Register      Login
Historical Records of Australian Science Historical Records of Australian Science Society
The history of science, pure and applied, in Australia, New Zealand and the southwest Pacific
EDITORIAL

Joan Mary Anderson 1932–20151

Peter Horton A D , Wah Soon Chow B and Christopher Barrett C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.

B Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia.

C 22 Ashburton Avenue, Turramurra, NSW 2074, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: p.horton@sheffield.ac.uk

Historical Records of Australian Science 30(1) 19-31 https://doi.org/10.1071/HR18017
Published: 4 December 2018

Abstract

Joan Mary (Jan) Anderson pioneered the investigation of the molecular organisation of the plant thylakoid membrane, making seminal discoveries that laid the foundations for the current understanding of photosynthesis. She grew up in Queenstown, New Zealand, obtaining a BSc and MSc at the University of Otago in Dunedin. After completing her PhD at the University of California, she embarked on a glittering career at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and then Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. Not only a gifted experimentalist, Jan was a creative thinker, not afraid to put her insightful and prophetic hypotheses into the public domain. Her many notable achievements include establishing the details and the physiological significance of lateral heterogeneity in the distribution of the two photosystems between stacked and unstacked thylakoid membranes and the dynamic changes in the extent of stacking that occur in response to changes in the light environment. Her investigations brought her into collaboration with prominent researchers throughout the world. Recognised with many honours as a leading scientist in Australia, international recognition included Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society of Photosynthesis Research, and Honorary Fellowships at Universities in the UK and USA.


References

Anderson, J. M. (1975) The molecular organization of chloroplast thylakoids, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 416, 191–235.
The molecular organization of chloroplast thylakoidsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M. (1999) Insights into the consequences of grana stacking in vascular plants: a personal perspective, Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 26, 625–639.
Insights into the consequences of grana stacking in vascular plants: a personal perspectiveCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M. (2012) Lateral heterogeneity of plant thylakoid protein complexes; early reminiscences, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, 367, 3384–3388.
Lateral heterogeneity of plant thylakoid protein complexes; early reminiscencesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., and Andersson, B. (1982) The architecture of photosynthetic membranes: lateral and transverse organization, Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 7, 288–292.
The architecture of photosynthetic membranes: lateral and transverse organizationCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., and Aro, E. M. (1994) Grana stacking and protection in photosystem II in thylakoid membranes of higher plant leaves under sustained high irradiance: a hypothesis, Photosynthesis Research, 41, 315–326.
Grana stacking and protection in photosystem II in thylakoid membranes of higher plant leaves under sustained high irradiance: a hypothesisCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., and Boardman, N. K. (1966) Fractionation of the photochemical systems of photosynthesis: I: Chlorophyll contents and photochemical activities of particles isolated from spinach chloroplasts, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 112, 403–421.
Fractionation of the photochemical systems of photosynthesis: I: Chlorophyll contents and photochemical activities of particles isolated from spinach chloroplastsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., and Levine, R. P. (1974) Membrane polypeptides of some higher plant chloroplasts, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 333, 378–387.
Membrane polypeptides of some higher plant chloroplastsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., Waldron, J. C., and Thorne, S. W. (1978) Chlorophyll-protein complexes of spinach and barley thylakoids. Spectral characterization of six complexes resolved by an improved electrophoretic procedure, FEBS Letters, 92, 227–233.
Chlorophyll-protein complexes of spinach and barley thylakoids. Spectral characterization of six complexes resolved by an improved electrophoretic procedureCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., Chow, W. S., and Goodchild, D. J. (1988) ‘Thylakoid membrane organization in sun/shade acclimation’, in ‘Ecology of Photosynthesis in Sun and Shade’ (Robertson Symposium), Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 15, 11–25.
‘Thylakoid membrane organization in sun/shade acclimation’, in ‘Ecology of Photosynthesis in Sun and Shade’ (Robertson Symposium)Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., Chow, W. S., and Park, Y.-I. (1995) The grand design of photosynthesis: acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus to environmental cues, Photosynthesis Research, 46, 129–139.
The grand design of photosynthesis: acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus to environmental cuesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., Park, Y.-I., and Chow, W. S. (1998) Unifying model for the photoinactivation of Photosystem II in vivo under steady-state photosynthesis, Photosynthesis Research, 56, 1–13.
Unifying model for the photoinactivation of Photosystem II in vivo under steady-state photosynthesisCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anderson, J. M., Horton, P., Kim, E.-H., and Chow, W. S. (2012) Towards elucidation of dynamic structural changes of plant thylakoid architecture, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, 367, 3515–3524.
Towards elucidation of dynamic structural changes of plant thylakoid architectureCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Andersson, B., and Anderson, J. M. (1980) Lateral heterogeneity in the distribution of chlorophyll-protein complexes of the thylakoid membranes of spinach chloroplasts, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 593, 427–440.
Lateral heterogeneity in the distribution of chlorophyll-protein complexes of the thylakoid membranes of spinach chloroplastsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Barber, J. (1982) ‘Influence of surface charges on thylakoid structure and function, Annual Review of Plant Physiology, 33, 261–295.
‘Influence of surface charges on thylakoid structure and functionCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bennett, J. (1977) Phosphorylation of chloroplast membrane polypeptides, Nature, 269, 344–346.
Phosphorylation of chloroplast membrane polypeptidesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Benson, A. A., and Calvin, M. (1950) Carbon dioxide fixation by green plants, Annual Review of Plant Physiology, 1, 25–42.
Carbon dioxide fixation by green plantsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Blass, U., Anderson, J. M., and Calvin, M. (1959) Biosynthesis and possible functional relationships among the carotenoids and between chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, Plant Physiology, 34, 329–333.
Biosynthesis and possible functional relationships among the carotenoids and between chlorophyll a and chlorophyll bCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Boardman, N. K., and Anderson, J. M. (1964a) Studies on the greening of dark-grown bean plants: I: Formation of chloroplasts from proplastids, Australian Journal of Biological Sciences, 17, 86–92.

Boardman, N. K., and Anderson, J. M. (1964b) Isolation from spinach chloroplasts of particles containing different proportions of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b and their- possible role in the light reactions of photosynthesis, Nature, 203, 166–167.
Isolation from spinach chloroplasts of particles containing different proportions of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b and their- possible role in the light reactions of photosynthesisCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Chow, W. S., Melis, A., and Anderson, J. M. (1990) Adjustments of photosystem stoichiometry in chloroplasts improve the quantum efficiency of photosynthesis, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 87, 7502–7506.
Adjustments of photosystem stoichiometry in chloroplasts improve the quantum efficiency of photosynthesisCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Chow, W. S., Adamson, H. Y., and Anderson, J. M. (1991) Photosynthetic acclimation of Tradescantia albiflora to growth irradiance: lack of adjustment of light-harvesting components and its consequences, Physiologia Plantarum, 81, 175–182.
Photosynthetic acclimation of Tradescantia albiflora to growth irradiance: lack of adjustment of light-harvesting components and its consequencesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Chow, W. S., Horton, P., Barrett, M., and Osmond, C. B. (2016) Remembering Joan (Jan) Mary Anderson (1932–2015)’, Photosynthesis Research, 129, 129–146.
Remembering Joan (Jan) Mary Anderson (1932–2015)’Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hill, R. (1965) ‘The biochemists’ green mansions: the photosynthetic electron transport chain of plants’, Essays in Biochemistry, 1, 121–151.

Hill, R., and Bendall, F. (1960) Function of the two cytochrome components in chloroplasts: a working hypothesis, Nature, 186, 136–137.
Function of the two cytochrome components in chloroplasts: a working hypothesisCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Horton, P. (1983) Control of electron transport by the thylakoid protein kinase, FEBS Letters, 152, 47–52.
Control of electron transport by the thylakoid protein kinaseCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kim, E.-H., Chow, W. S., Horton, P., and Anderson, J. M. (2005) Entropy-assisted stacking of thylakoid membranes, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1708, 187–195.
Entropy-assisted stacking of thylakoid membranesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mullet, J. E., Burke, J. J., and Arntzen, C. J. (1980) Chlorophyll proteins of photosystem I, Plant Physiology, 65, 814–822.
Chlorophyll proteins of photosystem ICrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Öquist, G., Chow, W. S., and Anderson, J. M. (1992) Photoinhibition of photosynthesis represents a mechanism for the long-term regulation of photosystem II, Planta, 186, 450–460.
Photoinhibition of photosynthesis represents a mechanism for the long-term regulation of photosystem IICrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Singer, S. J., and Nicolson, G. L. (1972) The fluid mosaic model of the structure of cell membranes, Science, 175, 720–731.
The fluid mosaic model of the structure of cell membranesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sundby, C., McCaffery, S., and Anderson, J. M. (1993) Turnover of the photosystem II D1 protein in higher plants under photoinhibitory and non-photoinhibitory irradiance, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 268, 25476–25482.

Thornber, J. P. (1975) Chlorophyll-proteins: light-harvesting and reaction center components of plants, Annual Review of Plant Physiology, 26, 127–158.
Chlorophyll-proteins: light-harvesting and reaction center components of plantsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Woo, K. C., Anderson, J. M., Boardman, N. K., Downton, W. J. S., Osmond, C. B., and Thorne, S. W. (1970) Deficient photosystem II in agranal bundle sheath chloroplasts of C4 plants, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 67, 18–25.
Deficient photosystem II in agranal bundle sheath chloroplasts of C4 plantsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |