Published by Oxford University Press [2008] on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology
Preface
Howard Griffiths, Martin Parry
This special issue collects a number of the invited papers presented at the 14th International Congress of Photosynthesis, Glasgow, 22-27 July 2007, and two of the associated satellite meetings.
The PS2007 meeting in Glasgow hosted 800 plus delegates bringing together researchers from across the globe to present and discuss all aspects of photosynthesis research from light capture through to exploitation of crops for food and biofuel production. In this Special Issue, papers are presented on topics relating to four sessions: CO2 diffusion, gas exchange and the role of stomata; CO2 concentrating mechanisms; CAM and C4; the C3 cycle, limitation and regulation and metabolic integration. The organisers of these sessions Dr James Morison (University of Essex), Professor Richard Leegood (University of Sheffield), Professor Paul Quick (University of Sheffield), and Professor Christine Raines (University of Essex) thank the Journal of Experimental Botany for financial support.
The Rubisco workshop, held at Rothamsted Research, was organized by Professor Archie Portis (USDA-ARS, University of Illinois) and Professor Martin Parry (Rothamsted Research), and provided a unique opportunity for integration between molecular, cellular, and ecological studies of Rubisco and for researchers from different disciplines to interact and exchange ideas on the latest developments. The workshop described the great advances that have been made in recent years in our understanding of the evolution, assembly, structure–function relationships, post translational modification, degradation, and the regulation of Rubisco activity. The integration of different approaches has opened new avenues for overcoming the limitations of Rubisco to improve resource capture and evaluate and exploit new developments (Raines, 2006; Parry et al., 2007).
The organizers are most grateful to the sponsors who generously supported this workshop as well as for the participation of those scientists engaged in Rubisco research who led or actively contributed to the extended discussions. We are particularly grateful to the support received from the Journal of Experimental Botany, DuPont, and Rothamsted Research. We hope that the legacy of this meeting will provide inspiration to young scientists willing to pursue the challenges of Rubisco.
The C4 and CAM meeting held at the University of Cambridge, was organised by Howard Griffiths, Julian Hibberd, and Annie Borland and we were privileged to welcome many of the stalwarts who pioneered early developments in our understanding of the biochemical and ecological determinants of C4 and CAM pathways. We celebrated the achievements of those key players, such as Barry Osmond and Gerry Edwards. Many of us can trace our scientific lineage back to these influential researchers and their collaborators, who shaped our careers with their timely advice, encouragement, and outputs. It was also a pleasure to welcome the next generation of researchers to the meeting, and the comparative insights into ecological convergence and molecular divergence set an exciting agenda for the C4 and CAM presentations.
A broad range of topics were included in the programme, including sustainability of food and biofuel supplies, as well as comparative aspects of C4 and CAM molecular biology, biochemistry, and ecology. An additional specific focus was given to the prospects and potential for incorporating C4 traits into rice.
The organizers are grateful for staff and postgraduate students in the Department of Plant Sciences, and particularly Kate Steele and Chris Trimmer at the SEB office, for their enthusiastic support and invaluable practical assistance in co-ordinating the meeting. Finally, the meeting could not have been held without the generous financial support of many sponsors, including the Journal of Experimental Botany, SEB, BES, IRRI, ISPR, BP, the Gatsby Foundation, and Hansatech UK.
References
Raines CA. Transgenic approaches to manipulate the environmental responses of the C3 carbon fixation cycle. Plant, Cell and Environment (2006) 29:331–339.[CrossRef][Medline]
Parry MAJ, Madgwick PJ, Carvahlo JFC, Andralojc PJ. Prospects for increasing photosynthesis by overcoming the limitations of Rubisco. Journal of Agricultural Science (2007) 145:31–43.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
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