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Photosynthesis 2.0
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Photosynthesis 2.0

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 15177

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Matteo Ballottari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
Interests: biochemistry; photosynthesis; photoprotection; microalgae; metabolic engeenering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Stefano Cazzaniga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
University of Verona, Verona, Italy
Interests: Plant Physiology; abiotic stress; spectroscopy; Plant biochemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Photosynthesis is the metabolic process by which light energy is converted into chemical energy, which is used to sustain cell activities, including carbon fixation. Light energy conversion by photosynthetic organisms is indeed at the center of life on our planet, as it is the primary process for producing organic carbon molecules and enriches the atmosphere with oxygen, which is required for aerobic metabolism. In the last decades, several advancements have been reached on knowledge about the fundamental molecular mechanisms at the base of photosynthesis. However, there are still several gaps in our understanding of the photosynthetic processes that need to be filled by advanced and multidisciplinary research efforts. Moreover, an understanding of the mechanisms, constrains, and limitations of photosynthesis will allow for the design and testing of a synthetic biology approach that could improve the efficiency of light conversion toward Photosynthesis 2.0, with enhance carbon fixation and biomass/biomolecules production. This Special Issue deals with the recent advances in the biochemistry and molecular physiology of the different steps of photosynthesis, their regulation, and the development of novel biotechnological strategy to improve the process. In this very wide context, we invite investigators to submit original research articles that explore different topics on the overall photosynthetic process, including, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Light harvesting and photoprotection in photosynthetic organisms
  • Regulation of light and dark phases of photosynthesis
  • Carbon fixation and photorespiration
  • Alternative electron transport
  • Synthetic biology approaches to increase photosynthetic efficiency and biomass productivity

Prof. Dr. Matteo Ballottari
Dr. Stefano Cazzaniga
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • photosynthesis
  • photoprotection
  • synthetic biology
  • light harvesting
  • carotenoids
  • chlorophylls
  • photosystem
  • Calvin cycle
  • carbon fixation

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 194 KiB  
Editorial
Photosynthesis 2.0
by Stefano Cazzaniga and Matteo Ballottari
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4355; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054355 - 22 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1110
Abstract
Photosynthesis is a process that provides the continuous income of energy needed to sustain life on our planet [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis 2.0)

Research

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10 pages, 503 KiB  
Communication
Size and Fluorescence Properties of Algal Photosynthetic Antenna Proteins Estimated by Microscopy
by Aurélie Crepin, Erica Belgio, Barbora Šedivá, Eliška Kuthanová Trsková, Edel Cunill-Semanat and Radek Kaňa
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(2), 778; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23020778 - 11 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1403
Abstract
Antenna proteins play a major role in the regulation of light-harvesting in photosynthesis. However, less is known about a possible link between their sizes (oligomerization state) and fluorescence intensity (number of photons emitted). Here, we used a microscopy-based method, Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), [...] Read more.
Antenna proteins play a major role in the regulation of light-harvesting in photosynthesis. However, less is known about a possible link between their sizes (oligomerization state) and fluorescence intensity (number of photons emitted). Here, we used a microscopy-based method, Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), to analyze different antenna proteins at the particle level. The direct comparison indicated that Chromera Light Harvesting (CLH) antenna particles (isolated from Chromera velia) behaved as the monomeric Light Harvesting Complex II (LHCII) (from higher plants), in terms of their radius (based on the diffusion time) and fluorescence yields. FCS data thus indicated a monomeric oligomerization state of algal CLH antenna (at our experimental conditions) that was later confirmed also by biochemical experiments. Additionally, our data provide a proof of concept that the FCS method is well suited to measure proteins sizes (oligomerization state) and fluorescence intensities (photon counts) of antenna proteins per single particle (monomers and oligomers). We proved that antenna monomers (CLH and LHCIIm) are more “quenched” than the corresponding trimers. The FCS measurement thus represents a useful experimental approach that allows studying the role of antenna oligomerization in the mechanism of photoprotection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis 2.0)
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17 pages, 20128 KiB  
Article
Physiological and Molecular Analysis Reveals the Differences of Photosynthesis between Colored and Green Leaf Poplars
by Tao Wang, Lingyu Li, Guanghao Cheng, Xiaochun Shu, Ning Wang, Fengjiao Zhang, Weibing Zhuang and Zhong Wang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8982; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168982 - 20 Aug 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2137
Abstract
Leaf coloration changes evoke different photosynthetic responses among different poplar cultivars. The aim of this study is to investigate the photosynthetic difference between a red leaf cultivar (ZHP) and a green leaf (L2025) cultivar of Populus deltoides. In this study, ‘ZHP’ exhibited [...] Read more.
Leaf coloration changes evoke different photosynthetic responses among different poplar cultivars. The aim of this study is to investigate the photosynthetic difference between a red leaf cultivar (ZHP) and a green leaf (L2025) cultivar of Populus deltoides. In this study, ‘ZHP’ exhibited wide ranges and huge potential for absorption and utilization of light energy and CO2 concentration which were similar to those in ‘L2025’ and even showed a stronger absorption for weak light. However, with the increasing light intensity and CO2 concentration, the photosynthetic capacity in both ‘L2025’ and ‘ZHP’ was gradually restricted, and the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) in ‘ZHP’ was significantly lower than that in ‘L2025’under high light or high CO2 conditions, which was mainly attributed to stomatal regulation and different photosynthetic efficiency (including the light energy utilization efficiency and photosynthetic CO2 assimilation efficiency) in these two poplars. Moreover, the higher anthocyanin content in ‘ZHP’ than that in ‘L2025’ was considered to be closely related to the decreased photosynthetic efficiency in ‘ZHP’. According to the results from the JIP-test, the capture efficiency of the reaction center for light energy in ‘L2025’ was significantly higher than that in ‘ZHP’. Interestingly, the higher levels of light quantum caused relatively higher accumulation of QA- in ‘L2025’, which blocked the electron transport and weakened the photosystem II (PSII) performance as compared with ‘ZHP’; however, the decreased capture of light quantum also could not promote the utilization of light energy, which was the key to the low photosynthetic efficiency in ‘ZHP’. The differential expressions of a series of photosynthesis-related genes further promoted these specific photosynthetic processes between ‘L2025’ and ‘ZHP’. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis 2.0)
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18 pages, 2570 KiB  
Article
Antenna Protein Clustering In Vitro Unveiled by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy
by Aurélie Crepin, Edel Cunill-Semanat, Eliška Kuthanová Trsková, Erica Belgio and Radek Kaňa
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(6), 2969; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22062969 - 15 Mar 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2229
Abstract
Antenna protein aggregation is one of the principal mechanisms considered effective in protecting phototrophs against high light damage. Commonly, it is induced, in vitro, by decreasing detergent concentration and pH of a solution of purified antennas; the resulting reduction in fluorescence emission is [...] Read more.
Antenna protein aggregation is one of the principal mechanisms considered effective in protecting phototrophs against high light damage. Commonly, it is induced, in vitro, by decreasing detergent concentration and pH of a solution of purified antennas; the resulting reduction in fluorescence emission is considered to be representative of non-photochemical quenching in vivo. However, little is known about the actual size and organization of antenna particles formed by this means, and hence the physiological relevance of this experimental approach is questionable. Here, a quasi-single molecule method, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), was applied during in vitro quenching of LHCII trimers from higher plants for a parallel estimation of particle size, fluorescence, and antenna cluster homogeneity in a single measurement. FCS revealed that, below detergent critical micelle concentration, low pH promoted the formation of large protein oligomers of sizes up to micrometers, and therefore is apparently incompatible with thylakoid membranes. In contrast, LHCII clusters formed at high pH were smaller and homogenous, and yet still capable of efficient quenching. The results altogether set the physiological validity limits of in vitro quenching experiments. Our data also support the idea that the small, moderately quenching LHCII oligomers found at high pH could be relevant with respect to non-photochemical quenching in vivo. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis 2.0)
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Review

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10 pages, 1145 KiB  
Review
Contributions of TOR Signaling on Photosynthesis
by Yun Song, Mohammed Salem Alyafei, Khaled Masmoudi, Abdul Jaleel and Maozhi Ren
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8959; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168959 - 20 Aug 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3321
Abstract
The target of rapamycin (TOR) protein kinase is an atypical Ser/Thr protein kinase and evolutionally conserved among yeasts, plants, and mammals. TOR has been established as a central hub for integrating nutrient, energy, hormone, and environmental signals in all the eukaryotes. Despite the [...] Read more.
The target of rapamycin (TOR) protein kinase is an atypical Ser/Thr protein kinase and evolutionally conserved among yeasts, plants, and mammals. TOR has been established as a central hub for integrating nutrient, energy, hormone, and environmental signals in all the eukaryotes. Despite the conserved functions across eukaryotes, recent research has shed light on the multifaceted roles of TOR signaling in plant-specific functional and mechanistic features. One of the most specific features is the involvement of TOR in plant photosynthesis. The recent development of tools for the functional analysis of plant TOR has helped to uncover the involvement of TOR signaling in several steps preceding photoautotrophy and maintenance of photosynthesis. Here, we present recent novel findings relating to TOR signaling and its roles in regulating plant photosynthesis, including carbon nutrient sense, light absorptions, and leaf and chloroplast development. We also provide some gaps in our understanding of TOR function in photosynthesis that need to be addressed in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis 2.0)
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15 pages, 757 KiB  
Review
Changes in Photosynthesis Could Provide Important Insight into the Interaction between Wheat and Fungal Pathogens
by Huai Yang and Peigao Luo
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8865; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168865 - 18 Aug 2021
Cited by 52 | Viewed by 3694
Abstract
Photosynthesis is a universal process for plant survival, and immune defense is also a key process in adapting to the growth environment. Various studies have indicated that these two processes are interconnected in a complex network. Photosynthesis can influence signaling pathways and provide [...] Read more.
Photosynthesis is a universal process for plant survival, and immune defense is also a key process in adapting to the growth environment. Various studies have indicated that these two processes are interconnected in a complex network. Photosynthesis can influence signaling pathways and provide both materials and energy for immune defense, while the immune defense process can also have feedback effects on photosynthesis. Pathogen infection inevitably leads to changes in photosynthesis parameters, including Pn, Gs, and Ci; biochemical materials such as SOD and CAT; signaling molecules such as H2O2 and hormones; and the expression of genes involved in photosynthesis. Some researchers have found that changes in photosynthesis activity are related to the resistance level of the host, the duration after infection, and the infection position (photosynthetic source or sink). Interactions between wheat and the main fungal pathogens, such as Puccinia striiformis, Blumeria graminis, and Fusarium graminearum, constitute an ideal study system to elucidate the relationship between changes in host photosynthesis and resistance levels, based on the accessibility of methods for artificially controlling infection and detecting changes in photosynthesis, the presence of multiple pathogens infecting different positions, and the abundance of host materials with various resistance levels. This review is written only from the perspective of plant pathologists, and after providing an overview of the available data, we generally found that changes in photosynthesis in the early stage of pathogen infection could be a causal factor influencing acquired resistance, while those in the late stage could be the result of resistance formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis 2.0)
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