BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//ZContent.net//ZapCalLib 1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Xanthophyll Pigment Cycling in Diatoms: Photosynthesis, Fitness, an
 d the Fates of Diadinoxanthin
LOCATION:Yates 208
TZID:America/Denver
DTSTART:20260323T150000
UID:2026-05-13-06-52-24@natsci.colostate.edu
DTSTAMP:20260513T065224
Description:Please join us for a special PhD Defense Seminar with PhD candi
 date and CSU Biology grad student\, Andrew Paton\, entitled\, \"Xanthophyl
 l Pigment Cycling in Diatoms: Photosynthesis\, Fitness\, and the Fates of 
 Diadinoxanthin\". Andrew\\'s seminar explores how diatoms manage light usi
 ng a unique set of pigments that help them both capture energy and protect
  themselves from too much sunlight. His research identifies the key genes 
 that control this pigment cycle and shows how diatom photosynthesis and ca
 rbon storage change when those genes are missing. Andrew\\'s work offers n
 ew insight into why diatoms are so successful in nature and highlights pot
 ential genetic targets to improve their performance in industrial settings
 .\n\nEvent Details:\nSpeaker: Andrew Paton\nTitle: Xanthophyll Pigment Cyc
 ling in Diatoms: Photosynthesis\, Fitness\, and the Fates of Diadinoxanthi
 n\nDate: Monday\, March 23\, 2026\nTime: 3:00 PM\nLocation: Yates 208\nCan
 \\'t attend in person? Join us on Teams! col.st/0u7qa\n\n 	\nMeeting ID: 2
 58 242 827 823 96\n 	\nPasscode: X4iH6UT7\n\nAdvisor: Dr. Graham Peers\, A
 ssociate Professor\, CSU Department of Biology\n\nWhether you’re into ec
 ology\, photosynthesis\, or innovative bioengineering\, this seminar is a 
 great opportunity to learn how diatoms’ unique light‑management tricks
  can drive both scientific insight and industrial innovation.\n\nWe look f
 orward to seeing you there in support of this incredible milestone!\n\nAbs
 tract\n\"Diatoms are microalgae that are abundant across the globe\, produ
 ce around 20% of atmospheric oxygen\, and are increasingly relevant to ind
 ustry for lipid and antioxidant production. Through a separate evolutionar
 y history from plants\, diatoms possess several distinct photosynthetic pi
 gments. As photosynthetic organisms\, diatoms must balance harvesting enou
 gh light for photochemistry and dissipating harmful excess light. Diatoms 
 primarily accomplish this via a toggle switch between carotenoid pigments 
 called the xanthophyll cycle\, which utilizes different pigments than the 
 comparable plant cycle. The genes catalyzing this cycle in diatoms had not
  been fully characterized. For my dissertation\, I sought to identify thes
 e genes and characterize pigment content\, photosynthetic physiology\, and
  fitness in their absence. In my first two sections\, I show evidence that
  two diatom genes related to corresponding plant genes complete their xant
 hophyll cycle. In another section I directly compare the photosynthesis an
 d organic carbon accumulation of the mutants of the two involved genes. I 
 finish by presenting some data on a spontaneous lab mutation potentially m
 irroring how the biosynthetic pathways for these pigments naturally evolve
 d. These findings further our understanding of how diatoms achieved ecolog
 ical success and provide engineering targets for improving performance in 
 dense industrial culture\, where competition between light harvesting and 
 dissipation lowers productivity.\"\n\n 3:00 pm
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR