Krzysztof Pukaczk

C3-C4 intermediate photosynthesis allows plants to recapture CO2 released through photorespiration thanks to a photorespiratory glycine shuttle. This helps reduce yield losses as a result of photorespiration, which are especially significant in hot climates. Engineering the glycine shuttle of C3-C4 intermediate plants into crops could help protect them from yield losses caused by photorespiration, especially as our climate becomes warmer. I am working on developing a model of environmentally induced C3-C4 photosynthesis which will allow me to identify molecular elements in control of this pathway. Using species whose glycine shuttle is upregulated in response to external cues, such as high temperature stress, it will be possible to identify the molecular elements which control C3-C4 intermediate photosynthesis through comparison of plants grown in different conditions.