RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Light-harvesting protein biosynthesis in cyanobacteria
• Photosynthesis
• Microbial physiology
• Microbial biotechnology
• Microbial diversity
• Bacteriophages

GRANT SUPPORT

• Spring 2006: NSF Supplement “Elucidation of the biosynthetic and degradative pathways for phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria” $40,100.
• July 2004-June 2006 “Phage genome sequencing for Student Biotech Training” NSF. J. Nolan PI, W. M. Schluchter and C. Timpte Co-P is. $369, 563
• June 2002-May 2007 “CAREER: Elucidation of the biosynthetic and degradative pathways for phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria”. NSF. W. M. Schluchter, PI. Total awarded: $523,147

NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• 2002 NSF CAREER Award

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Shen, G, Saunee, N. A., Williams, S. R., Gallo, E. F., Schluchter, W. M. and D. A. Bryant. 2006. Identification and Characterization of a New Class of Bilin Lyase Responsible for Attachment of Phycocyanobilin to Cys-153 on the b-subunit of Phycocyanin in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. J. Biol. Chem. Under review ( M6:02563).
• Gomez-Lojero, C., Perez-Gomez, B., Shen, G., Schluchter, W. M. and D. A. Bryant. 2003. Interaction of Ferredoxin-NADP + Oxidoreductase with Phycobilisome Substructures of Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp PCC 7002. Biochemistry. 42: 13800-13811.
• Schluchter, W. M. and D. A. Bryant 2002. “Analysis and Reconstitution of Phycobiliproteins”. in: Heme, Chlorophyll, and Bilins: Methods and Protocols, Michael Witty and Alison Smith (eds). Humana Press, Inc. Totowa, NJ. pp 1-24.
• Schluchter, W. M., and Glazer, A. N. 1999. Biosynthesis of phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria. In: The Phototrophic Prokaryotes. GA Peshcek, W. Löffelhardt, and G. Schmetterer (eds). pp. 83-95. Plenum Press, London.
• Yang, F., Shen, G., Schluchter, W. M., Zybailov, B. L., Ganago, A. O., Vassiliev, I. R., Bryant, D. A., Golbeck, J. H. 1998. Deletion of the PsaF Polypeptide Modifies the Environment of the Redox-Active Phylloquinone (A1). Evidence for Unidirectionality of Electron Transfer in Photosystem I, The J. of Phys. Chem. B; 102(42); 8288-8299.
• Schluchter, W. M., and A. N. Glazer 1997. Characterization of Cyanobacterial Biliverdin Reductase. Conversion of biliverdin to bilirubin is important for normal phycobiliprotein biosynthesis. J. Biol. Chem. 272: 13562-13569
• Schluchter, W. M., Shen, G. H., Zhao, J. D. and D. A. Bryant. 1996. Characterization of psaI and psaL mutants of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002: A new model for state transitions in cyanobacteria. Photochemistry and Photobiology 64: 53-66.