1. Table of Content of the Book based on the Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Chloroplast Bioengineering held in Urbana on May 2-7, 2005

1.The First Lifetime Achievement Prize of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research Awarded to Professor Govindjee

2. The Second Lifetime Achievement Prize of the Rrebeiz Foundation for Basic Research was Awarded to Professor Paul Castelfranco

1. The First 2006 Annual Paper Award of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research was Awarded to Drs Britta Forster and Colleagues

2. The 2007 Annual Paper Award of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research was Awarded to Professor Donald A. Bryant and Aline Gomez Maqueo Chew

3. The 2008 Annual Paper Award of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research was Awarded to Professor Alison Smith and her Colleagues

Announcements

On June 30, 2005, with the retirement of C. A. Rebeiz from the University of Illinois, and the establishment of the Rebeiz Foundation forBasic Research, the Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Photobiology has been converted into the Virtual Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Photobiology (VLPBP). In Addition to its dedication to the promotion of research dealing with the greening process, the VLPBP website will be expanded to become the voice of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research. The Foundation will be a clearing house for the promotion ofChloroplast Research and Bioengineering Nationally and Internationally. Among other things, the "Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research will deliver annual prizes for the best research papers in the fields of chloroplast biochemistry and molecular biology , as well as one yearly Life-Time Achievement Award for a qualified chloroplast scientist. Gradually the number of awards will be increased form two to nine awards to eventually cover the nine chloroplast research areas listed below . In due time, the Foundation will feature papers of the month and papers of the year to promote the best research on chloroplast biochemistry and molecular biology.

At the present the Governing Board of the Foundation consists of:

1. First International Symposium On Chloroplast Bioengineering: University of Illinois, Lincoln Historical Hotel, May 2-May 7, 2005

1. Table of Content of the Book based on the Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Chloroplast Bioengineering held in Urbana on May 2-7, 2005.

Click Here to view the Table of Content

1. The First Lifetime Achievement Prize of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research Awarded to Professor Govindjee

Professor Govindjee was awarded the RFFBR Lifetime Achievement Prize for his outstanding contributiosn to Photosynthesis Research and his continued and dignified service to the Photosynthesis Community. A Brief account of Govindjee's achievement is given Here

2. The second lifetime achievement prize of the rebeiz foundation for basic research awarded to Professor Paul Castelfranco

Professor Paul Castelfranco was awarded the RFFBR Lifetime Achievement Prize for his outstanding contributions to Chlorophyll Biosynthesis Research. A Brief account of Dr. Castelfranco's achievements is given HERE

3. The Third lifetime Achievement Prize of theRrebeiz Foundation for Basic Research was awarded to Professor Andrew Benson

Professor Andrew Benson was awarded the RFFBR Lifetime Achievement Prize for his many outstanding contributions to Photsynthesis Research and many other biological research achievemnts. The award ceremony took place at the Foundation Headquarters on October 17, 2009. A Brief account of Professor Benson achievements is given HERE

1. Drs Britta Forster and Colleagues Have Received the First 2006 Annual Paper Prize of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research

The First RFFBR 2006 Paper Prize has been awarded to Drs. Britta Forster, Ulrike Mathesius and Barry P. Pogson for their paper on the "Compartive Proteomics of High-Light Stress in the Model Alga Clamydomonas reinhardtii, which was published in: Proteomics 6: 4309-4320 (2006). Click Here for a brief summary of the paper.

In selecting that paper for the first 2006 RFFBR Paper Award, The Foundation Board of Directors felt that the described work will greatly benefit other chloroplast researchers.

2. Drs Donald A. Bryant and Aline Gomez Maqueo Chew Have Received the 2007 Annual Paper Prize of the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research

The RFFBR Paper Award for 2007 has been awarded to Dr. Donald A. Bryant and his student, Dr. Aline Gomez Maqueo Chew, for their paper on the "Characterization of a Plant-like Protochlorophyllide a Divinyl Reductase in Green Sulfur Bacteria”. The paper appeared in J. Biol. Chem. 282-2967-2975 (2007). Click Here for a brief summary of the paper.

Essentially, "The paper tackles the long standing question of whether there are multiple vinyl reductases or a single vinyl reductase in plants. It provides evidence for the presence of multiple reductases.

In selecting the paper for the second RFFBR Paper Award, The Foundation Board of Directors felt that the described work will greatly benefit other chloroplast researchers, and consolidate our knowledge of the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway.

3. The RFFBR Paper Award for 2008 has been Awarded to Professor Alison Smith and her Colleagues

Professor Alison Smith and her colleagues, Michael Moulin, Alex C. McCormac, and Mattew J. Terry, for their paper entitled "Tetrapyrrole profiling in Arabidopsis seedlings reveals that retrograde plastid nuclear signaling is not due to Mg-protoporphyrin IX accumulation”. The paper appeared in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 105:15178-15183(2008) and was edited by Diter von Wettstein. Essentially the paper refutes the long standing hypothesis that Mg-protoporphyrin IX accumulation is responsible for retrograde plastid-nuclear signaling. Click Here for a brief summary of the paper

In selecting this paper for the thirdRFFBR Paper Award, the Board of directors of the Rebeiz Foundation felt that the described work will greatly benefit other chloroplast researchers, and enhance our knowledge of the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway and its regulation.

Announcements

1. The C. A. and C. C. Rebeiz Prize for Agricultural Research at the American University of Beirut (AUB)

In 2006, C. A. and C. C. Rebeiz have established a private prize in Agricultural Research at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the American University of Beirut. The corresponding author of the best research paper in any field of Agricultural or food science for a given year is recognized by receiving a cash prize of one thousand dollars and a certificate of recognition. Submitted articles for any given year are reviewed and rated by an appropriate committee of known scientists. The Prize is announced in May of the following year.

a. The 2007 C. A. and C. C. Rebeiz Prize for Agricultural reaearch at AUB

The 2007 C. A. and C. C. Rebeiz Prize for Agricultural reaearch at AUB has been awarded to Dr. Elie K Barbour and Colleagues. The paper entitled "Alleviation of Histopathologic Effects of Avian Influenza Virus by a Specific Nutrient Synergy" was authored by Elie K. Barbour, Edward G. Rayya, Houssam Shaib, Rindala G. El Hakim,Aleksandra Niedzwiecki, Afif M. Abdel Nour, Steve Harakah, and Mathhias Rath. It appeared in Intern J. Appl. Res. Vet. Med. 5: 9-6 (2007).

The study was aimed at alleviating the the histopathologic effects of avian influenza virus by a specific nutrient synergy present in Epican Forte which is a blend of pure molecules needed by different metabolic pathways in the body. The evaluation committed consisted of Professors Keith Kelley, Elvira de Mejia, and Donald Briskin of the University of Illinois and Professor Emeritus Constantin A. Rebeiz.

b. The 2008 C. A. and C. C. Rebeiz Prize for Agricultural reaearch at AUB

The 2008 C. A. and C. C. Rebeiz Prize for Agricultural reaearch at AUB has been awarded to Dr. Salma Talhouk and her Colleagues. The paper entitled "Molecular Characterization of Lebanese Olive Germplasm" was authored by Rony Chamoun, Riad Baalbaki, Panagiotis Kalaitzis and Slam Talhouk who was also the corresponding author. It appeared in ITree Genetics & Genomes (2009) 5: 109-115.

The study assessed the existing in situ diversity of old Lebanese olive gorves using simple sequence repeat and amplifiied fragment length polymorophism. The evaluation committed consisted of Professors Fred Below, Elvira de Mejia, Wes Domier, and Safi Korban of the University of Illinois (UI) and Constantin A. Rebeiz, UI Professor Emeritus.

A copy of the Award Certificate can be viewed by clicking on the following Photo link.

Reflections and Comments

1. Rebeiz, C. A. (11/5/2006). Academic and Business Research Models: Analysis and Comments. Click HERE to view the full length essay

2. Rebeiz, C. A. (1/22/2010). The University Crisis: Let us Roll Back Events and Turn Adversity into Advantage. Click HERE to view the full length essay

Computation Software

link and follow the described step-by-step instructions. When the Java Security Warning Window appears, click on the Grant This Session button. In order to perform quantitative calculations with the Java routine, it is mandatory to download and install the Java (TM) 2 Runtime Environment Standard Edition file named: J2re-1_4_0_01-windows-i586. This self-extractable and -installable file can be downloaded from the following website: http://java.sun.com, by clicking the "Download J2se^TMv1.4 Now button.

Note: This program was developped by Professor Daniel G. Saab of Case Western University.

The program is meant to handle spectral data generated on fully corrected SLM DW2 spectrofluorometers with Data.dat file structure. Later on a similar program will be added to handle spectral data acquired on fully corrected SPEX spectrofluorometers with Data.Spc file format. It should be kept in mind that the equations were compiled with photomultiplier sentivities of LPBP SLM Spectrofluorometers. Individuals who wish to obtain accurate computations should construct calibration curves that relate known porphyrin concentrations to the web-calculated concentrations. In this manner the user would have a correction factor for every listed equation that relates their instrument sentivity to LPBP's.

• Copy the Data.dat file containing the spectral data anywhere to the hard drive or keep it on a removable diskette.
• Browse to the location of the Data.dat file and doudle click on it. Click on the "ClickHereToLoadData" button to load the data on the computer.
• Select a porphyrin equation such as Proto....E400, E440 from the dropdown menu.
• Enter the spectral location (a 1-83 number) for the E400 spectrum, i.e.for the emission spectrum elicited by excitation at 400 nm.
• Enter the spectral location (a 1-83 number) for the E440 spectrum, i.e.for the emission spectrum elicited by excitation at 440 nm.
• Click on "ClickHereToDisplayResults" The results i. e. the Proto concentration in pmole/ml +/- standard deviation is displayed in the display window.
• The "Total_Q" entry is meant for the MV, DV equations. An entry of 100 will yield the percent of the MV and DV components for a specific MV + DV mixture of the tetrapyrrole. An entry of the total MV + DV tetapyrole content will yield the actual amounts of MV and DV tetrapyrrole components in pmoles/ml.

1. Stephen O. Duke and C A. Rebeiz (1994). Porphyric Pesticides: Chemistry,Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Applications, S.O. Duke and C. A. Rebeiz, eds. ACS Symposium Series 559 pp 317.
2. Rebeiz, C. A. (1994). Photodynamic Herbicidal Compositions Using Delta-Aminolevulinic Acid. U. S. Patent Ser. No. 5,286,708 pp 38.
3. Rebeiz, C. A., Juvik, J. A. and Rebeiz C. C. (1994) Porphyric insecticides. U. S. Patent Ser. No 5300526, pp. 18.
4. Rebeiz, C. A. (1994) Photodynamic Defoliants. U. S. Patent Ser. No 5321001, pp. 23.
5. Gut, L. J., Lee, K., Juvik, J. A. Rebeiz, C. C. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1994) Porphyric Insecticides 6. Structure Activity Study of Substituted Pyridyls. Pest. Biochem. Physiol. 50: 1-14.
6. Ioannides, I., Fasoula D. A., Robertson, K. R. and Rebeiz, C. A. An evolutionary study of chlorophyll biosynthetic heterogeneity in green plants.(1994) Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 22:211-220.
7. Rebeiz, C. A., Parham, R., Fasoula, D. A., and Ioannides, I. M. (1994) Chlorophyll a Biosynthetic Heterogeneity. In: Biosynthesis of tetrapyrrole pigments. Ciba Symposium 180. pp 177-193, John Wiley, New York.
8. Duke S. O. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1994). Porphyrinogenesis as a tool in pest management. In: Porphyric Pesticides: Chemisry, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutical Applications (S. O. Duke and C. A. Rebeiz, eds.) ACS Symposium Series 559, pp 1-16
9. Rebeiz C. A., Amindari S., Reddy N. K., Nandihalli U. B. Moubarak M. B., and Velu, J. A. (1994) Delta-aminolevulinic Acid-Based Herbicides . In: Porphyric Pesticides: Chemisry, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutical Applications (S. O. Duke and C. A. Rebeiz, eds.) ACS Symposium Series 559 pp. 48-64.
10. Reddy K. N. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1994). Modulators of the porphyrin pathway beyond protox. In: Porphyric Pesticides : Chemisry, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutical Applications (S. O. Duke and C. A. Rebeiz, eds.) ACS Symposium Series 559, pp. 161-190.
11. Gut, L. J., Juvik, J. A. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1994). Porphyric insecticides. In: Porphyric Pesticides: Chemisry, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutical Applications (S. O. Duke and C. A. Rebeiz, eds.) ACS Symposium Series 559. pp. 206-232.
12. Rebeiz, N., Kelley, K. W. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1994). Porphyrins as chemotherapeutic agents: Biochemistry of protoporphyrin IX accumulation in mammalian cells. In: Porphyric Pesticides: Chemistry, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutical Applications (S. O. Duke and C. A. Rebeiz, eds.) ACS Symposium Series 559. pp. 233-246.
13. Rebeiz, C. A., Gut, L. J., Lee, K., Juvik, J. A., Rebeiz, C. C., Bouton, C. E. (1995) Photodynamics of porphyric insecticides. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 14: 329-366.
14. Parham R. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1995) Chloroplast Biogenesis 72: A [4-Vinyl]chlorophyllide a Reductase assay using divinyl chlorophyllide a as an exogenous substrate. Anal Biochem. 231: 164-169.
15. Lee K, and Rebeiz, C. A. (1995) Subcellular localization of protoporphyrin IX and its photodynamic effects on mitochondrial function of the cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni). In: Light Activated Pesticides (J. R. Heitz and K. R. Downum, eds.) ACS Symposium Series 616 , pp 152-163.
16. Amindari S., Splittstosser, W. E., and Rebeiz C. A. (1995) Photodynamic effects of several metabolic tetrapyrroles on isolated chloroplasts. In: Light Activated Pesticides (J. R. Heitz and K. R. Downum, eds.) ACS Symposium Series 616, pp 217-246.
17. Kim, Jin-Seog, and Rebeiz, C. A. (1995). An improved analysis for determination of monovinyl and divinyl protoporphyrin IX. J. Photosci. 2: 103-106.
18. Rebeiz, N., Arkins, S. Rebeiz, C. A., Simon, J., Zachary, J. F., and Kelley, K. W. (1996). Induction of tumor necrosis by delta-aminolevulinic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline. Cancer Res. 56:339-344.
19. Fasoula, D. A., Smyth, C. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1996) Relationship of the Protochlorophyllide a content to Plant yield. In: Handbook of Photosynthesis, (M. Pessarakli, ed.) pp 671-679, Marcel Dekker, New York.
20. Rebeiz, N., Arkins, S., Kelley, K. W., and Rebeiz, C. A. (1996). Enhancement of coproporphyrinogen III transport into isolated transfromed leukocyte mitochondria by ATP. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 333:475-481.
21. Kim, Jin-Seog, and Rebeiz, C. A. (1996) Origin of the chlorophyll a biosynthetic heterogeneity in higher plants. J. Biochem. Mol. Biol. 29: 327-334.
22. Awad Abd El Mageed, H., El Sahhar, K. F., Robertson, K. R., Parham, R. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1997) Chloroplast Biogenesis 77: Two novel monovinyl and divinyl light-dark greening groups of plants and their relationships to the Chlorophyll a biosynthetic heterogeneity of green plants. Photochem. Photobiol. 66:86-96.
23. Ioannides I. M., Shedbalkar, V. P., and Rebeiz, C. A. (1997) Quantitative determination of 2-monovinyl protochlorphyll)ide) b by spectrofluorometry. Anal. Biochem. 249:241-244.
24. Kim, J. S., Kolossov, V. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1997). Chloroplast biogenesis 76. Regulation of 4-vinyl reduction during conversion of divinyl Mg-protoporphyrin IX to monovinyl protochlorophyllide a is controlled by plastid and membrane stromal factors. Photosynthetica 34: 569-58.
25. Adra, A. N. and Rebeiz, C. A. (1998) Chloroplast Biogenesis 81. Tansient Formation of divinyl chlorophyll a following a 2.5 millisecond light flash treatment of etiolated cucumber cotyledons. Photochem. Photobiol. 68: 852-856 .
26. Rebeiz, C. A., Ioannides, I. M., Kolossov, V. and Kopetz, K. J. (1999) Chloroplast Biogenesis 80. Proposal of a unified chlorophyll a/b biosynthetic pathway. Photosynthetica. 36:117-128 .
27. Kolossov, V., Ioannides, I. M., Kulur, S., and Rebeiz, C. A.. (1999) Chloroplast Biogenesis 82. Development of a Cell-Free System Capable of the Net Synthesis of Chlorophyll(ide) b. Photosynthetica. 36: 253-258 .
28. Rebeiz, N., Arkins, S., Kelley, K. W., Dura, G., and Rebeiz, C. A.. (2001) . Modulator of heme biosynthesis induces apoptosis in leukemia cells. J. Clin. Laser Surgery.. 19: 59-67 .
29. Kolossov, V. L., and Rebeiz, C. A. (2001). Chloroplast Biogenesis 84: Solubilization and partial purification of membrane-bound [4-vinyl] chlorophyllide a reductase from etiolated barley leaves Anal. Biochem.. 295: 214-219.
30. Rebeiz, C. A. (2002). Analysis of Intermediates and end products of the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway. In Heme, Chlorophyll, and Bilins: Methods and Protocols, (A. G. Smith, and M. Witty eds.) Humana press , pp 111-155.
31. Kolossov, V. Kopetz, K. J., and Rebeiz, C. A. (2003). Chloroplast Biogenesis 87: Evidence of resonance excitation energy transfer between tetrapyrrole intermediates of the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway and chlorophyll a. Phtochem. Photobiol. 78: 184-196.
32. Rebeiz, C. A. Kolossov, V. L., Briskin, D., and Gawienowski, M. (2003). Chloroplast Biogenesis: Chlorophyll biosynthetic heterogeneity, multiple biosynthetic routes and biological spin-offs. In, Handbook of Photochemistry and Photobiology. (H. S. Nalwa ed.), American Scientific Publishers, Los Angeles, Vol 4, pp. 183-248.
33. Kolossov V. L. and Rebeiz, C. A. (2003) Chloroplast Biogenesis 88: Protochlorophyllide b Occurs in Green but not in Etiolated Plants. J. Biol. Chem. 278: 49675-49678
34. Kopetz, K. K., Kolossov, V. L., and Rebeiz, C. A. (2004). Chloroplast Biogenesis 89: Development of analytical tools for probing the biosynthetic topography of photosynthetic membranes by determination of resonance excitation energy transfer distances separating metabolic tetrapyrrole donors from chlorophyll a acceptors. Anal. Biochem. 329:207-219
35. Rebeiz, C. A., Kolossov, V. L. and Kopetz, K. K. (2004). Chloroplast Bioengineering 1. Photosynthetic efficiency, Modulation of the photosynthetic unit size, and the agriculture of the future. In: Agricultural Applications of Green Chemistry (W. M. Nelson, ed.) ACS Symposium Series 887 pp 81-105.
36. Kolossov V. L. and Rebeiz, C. A. (2005). Chloroplast Biogenesis 91: Detection of d-aminolevulinic acid esterase activity in higher plant and insect tissues. Pest.Biochem. Physiol. 83: 9-20.
37. Rebeiz, C. A. Kopetz, K. J. and Kolossov, V. L. (2005). Chloroplast Biiogenesis 90. Probing the Relationship between chlorophyll biosynthetic routes and the topography of chloroplast biogenesis by resonance excitation energy transfer determinations. In: handbook pof Photosynthesis (M. Pessarakli, ed.) Marcel Dekker Inc. New York, pp 55-95.
38. Kolossov V. L., Bohnert H., and Rebeiz, C. A. (2006) Chloroplast biogenesis 92: In situ screening for divinyl chlorophyll(ide) a reductase mutants by spectrofluorometry. Anal. Biochem. 348: 192-197

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Last Update on:1/24/2010

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