Dr Tanai Cardona
Reader in Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology
School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Photosynthesis, Photosystem, Directed Evolution, Molecular Evolution, Cyanobacteria
Interests
I lead QMUL’s Molecular Evolution Lab.Our research focuses on resolving how and when the molecular complexes of photosynthesis originated, how photosynthesis diversified through the long history of our planet, and the implications this knowledge has on the origin and early evolution of life on Earth, and beyond.
Our research also aims to harness and develop directed evolution methods, in combination with the insights we've gained on the origin and evolution of photosynthesis, to engineer light-driven enzymes with novel properties or chemistries as future sustainable biotechnologies.
The collective expertise of my group is at the intersection of molecular evolution, bioinformatics, genomics, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, and synthetic biology.
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainability2025
Structure and evolution of photosystem I in the early-branching cyanobacterium Anthocerotibacter panamensis.Jiang H-W, Gisriel CJ, Cardona T, Flesher DA, Brudvig GW and Ho M-Y
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America vol. 122 (20)
14-05-2025
2024
Structure and evolution of Photosystem I in the early-branching cyanobacterium Anthocerotibacter panamensisJiang H-W, Gisriel CJ, Cardona T, Flesher DA, Brudvig GW and Ho M-Y
, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory vol. 5 (11-15)
02-11-2024
Lighting the way: Compelling open questions in photosynthesis researchEckardt NA, Allahverdiyeva Y, Alvarez CE, Büchel C, Burlacot A, Cardona T, Chaloner E, Engel BD, Grossman AR, Harris D, Herrmann N, Hodges M, Kern J, Kim TD, Maurino VG, Mullineaux CW, Mustila H, Nikkanen L, Schlau-Cohen G, Tronconi MA, et al.
The Plant Cell, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 36 (10), 3914-3943.
22-07-2024
2023
Molecular diversity and evolution of far-red light-acclimated photosystem IGisriel CJ, Bryant DA, Brudvig GW and Cardona T
Frontiers in Plant Science, Frontiers vol. 14
20-11-2023
The Evolution and Evolvability of Photosystem IIOliver T, Kim TD, Trinugroho JP, Cordón-Preciado V, Wijayatilake N, Bhatia A, Rutherford AW and Cardona T
Annual Review of Plant Biology, Annual Reviews vol. 74 (1), 225-257.
08-03-2023
2022
Evolution and evolvability of photosystem IIKim TD, Oliver T, Trinugroho JP, Cordón-Preciado V, Bianchini G, Rutherford AW, Sánchez-Baracaldo P and Cardona T
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta (Bba) - Bioenergetics, Elsevier vol. 1863
01-09-2022
Molecular Evolution of Far-Red Light-Acclimated Photosystem IIGisriel CJ, Cardona T, Bryant DA and Brudvig GW
Microorganisms, Mdpi vol. 10 (7)
22-06-2022
Correction to: Global distribution of a chlorophyll f cyanobacterial markerAntonaru LA, Cardona T, Larkum AWD and Nürnberg DJ
The Isme Journal: Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 16 (6), 1680-1680.
15-02-2022
2021
Complete Genome Sequencing of a Novel Gloeobacter Species from a Waterfall Cave in MexicoSaw JH, Cardona T and Montejano G
Genome Biology and Evolution, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 13 (12)
30-11-2021
Recent advances in the structural diversity of reaction centersGisriel CJ, Azai C and Cardona T
Photosynthesis Research, Springer Nature vol. 149 (3), 329-343.
26-06-2021
Time-resolved comparative molecular evolution of oxygenic photosynthesisOliver T, Sánchez-Baracaldo P, Larkum AW, Rutherford AW and Cardona T
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta (Bba) - Bioenergetics, Elsevier vol. 1862 (6)
19-02-2021
2020
Global distribution of a chlorophyll f cyanobacterial markerAntonaru LA, Cardona T, Larkum AWD and Nürnberg DJ
The Isme Journal: Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 14 (9), 2275-2287.
26-05-2020
2019
On the origin of oxygenic photosynthesis and CyanobacteriaSánchez‐Baracaldo P and Cardona T
New Phytologist, Wiley vol. 225 (4), 1440-1446.
06-11-2019
Evolution of Photochemical Reaction Centres: More Twists?Cardona T and Rutherford AW
Trends in Plant Science, Elsevier vol. 24 (11), 1008-1021.
24-07-2019
Evolutionary Implications of Anoxygenic Phototrophy in the Bacterial Phylum Candidatus Eremiobacterota (WPS-2)Ward LM, Cardona T and Holland-Moritz H
Frontiers in Microbiology, Frontiers vol. 10
23-07-2019
Thinking twice about the evolution of photosynthesisCardona T
Open Biology, The Royal Society vol. 9 (3)
01-03-2019
2018
Early Archean origin of Photosystem IICardona T, Sánchez‐Baracaldo P, Rutherford AW and Larkum AW
Geobiology, Wiley vol. 17 (2), 127-150.
09-11-2018
Photochemistry beyond the red limit in chlorophyll f–containing photosystemsNürnberg DJ, Morton J, Santabarbara S, Telfer A, Joliot P, Antonaru LA, Ruban AV, Cardona T, Krausz E, Boussac A, Fantuzzi A and Rutherford AW
Science, American Association For The Advancement of Science (Aaas) vol. 360 (6394), 1210-1213.
15-06-2018
Enhancing photosynthesis in plants: the light reactionsCardona T, Shao S and Nixon PJ
Essays in Biochemistry, Portland Press vol. 62 (1)
21-03-2018
Early Archean origin of heterodimeric Photosystem ICardona T
Heliyon, Elsevier vol. 4 (3)
01-03-2018
Early emergence of the FtsH proteases involved in photosystem II repairShao S, Cardona T and Nixon PJ
Photosynthetica, Institute of Experimental Botany vol. 56 (1), 163-177.
10-01-2018
2017
Isolation of Intact Thylakoid Membranes from Heterocysts of Filamentous, Nitrogen-Fixing CyanobacteriaMagnuson A and Cardona T
In Plant Membrane Proteomics, Springer Nature 137-145.
31-10-2017
Photosystem II is a Chimera of Reaction CentersCardona T
Journal of Molecular Evolution, Springer Nature vol. 84 (2-3), 149-151.
21-02-2017
2016
Origin of Bacteriochlorophyll a and the Early Diversification of PhotosynthesisCardona T
Plos One, Public Library of Science (Plos) vol. 11 (3)
08-03-2016
Reconstructing the Origin of Oxygenic Photosynthesis: Do Assembly and Photoactivation Recapitulate Evolution?Cardona T
Frontiers in Plant Science, Frontiers vol. 7
02-03-2016
2015
Thylakoid membrane function in heterocystsMagnuson A and Cardona T
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, Elsevier vol. 1857 (3), 309-319.
09-11-2015
Photosynthetic Constraints on Fuel from MicrobesCotton CAR, Douglass JS, De Causmaecker S, Brinkert K, Cardona T, Fantuzzi A, Rutherford AW and Murray JW
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Frontiers vol. 3
18-03-2015
Origin and Evolution of Water Oxidation before the Last Common Ancestor of the CyanobacteriaCardona T, Murray JW and Rutherford AW
Molecular Biology and Evolution, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 32 (5), 1310-1328.
04-02-2015
2014
A fresh look at the evolution and diversification of photochemical reaction centersCardona T
Photosynthesis Research, Springer Nature vol. 126 (1), 111-134.
16-12-2014
2013
Covalent Immobilization of Oriented Photosystem II on a Nanostructured Electrode for Solar Water OxidationKato M, Cardona T, Rutherford AW and Reisner E
Journal of The American Chemical Society, American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 135 (29), 10610-10613.
11-07-2013
2012
Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation with Photosystem II Integrated in a Mesoporous Indium–Tin Oxide ElectrodeKato M, Cardona T, Rutherford AW and Reisner E
Journal of The American Chemical Society, American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 134 (20), 8332-8335.
08-05-2012
2011
Charge separation in Photosystem II: A comparative and evolutionary overviewCardona T, Sedoud A, Cox N and Rutherford AW
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, Elsevier vol. 1817 (1), 26-43.
30-07-2011
2009
Excitation energy transfer to Photosystem I in filaments and heterocysts of Nostoc punctiformeCardona T and Magnuson A
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, Elsevier vol. 1797 (3), 425-433.
28-12-2009
Electron transfer protein complexes in the thylakoid membranes of heterocysts from the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiformeCardona T, Battchikova N, Zhang P, Stensjö K, Aro E-M, Lindblad P and Magnuson A
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, Elsevier vol. 1787 (4), 252-263.
30-01-2009
2008
Quantitative Overview of N2 Fixation in Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 through Cellular Enrichments and iTRAQ Shotgun ProteomicsOw SY, Noirel J, Cardona T, Taton A, Lindblad P, Stensjö K and Wright PC
Journal of Proteome Research, American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 8 (1), 187-198.
14-11-2008
Quantitative Shotgun Proteomics of Enriched Heterocysts from Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 Using 8-Plex Isobaric Peptide TagsOw SY, Cardona T, Taton A, Magnuson A, Lindblad P, Stensjö K and Wright PC
Journal of Proteome Research, American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 7 (4), 1615-1628.
22-02-2008
Purified Heterocysts from Nostoc punctiforme Studied by Laser Scanning Confocal MicroscopyCardona T, Styring S, Lindblad P and Magnuson A
In Photosynthesis. Energy From The Sun, Springer Nature 755-758.
01-01-2008
2007
Isolation and characterization of thylakoid membranes from the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiformeCardona T, Battchikova N, Agervald Å, Zhang P, Nagel E, Aro E, Styring S, Lindblad P and Magnuson A
Physiologia Plantarum, Wiley vol. 131 (4), 622-634.
28-09-2007
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Biodiversity and SustainabilityFLF Renewal: Directed and adaptive evolution of photosynthetic systemsTanai Cardona
£593,273 MRC Medical Research Council
01-05-2024 - 30-04-2027
Directed evolution of photosystem chemistry-GRANT TRANSFERTanai Cardona
£225,728 MRC Medical Research Council
01-09-2023 - 30-04-2024