Stefanie Böhmer: Plant Direct First Author

Stefanie Böhmer, first author of “Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutants deficient for Old Yellow Enzyme 3 exhibit increased photooxidative stress”

Current Position: Post-doc at Photobiotechnology group, Ruhr University Bochum

Education:

B.Sc. Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany (2011 – 2014)

M.Sc. Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany (2014 – 2016)

Ph.D. (Dr. rer nat.) Photobiotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany (2017 – 2022)

Non-scientific interests:

Orchestral music, NGO voluntary activities, photography, cooking

Brief bio:

I have been interested in the biotechnology of green microorganisms for several years. In my university education, I was able to establish whole-cell biotransformation systems with recombinant cyanobacteria. To this end, we applied the light reactions of photosynthesis to drive targeted in vivo biocatalyses. Inspired by this model system, I transferred the concept to the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. My research interest in recent years has been in the field of enzyme catalysis and in particular in the in-depth study of the so-called Old Yellow Enzymes (ene reductases). The biological role of these enzymes, which have been studied for more than 90 years mostly in the context of biotechnology, is still largely unknown. The model green alga Chlamydomonas has several homologs of these ubiquitous enzymes. I was therefore highly interested in what purpose these NADPH-dependent enzymes serve in the alga. Based on a biochemical characterization of three OYE homologs from Chlamydomonas, I focused on a particularly active homolog, CrOYE3. Using a previously established whole-cell biotransformation system and further in vivo studies, we were able to form initial hypotheses based on our measurements. We discuss the light dependence and possible role of CrOYE3 within the photooxidative stress response in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in this paper.