2024 Faculty Courses School of Life Science and Technology Department of Life Science and Technology Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
Science of Biological Resources
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
- Instructor(s)
- Kan Tanaka / Mie Shimojima / Taiko To / Yuriko Osakabe / Keisuke Yoshida
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LST.A502
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course focuses on basics required for using natural resources for sustainable future life. Specifically, the students will study basics and applied science on photosynthetic organisms such as algae and higher plants.
The topics will include photosynthetic light-energy conversion mechanisms, photosynthetic light-signal transduction mechanisms, evolutional mechanisms of photosynthesis and photosynthetic organisms on the earth, mechanisms of symbiosis establishing chloroplasts, and mechanisms of stress responses in photosynthetic organisms. Students will experience how photosynthesis is important for sustainable energy provision for life on the earth.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) explain how photosynthesis is important for life and the earth
2) explain molecular basis mechanisms of photosynthesis
3) explain how photosynthesis is established
4) explain mechanisms of how photosynthetic organisms respond to environmental stresses
5) discuss future progresses on biofuel production by photosynthetic organisms
Keywords
Natural resources, Photosynthesis, Stress response, Biofuel, Bioenergy, Algae, Plant
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This course will be conducted by using Zoom system.
This course will be organized by five lecturers and given in English.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Photosynthesis; the most important energy conversion system on the earth (Yoshida) | Understanding why photosynthesis is important on the earth |
| Class 2 | Light energy harvesting and conversion systems in photosynthesis (Yoshida) | Understanding basics for light-harvesting and charge separation in photosynthesis |
| Class 3 | Carbon assimilation in photosynthesis (Yoshida) | Understanding molecular mechanisms of carbon assimilation and its regulation |
| Class 4 | Structure, function and development of plastids in plant cells (Tanaka) | Understanding plastid functions in divergent plant cells |
| Class 5 | Function of plant cells based on organelle interactions (Tanaka) | Understanding interaction among various plant cell organelles |
| Class 6 | Evolution and diversity of chloroplasts established by endosymbioses (Tanaka) | Understanding endosymbiotic evolution of photosynthetic eukaryotes |
| Class 7 | Structure and function of biological membranes in photosynthetic organisms (Shimojima) | Understanding molecular basis and function of cellular and subcellular membranes in photosynthetic organisms |
| Class 8 | Biosynthesis of membrane and storage lipids in photosynthetic organisms (Shimojima) | Understanding molecular mechanism of lipid synthesis and its function in photosynthetic organisms |
| Class 9 | Biofuel production using microalgae (Shimojima) | Understanding importance of biofuel production using microalgae |
| Class 10 | Regulation of gene expression and epigenetics in plants (To) | Understanding epigenetic mechanisms in gene expression regulation in plants |
| Class 11 | Metabolisms and drought stress responses in plants (To) | Understanding crosstalk between environmental responses and metabolic pathways in plants |
| Class 12 | Transposon and epigenetic plant breeding (To) | Understanding history and perspectives of epigenetic plant breeding |
| Class 13 | Molecular mechanism of signal transduction of stress responses in plants (Osakabe) | Understanding molecular mechanism of water stress responses and its crosstalk photosynthesis in plants |
| Class 14 | Frontiers in genetic engineering for target improvement of plants (Osakabe) | Understanding advanced technology of genetic and genome engineering to improve plant functions |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course materials.
Textbook(s)
Will not be used
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Kimiyuki Sato (ed): Photosynthesis. Asakura-Shoten; ISBN 4-254-17657-0 C 3345. (Japanese)
Phosynthesis Education Team, The University of Tokyo; ISBN978-4-13-062214-1. (Japanese)
Robert E. Blankenship: Molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis, Blackwell Science (English)
Evaluation methods and criteria
Reports to check the essential understanding will be requested for the assessment.
Related courses
- LST.A203 ： Biochemistry I
- LST.A218 ： Biochemistry II
- LST.A361 ： Photosynthesis and photobiology
Prerequisites
none