyanobacterial Carboxysomes: Microcompartments that Facilitate CO2 Fixation. Author(s): Rae, Benjamin D.; Long, Benedict M.; Whitehead, Lynne F.; et al.. Source: Journal of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Volume: 23 Issue: 4-5 Pages: 300-307 Published: 2013. DOI: 10.1159/000351342
D2O Solvent Isotope Effects Suggest Uniform Energy Barriers in Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase Catalysis. Author(s): Tcherkez, Guillaume G. B.; Bathellier, Camille; Stuart-Williams, Hilary; et al.. Source: Biochemistry Volume: 52 Issue: 5 Pages: 869-877 Published: FEB 5 2013. DOI: 10.1021/bi300933u
Gymnosperms Have Increased Capacity for Electron Leakage to Oxygen (Mehler and PTOX reactions) in Photosynthesis Compared with Angiosperms. Author(s): Shirao, Masayoshi; Kuroki, Shu; Kaneko, Kaoru; et al.. Source: Plant and Cell Physiology Volume: 54 Issue: 7 Pages: 1152-1163 Published: JUL 2013. DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pct066
The cyanobacterial CCM as a source of genes for improving photosynthetic CO2 fixation in crop species. Author(s): Price, G. Dean; Pengelly, Jasper J. L.; Forster, Britta; et al.. Source: Journal of Experimental Botany Volume: 64 Issue: 3 Pages: 753-768 Published: JAN 2013. DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ers257
Thermal Acclimation of the Symbiotic Alga Symbiodinium spp. Alleviates Photobleaching under Heat Stress. Author(s): Takahashi, Shunichi; Yoshioka-Nishimura, Miho; Nanba, Daisuke; et al.. Source: Plant Physiology Volume: 161 Issue: 1 Pages: 477-485 Published: JAN 2013. DOI: 10.1104/pp.112.207480
Antisense reductions in the PsbO protein of photosystem II leads to decreased quantum yield but similar maximal photosynthetic rates. Author(s): Dwyer, Simon A.; Chow, Wah Soon; Yamori, Wataru; et al.. Source: Journal of Experimental Botany Volume: 63 Issue: 13 Pages: 4781-4795 Published: AUG 2012. DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ers156
Structural Determinants of the Outer Shell of beta-Carboxysomes in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942: Roles for CcmK2, K3-K4, CcmO, and CcmL. Author(s): Rae, Benjamin D.; Long, Benedict M.; Badger, Murray R.; et al.. Source: Plos One Volume: 7 Issue: 8 Published: AUG 22 2012. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043871
The Genetic Dissection of a Short-Term Response to Low CO2 Supports the Possibility for Peroxide-Mediated Decarboxylation of Photorespiratory Intermediates in the Peroxisome. Author(s): Keech, Olivier; Zhou, Wenxu; Fenske, Ricarda; et al.. Source: Molecular Plant Volume: 5 Issue: 6 Pages: 1413-1416 Published: NOV 2012. DOI: 10.1093/mp/sss104
A mutation in the purine biosynthetic enzyme ATASE2 impacts high light signalling and acclimation responses in green and chlorotic sectors of Arabidopsis leaves. Author(s): Woo, Nick S.; Gordon, Matthew J.; Graham, Stephen R.; et al.. Source: Functional Plant Biology Volume: 38 Issue: 5 Pages: 401-419 Published: 2011. DOI: 10.1071/FP10218
Over-expression of the beta-carboxysomal CcmM protein in Synechococcus PCC7942 reveals a tight co-regulation of carboxysomal carbonic anhydrase (CcaA) and M58 content. Author(s): Long, Benedict M.; Rae, Benjamin D.; Badger, Murray R.; et al.. Source: Photosynthesis Research Volume: 109 Issue: 1-3 Pages: 33-45 Published: SEP 2011. DOI: 10.1007/s11120-011-9659-8.

All publications

Go to a complete list of publications on the ISI website.

New partnership advances agricultural research

ANU-CSIRO form new food, agriculture science precinct

Story | Wednesday 1 July 2015

The ANU and CSIRO have joined forces in a new collaborative precinct to help build a sustainable future for the environment, agriculture and global food supplies. Murray Badger and Craig Moritz describe how in an ANU video.

New research centre set to secure food for the future

Story | Saturday 25 October 2014

A research centre exploring new technologies for improving crop yields to secure food supply has been launched at the Research School of Biology.

Water and sunlight the formula for sustainable fuel

Story | Thursday 21 August 2014

“Water is abundant and so is sunlight. It is an exciting prospect to use them to create hydrogen, and do it cheaply and safely,” said Dr Kastoori Hingorani, from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis in the ANU Research School of Biology.