Steven Burgess
@sjb287.bsky.social
Assistant Professor UIUC, plant biology, evolution #synbio #photosynthesis #plantscience
An interesting and provocative preprint by the Johnson group that challenges the decades old hypothesis that PGR5-cyclic electron flow is required to balance ATP/NADPH requirements for carbon fixation @biorxiv-plants.bsky.social worth a read doi.org/10.1101/2025... #photosynthesis
Disequilibrium between chloroplast proton motive force and ATP levels in Arabidopsis
Current dogma holds that CO2 fixation by photosynthesis requires additional ATP production via PGR5-dependent cyclic electron transfer (PGR5-CET) to augment the NADPH and ATP produced by linear electr...
doi.org
January 2, 2026 at 8:13 PM
An interesting and provocative preprint by the Johnson group that challenges the decades old hypothesis that PGR5-cyclic electron flow is required to balance ATP/NADPH requirements for carbon fixation @biorxiv-plants.bsky.social worth a read doi.org/10.1101/2025... #photosynthesis
Nice paper characterizing rubisco mutants www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
The fitness landscape of a Form II rubisco in a photosynthetic bacterium guides engineering of oxygen tolerance
Rubisco is an important but challenging protein engineering target. Fast and selective rubiscos could enhance photosynthesis in plants and accelerate biobased production processes. To facilitate engin...
www.biorxiv.org
December 15, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Nice paper characterizing rubisco mutants www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
#plantsynbio peeps, has anyone played around with cell penetrating peptides? some of the papers look fairly convincing for delivery of DNA e.g. 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00323. but am curious why not used more widely. Viruses and agro are just easier for most applications?
December 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
#plantsynbio peeps, has anyone played around with cell penetrating peptides? some of the papers look fairly convincing for delivery of DNA e.g. 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00323. but am curious why not used more widely. Viruses and agro are just easier for most applications?
Reposted by Steven Burgess
🌱🚨 Funded PhD for UK students 🇬🇧🌿
Take a look at this Plant BioDesign Doctoral Training Program.
Come work with me and @michaelwebster.bsky.social to study plant rubiscos. High throughput biochem at Cambridge and Cryo-EM techniques at the John Innes Centre.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Take a look at this Plant BioDesign Doctoral Training Program.
Come work with me and @michaelwebster.bsky.social to study plant rubiscos. High throughput biochem at Cambridge and Cryo-EM techniques at the John Innes Centre.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Engineering plant rubisco enzymes through high-throughput enzyme assays and cryo-EM (Plant BioDesign Cambridge project) at University of York on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Engineering plant rubisco enzymes through high-throughput enzyme assays and cryo-EM (Plant BioDesign Cambridge project) at University of York, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:22 AM
🌱🚨 Funded PhD for UK students 🇬🇧🌿
Take a look at this Plant BioDesign Doctoral Training Program.
Come work with me and @michaelwebster.bsky.social to study plant rubiscos. High throughput biochem at Cambridge and Cryo-EM techniques at the John Innes Centre.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Take a look at this Plant BioDesign Doctoral Training Program.
Come work with me and @michaelwebster.bsky.social to study plant rubiscos. High throughput biochem at Cambridge and Cryo-EM techniques at the John Innes Centre.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Steven Burgess
Very excited to finally share my PhD paper, about advancing #chloroplast #synbio through high-throughput plastome engineering of #Chlamydomonas.
Huge thanks to the whole team!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Huge thanks to the whole team!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 3, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Very excited to finally share my PhD paper, about advancing #chloroplast #synbio through high-throughput plastome engineering of #Chlamydomonas.
Huge thanks to the whole team!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Huge thanks to the whole team!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Steven Burgess
I have a PhD studentship available to work on PIF proteins in wheat with Stephen Pearce @rothamsted.bsky.social and @colleendrapek.bsky.social at Phytoform labs. Any reposts greatly appreciated.
November 6, 2025 at 11:41 AM
I have a PhD studentship available to work on PIF proteins in wheat with Stephen Pearce @rothamsted.bsky.social and @colleendrapek.bsky.social at Phytoform labs. Any reposts greatly appreciated.
Reposted by Steven Burgess
Very happy to share that this paper is now online on @currentbiology.bsky.social !! 🥳🧪 Check out the final published verion here: www.cell.com/current-biol...
#mimuluspropaganda
#mimuluspropaganda
November 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Very happy to share that this paper is now online on @currentbiology.bsky.social !! 🥳🧪 Check out the final published verion here: www.cell.com/current-biol...
#mimuluspropaganda
#mimuluspropaganda
New preprint - it has been my sad duty to help get this out after the passing of Steve Long and Amy Marshall-Colon. Testing combined effects of VPZ phenotype and eCO2 in soy (attempt to mimic improving both light use efficiency and CO2 assimilation). What exactly VPZ is doing remains unclear 1/n
November 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM
New preprint - it has been my sad duty to help get this out after the passing of Steve Long and Amy Marshall-Colon. Testing combined effects of VPZ phenotype and eCO2 in soy (attempt to mimic improving both light use efficiency and CO2 assimilation). What exactly VPZ is doing remains unclear 1/n
Work started by Don Ort's lab. How is rubisco activase regulated? There are suggestions that phosphorylation acts redundantly with redox to control activity. This paper shows if it does, this is likely limited to Arabidopsis. The role of PTMs (if any) in regulating Rca is still unclear #plantsci
November 23, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Work started by Don Ort's lab. How is rubisco activase regulated? There are suggestions that phosphorylation acts redundantly with redox to control activity. This paper shows if it does, this is likely limited to Arabidopsis. The role of PTMs (if any) in regulating Rca is still unclear #plantsci
Pls help: I've read in several papers about use of kits from "Genmed Scientifics" which is quoted as a US based company, although the city quoted varies. No amount of Google searching can actually find this company, or the kits. Does anyone know what this is? I don't think it's fraud, but its weird
October 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Pls help: I've read in several papers about use of kits from "Genmed Scientifics" which is quoted as a US based company, although the city quoted varies. No amount of Google searching can actually find this company, or the kits. Does anyone know what this is? I don't think it's fraud, but its weird
Reposted by Steven Burgess
The @uncchapelhill.bsky.social Department of Biology is searching for tenure-track Assistant Professor in Plant Molecular Biology. Chapel Hill is a wonderful place and Biology is an amazing group of people. To apply, see:
unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...
unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...
October 6, 2025 at 7:30 PM
The @uncchapelhill.bsky.social Department of Biology is searching for tenure-track Assistant Professor in Plant Molecular Biology. Chapel Hill is a wonderful place and Biology is an amazing group of people. To apply, see:
unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...
unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...
Reposted by Steven Burgess
🚨 Please repost widely!🚨
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions
October 3, 2025 at 4:45 PM
🚨 Please repost widely!🚨
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab next fall to work on forest and climate change ecology projects in southern Appalachia! Come join me in one of the most beautiful, biodiverse, and understudied parts of North America. Details below and happy to answer questions
Interesting read -10.1093/plphys/kiaf465 "Allelic variants of IRKI contribute to photosynthetic efficiency by regulating rubisco activase in Populus" there is a lot we don't know about regulation of photosynthesis here a receptor like kinase interacting protein has a role @plantphys.bsky.social
October 2, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Interesting read -10.1093/plphys/kiaf465 "Allelic variants of IRKI contribute to photosynthetic efficiency by regulating rubisco activase in Populus" there is a lot we don't know about regulation of photosynthesis here a receptor like kinase interacting protein has a role @plantphys.bsky.social
Reposted by Steven Burgess
New #PhD opportunities! NorthWestBio projects now online for 2026! Including a #photosynthesis project w/ @marjorielundgren.bsky.social looking at how photosynthetic diversity may affect future crop nutrient quality. Plant projects and the full set of projects available here: tinyurl.com/529yz4jd
FindAPhD : NorthWestBio Fully Funded Doctoral Training Programme Studentship 2026 at University of Glasgow
Apply for a PhD: NorthWestBio Fully Funded Doctoral Training Programme Studentship 2026 at University of Glasgow
tinyurl.com
September 30, 2025 at 3:04 PM
New #PhD opportunities! NorthWestBio projects now online for 2026! Including a #photosynthesis project w/ @marjorielundgren.bsky.social looking at how photosynthetic diversity may affect future crop nutrient quality. Plant projects and the full set of projects available here: tinyurl.com/529yz4jd
Reposted by Steven Burgess
We really enjoyed putting together this Darwin Review for JXB. Fun to think about how carboxysomes work and why plants don't have them.
@jxbotany.bsky.social
Function, Evolution, and Future of Carboxysomes url: academic.oup.com/jxb/article-...
@jxbotany.bsky.social
Function, Evolution, and Future of Carboxysomes url: academic.oup.com/jxb/article-...
The Function, Evolution, and Future of Carboxysomes
Abstract. Since their discovery as rubisco-containing compartments more than 50 years ago, significant breakthroughs have advanced our understanding of car
academic.oup.com
September 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM
We really enjoyed putting together this Darwin Review for JXB. Fun to think about how carboxysomes work and why plants don't have them.
@jxbotany.bsky.social
Function, Evolution, and Future of Carboxysomes url: academic.oup.com/jxb/article-...
@jxbotany.bsky.social
Function, Evolution, and Future of Carboxysomes url: academic.oup.com/jxb/article-...
Reposted by Steven Burgess
Just came across this paper "Dual-cycle CO2 fixation enhances growth and lipid synthesis..."
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Dual-cycle CO2 fixation enhances growth and lipid synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Carbon fixation through the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle accounts for the majority of carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake from the atmosphere. The CBB cycle generates C3 carbohydrates but is inefficient ...
www.science.org
September 12, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Just came across this paper "Dual-cycle CO2 fixation enhances growth and lipid synthesis..."
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
I'm deeply saddened. A tireless champion of plant #synbio and man of integrity. His insistence on focusing on real-world problems, calling out BS and bringing together lab and Ag, industry and academia will be sorely missed
With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Dr. Andrew Hanson, C.V. Griffin Sr. Eminent Scholar in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida. To participate in a video montage honoring Dr. Hanson, please record & share a memory by Sept 9: ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
September 5, 2025 at 1:53 AM
I'm deeply saddened. A tireless champion of plant #synbio and man of integrity. His insistence on focusing on real-world problems, calling out BS and bringing together lab and Ag, industry and academia will be sorely missed
We are hiring! The #PlantBio department at UIUC is looking to recruit an Assistant Professor in Plant-Fungal interactions. Application deadline is October 31st @dallingjim.bsky.social see the link below for more details:
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Assistant Professor- Department of Plant Biology
Duties & Responsibilities
illinois.csod.com
September 4, 2025 at 1:48 PM
We are hiring! The #PlantBio department at UIUC is looking to recruit an Assistant Professor in Plant-Fungal interactions. Application deadline is October 31st @dallingjim.bsky.social see the link below for more details:
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Reposted by Steven Burgess
Big news from the Demirer lab: first 4 research papers are preprinted! Check them out, feedback welcomed:
eCIS for plant protein delivery: tinyurl.com/mrx4d878
R2 for targeted insertion: tinyurl.com/5n73za6h
Transient expression: tinyurl.com/38p2ud6w
Chemotaxis assay: tinyurl.com/3nw9haes
More ⬇️
eCIS for plant protein delivery: tinyurl.com/mrx4d878
R2 for targeted insertion: tinyurl.com/5n73za6h
Transient expression: tinyurl.com/38p2ud6w
Chemotaxis assay: tinyurl.com/3nw9haes
More ⬇️
August 26, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Big news from the Demirer lab: first 4 research papers are preprinted! Check them out, feedback welcomed:
eCIS for plant protein delivery: tinyurl.com/mrx4d878
R2 for targeted insertion: tinyurl.com/5n73za6h
Transient expression: tinyurl.com/38p2ud6w
Chemotaxis assay: tinyurl.com/3nw9haes
More ⬇️
eCIS for plant protein delivery: tinyurl.com/mrx4d878
R2 for targeted insertion: tinyurl.com/5n73za6h
Transient expression: tinyurl.com/38p2ud6w
Chemotaxis assay: tinyurl.com/3nw9haes
More ⬇️
Reposted by Steven Burgess
👉 my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Join us and be part of shaping the future of #plantscience at Oxford as we move to the new Life and Mind Building lifeandmind.web.ox.ac.uk/home (recognised for its potential to change the World edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/s...) @biology.ox.ac.uk www.biology.ox.ac.uk
Join us and be part of shaping the future of #plantscience at Oxford as we move to the new Life and Mind Building lifeandmind.web.ox.ac.uk/home (recognised for its potential to change the World edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/s...) @biology.ox.ac.uk www.biology.ox.ac.uk
'
my.corehr.com
August 25, 2025 at 9:42 AM
👉 my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Join us and be part of shaping the future of #plantscience at Oxford as we move to the new Life and Mind Building lifeandmind.web.ox.ac.uk/home (recognised for its potential to change the World edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/s...) @biology.ox.ac.uk www.biology.ox.ac.uk
Join us and be part of shaping the future of #plantscience at Oxford as we move to the new Life and Mind Building lifeandmind.web.ox.ac.uk/home (recognised for its potential to change the World edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/s...) @biology.ox.ac.uk www.biology.ox.ac.uk
Reposted by Steven Burgess
A great example of how comparative genomics across the full range of vascular plant lineages can be used as a catalyst for gene discovery!
Exciting new single cell datasets for gymnosperms, ferns and lycophytes!
The scale of this study is really amazing!
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Exciting new single cell datasets for gymnosperms, ferns and lycophytes!
The scale of this study is really amazing!
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
A unified cell atlas of vascular plants reveals cell-type foundational genes and accelerates gene discovery
A cross-species single-cell atlas highlights a core subset of cell-type foundational
genes associated with major vascular plant cell types, enabling the identification
of hidden cell types and the dev...
www.cell.com
August 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
A great example of how comparative genomics across the full range of vascular plant lineages can be used as a catalyst for gene discovery!
Exciting new single cell datasets for gymnosperms, ferns and lycophytes!
The scale of this study is really amazing!
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Exciting new single cell datasets for gymnosperms, ferns and lycophytes!
The scale of this study is really amazing!
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Steven Burgess
August 18, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by Steven Burgess
I’m proud to present the main work from my postdoc, 3+ years in making from scratch, my ultimate #MimulusPropaganda up till now:
The Moment
That
Symmetry
Breaks.
#plantscience #development #imaging #microscopy 🧪🌸🔬
w. Captain Yaowu & @biancatash.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Moment
That
Symmetry
Breaks.
#plantscience #development #imaging #microscopy 🧪🌸🔬
w. Captain Yaowu & @biancatash.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
August 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I’m proud to present the main work from my postdoc, 3+ years in making from scratch, my ultimate #MimulusPropaganda up till now:
The Moment
That
Symmetry
Breaks.
#plantscience #development #imaging #microscopy 🧪🌸🔬
w. Captain Yaowu & @biancatash.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Moment
That
Symmetry
Breaks.
#plantscience #development #imaging #microscopy 🧪🌸🔬
w. Captain Yaowu & @biancatash.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Steven Burgess
This preprint from Helen Sakharova is one of the coolest things to come out of my lab: “Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice.” Codon choice is a big puzzle in how information is encoded in genomes, and we have a new angle. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice
Evolution has shaped the genetic code, with subtle pressures leading to preferences for some synonymous codons over others. Codons are translated at different speeds by the ribosome, imposing constrai...
www.biorxiv.org
August 7, 2025 at 8:29 AM
This preprint from Helen Sakharova is one of the coolest things to come out of my lab: “Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice.” Codon choice is a big puzzle in how information is encoded in genomes, and we have a new angle. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...