Prof. Susan S. Golden, distinguished professor of the Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, paid a visit to IHB, July 4.  

Prof. Susan S. Golden, distinguished professor of the Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, together with James W. Golden, professor of the Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, paid a visit to Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IHB) on July 4. During their visit, Prof. Susan S. Golden and Prof. James W. Golden gave lectures entitled "How cyanobacteria tell time” and "Cyanobacterial heterocyst development and regulation of nitrogen-fixation genes” respectively.

Dr. Susan Golden introduced the pioneering work in her lab: circadian rhythms of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus (PCC 7942). She developed genetic tools for the cyanobacterium S. elongatus, which is currently the only model organism for a prokaryotic circadian clock. This work demonstrated light-dependent cellular metabolism (photosynthesis) is an important pathway which regulates circadian rhythms of gene expression in S. elongates.  

Dr. James Golden introduced the mechanism of heterocyst (nitrogen-fixation cell) development and pattern formation in the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC7120 (Nostoc). He found the patS gene in filamentous cyanobacteria, which encodes a small peptide, plays a critical role in establishing the heterocyst pattern. 

After the lecture, both professors visited the research groups related to algal studies in the institute and interacted with IHB scholars on a wide range of topics.

James W. Golden,　professor of the Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, paid a visit to IHB, July 4.