A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal

Regulation of the photosynthetic apparatus under fluctuating growth light




AuthorsTikkanen M, Grieco M, Nurmi M, Rantala M, Suorsa M, Aro EM

PublisherROYAL SOC

Publication year2012

JournalPhilosophical Transactions B: Biological Sciences

Journal name in sourcePHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Journal acronymPHILOS T R SOC B

Number in series1608

Volume367

Issue1608

First page 3486

Last page3493

Number of pages8

ISSN0962-8436

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2012.0067


Abstract
Safe and efficient conversion of solar energy to metabolic energy by plants is based on tightly inter-regulated transfer of excitation energy, electrons and protons in the photosynthetic machinery according to the availability of light energy, as well as the needs and restrictions of metabolism itself. Plants have mechanisms to enhance the capture of energy when light is limited for growth and development. Also, when energy is in excess, the photosynthetic machinery slows down the electron transfer reactions in order to prevent the production of reactive oxygen species and the consequent damage of the photosynthetic machinery. In this opinion paper, we present a partially hypothetical scheme describing how the photosynthetic machinery controls the flow of energy and electrons in order to enable the maintenance of photosynthetic activity in nature under continual fluctuations in white light intensity. We discuss the roles of light-harvesting II protein phosphorylation, thermal dissipation of excess energy and the control of electron transfer by cytochrome b(6)f, and the role of dynamically regulated turnover of photosystem II in the maintenance of the photosynthetic machinery. We present a new hypothesis suggesting that most of the regulation in the thylakoid membrane occurs in order to prevent oxidative damage of photosystem I.



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