Four plant species, Elymus mollis Trin., Carex kobomugi Ohwi, Glehnia littoralis F. Schmidt ex Miq., and Vitex rotundifolia L.f., are dominant perennial species in coastal sand dunes of Korea. We examined a physiological adaptation of these species by measurements of diurnal variation in photosynthesis and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence and solute patterns in leaves during one season (June), which is favorable for plant growth of all four species. All four species adopted different strategies in order to utilize radiation and to maintain water status under a fluctuating microclimate. Although the lowest water contents among four plant species was found, E. mollis with a high Chl and K+ content showed better photosynthetic performance, with high stomatal conductance (gs), net photosynthetic rate (PN), instantaneous carboxylation efficiency (CE), and water-use efficiency. Midday depression of PN in E. mollis and G. littoralis, without a reduction of gs, was associated with a reduction in CE and maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, indicating nonstomatal limitation. Photosynthesis depression in both C. kobomugi and V. rotundifolia, with relatively low gs values, could be attributed to both stomatal and nonstomatal limitations. The high storage capacity for inorganic ions in E. molli, C. kobomugi, and G. littoralis may play an efficient role in regulating photosynthesis and maintaining leaf water status through stomatal control, and can also play an important role in osmotic adjustment., J.-S. Hwang, Y.-S. Choo., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Cistus salvifolius L. is the most widely spread Cistus species around the Mediterranean basin. It colonizes a wide range of habitats growing from sea level to 1,800 m a.s.l., on silicolous and calcicolous soils, in sun areas as well as in the understory of wooded areas. Nevertheless, this species has been mainly investigated in term of its responsiveness to drought. Our aim was to understand which leaf traits allow C. salvifolius to cope with low-light environments. We questioned if biochemical and physiological leaf trait variations in response to a reduced photosynthetic photon flux density were related to leaf morphological plasticity, expressed by variations of specific leaf area (SLA) and its anatomical components (leaf tissue density and thickness). C. salvifolius shrubs growing along the Latium coast (41°43'N,12°18'E, 14 m a.s.l., Italy) in the open and in the understory of a Pinus pinea forest, were selected and the relationships between anatomical, gas exchange, chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence, and biochemical parameters with SLA and PPFD variations were tested. The obtained results suggested long-term acclimation of the selected shrubs to contrasting light environments. In high-light conditions, leaf nitrogen and Chl contents per leaf area unit, leaf thickness, and Chl a/b ratio increased, thus maximizing net photosynthesis, while in shade photosynthesis, it was downregulated by a significant reduction in the electron transport rate. Nevertheless, the increased pigment-protein complexes and the decreased Chl a/b in shade drove to an increased light-harvesting capacity (i.e. higher actual quantum efficiency of PSII). Moreover, the measured vitality index highlighted the photosynthetic acclimation of C. salvifolius to contrasting light environments. Overall, our results demonstrated the morphological, anatomical, and physiological acclimation of C. salvifolius to a reduced light environment., G. Puglielli, L. Varone, L. Gratani, R. Catoni., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Gloiopeltis furcata (Postels & Ruprecht) J. Agardh, a macroalga, which grows in an upper, intertidal zone, can withstand drastic environmental changes caused by the periodic tides. In this study, the photosynthetic and morphological characteristics of G. furcata were investigated. The photosynthetic performance and electron flows of the thalli showed significant variations in response to desiccation and salinity compared with the control group. Both PSII and PSI activities declined gradually when the thalli were under stress. However, the electron transport rate of PSI showed still a low value during severe conditions, while the rate of PSII approached zero. Furthermore, PSI activity of the treated thalli recovered faster than PSII after being submerged in seawater. Even though the linear electron flow was inhibited by DCMU [3-(3, 4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea], the cyclic electron flow could still be restored. The rate of cyclic electron flow recovery declined with the increasing time of dark treatment, which suggested that stromal reductants from starch degradation played an important role in the donation of electrons to PSI. This study demonstrated that PSII was more sensitive than PSI to desiccation and salinity in G. furcata and that the cyclic electron flow around PSI played a significant physiological role. In addition, G. furcata had branches, which were hollow inside and contained considerable quantities of funoran. These might be the most important factors in allowing G. furcata to adapt to adverse intertidal environments., L. Huan, S. Gao, X. J. Xie, W. R. Tao, G. H. Pan, B. Y. Zhang, J. F. Niu, A. P. Lin, L. W. He, G. C. Wang., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In juvenile trees growing at the rainforest understory, light is the most limiting factor for growth. It has been assumed that stomata quickly respond to light irrespective of the physical conditions prevailing before leaf illumination. Nevertheless, so far this issue has not been addressed for saplings of Amazonian tree species. The aim of this study was to determine how stomatal conductance (gs) and photosynthetic parameters of Amazonian saplings respond to diurnal variation in the physical environment and to rainfall seasonality. Light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (PNmax) and gs at light saturation (gsmax) were measured in the dry (August) and rainy (January) season of 2008 in saplings of 10 Amazonian tree species (Minquartia guianensis, Myrcia paivae, Protium apiculatum, Guatteria olivacea, Unonopsis duckei, Rinorea guianensis, Dicypellium manausense, Eschweilera bracteosa, Gustavia elliptica, and Tapura amazonica). At the forest understory, variables of the physical environment were measured. Rainfall seasonality did not affect PNmax and gsmax, nor was the effect of species on PNmax and gsmax significant (p>0.05). The gs and PNmax increased as the forest understory became brighter and warmer; as a result, PNmax and gsmax were higher at midday than early in the morning or in the afternoon. However, contrary to expectations, neither changes in air vapor pressure deficit nor air CO2 concentration at the forest understory affected stomatal opening. More investigation is needed to elucidate the role of environmental factors in modulating stomatal movements in juvenile trees growing beneath the dense canopy of tropical rainforests., R. A. Marenco, H. C. S. Nascimento, N. S. Magalhães., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Nitrogen is an essential factor for normal plant and algal development. As a component of nucleic acids, proteins, and chlorophyll (Chl) molecules, it has a crucial role in the organization of a functioning photosynthetic apparatus. Our aim was to study the effects of nitrogen starvation in cultures of the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, maintained on nitrogen-free, and then on nitrogen-containing medium. During the three-week-long degreening process, considerable changes were observed in the Chl content, the ratio of Chl-protein complexes, and photosynthetic activity of the cultures as well as in the ultrastructure of single chloroplasts. The regreening process was much faster then the degradation; total greening of the cells occurred within four days. The rate of regeneration depended on the nitrogen content. At least 50% of the normal nitrogen content of Tris-Acetate-Phosphate (TAP) medium was required in the medium for the complete regreening of the cells and regeneration of chloroplasts., É. Preininger, A. Kósa, Z. S. Lőrincz, P. Nyitrai, J. Simon, B. Böddi, Á. Keresztes, I. Gyurján., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The specific features of the structural and functional organisation of the photosynthetic apparatus (PSA) were studied in wild halophytes representing three strategies of salt tolerance: euhalophyte Salicornia perennans, crynohalophyte Limonium gmelinii, and glycohalophyte Artemisia santonica. The sodium content in aboveground parts of the plants corresponded to the strategy of salt tolerance. The photosynthetic cells of the euhalophyte were large and contained a higher number of chloroplasts than those in other species. In contrast, the number of cells per a leaf area unit was lower in S. perennans as compared to cryno- and glycohalophytes. Thereupon, the cell and chloroplast surface area per leaf area unit declined in the following sequence: A. santonica > L. gmelinii > S. perennans. However, the large cells of euhalophyte contained chloroplasts of larger sizes with 4- to 5-fold higher chlorophyll (Chl) content per chloroplast and Chl concentration in chloroplast volume unit. Also, chloroplasts of S. perennans were characterised by the higher content of glyco- and phospholipids. Qualitative composition of fatty acids (FA) in lipids isolated from the chloroplast-enriched fraction was similar in all three species; however, the index of unsaturation of FA was higher in glycohalophyte A. santonica than those in two other species. Under natural condition, PSA of all three halophytes showed high resistance to soil salinity. The results indicated tolerance of PSII to the photodamage in halophytes. The high rate of electron transport through PSII can be important to prevent oxidative damage of PSA in halophytes under strong light and hight temperature in vivo. Thus, the strategy of salt tolerance is provided by both the leaf anatomical structure and the ultrastructure of photosynthetic membranes, which is determined in particular by the specific composition of lipids., O. A. Rozentsvet, E. S. Bogdanova, L. A. Ivanova, L. A. Ivanov, G. N. Tabalenkova, I. G. Zakhozhiy, V. N. Nesterov., and Seznam literatury
Plants experience multiple abiotic stresses during the same growing season. The implications of submergence with and without saline water on growth and survival were investigated using four contrasting rice cultivars, FR13A (submergence-tolerant, salinity-susceptible), IR42 (susceptible to salinity and submergence), and Rashpanjor and AC39416 (salinity-tolerant, submergence-susceptible). Though both FR13A and IR42 showed sensitivity to salinity, FR13A exhibited higher initial biomass as well as maintained greater dry mass under saline condition. Greater reduction of chlorophyll (Chl) contents due to salinity was observed in the susceptible cultivars, including FR13A, compared to the salinity-tolerant cultivars. Exposure of plants to salinity before submergence decreased the survival chance under submergence. Yet, survival percentage under submergence was greater in FR13A compared to other cultivars. Generally, the reduction in the Chl content and damage to PSII were higher under the submergence compared to salinity conditions. The submergence-tolerant cultivar, FR13A, maintained greater quantities of Chl during submergence compared to other cultivars. Quantification of the Chl a fluorescence transients (JIP-test) revealed large cultivar differences in the response of PSII to submergence in saline and nonsaline water. The submergence-tolerant cultivar maintained greater chloroplast structural integrity and functional ability irrespective of the quality of flooding water., R. K. Sarkar, Anuprita Ray., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Ascorbate is an important antioxidant involved in both enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions in plant cells. To reveal the function of ascorbate associated with defense against photo-oxidative damage, responses of the ascorbate-deficient mutant vtc2-1 of Arabidopsis thaliana to high-light stress were investigated. After high-light treatment at 1,600 μmol(photon) m-2 s-1 for 8 h, the vtc2-1 mutant exhibited visible photo-oxidative damage. The total ascorbate content was lower, whereas accumulation of H2O2 was higher in the vtc2-1 mutant than that in the wild type. The chlorophyll (Chl) content and PSII Chl fluorescence parameters, such as maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, yield, and electron transport rate, in vtc2-1 mutant decreased more than that in the wild type, whereas the nonphotochemical quenching coefficient increased more in the wild type than that in vtc2-1 mutant. Therefore, the vtc2-1 mutant was more sensitive to high-light stress than the wild type. Accumulation of reactive oxygen species was mainly responsible for the damage of PSII in the vtc2-1 mutant under high light. The results indicate that ascorbate plays a critical role in maintaining normal photosynthetic function in plants under high-light stress., L.-D. Zeng, M. Li, W. S. Chow, C.-L. Peng., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
In this article, related to a talk given at the International Meeting "Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability-2015", we honor Dr. George C. Papageorgiou, a highly respected scientist and an outstanding teacher and mentor. Praising him for these virtues, indispensable for research sustainability, we also bring to discussion aspects that undermine nowadays both education and research sustainability. We argue that these aspects are principally created by the predominant bureaucratic system, which, by favoring short-term utilitarian orientations and obeying "market laws", jeopardizes university freedom and autonomy, and has turned to "measuring" scientific "production" and establishing accordingly designed funding policies and hiring/firing/promotion criteria, which lead to merit-chasing, grant-hunting, changes in publication practice, and suppression of heterodox ideas. Such system impedes research, creates antagonism, and drives the potentially creative researcher away from originality and discovery, and from the unique satisfaction and benefit that these bring., M. Tsimilli-Michael, P. Haldimann., Název rubriky: Opinion paper, and Obsahuje bibliografii
Metalloporphyrins serve important roles in biology and as components in emerging technological assemblies for energy conversion. In this report, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a novel cobalt(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis
(3-fluorophenyl)porphyrin bearing a 4-vinylphenyl surface attachment group at a beta position on the macrocycle. Electrochemical measurements show the 3-fluorophenyl groups at the meso positions of the porphyrin perturb the reduction potentials of the complex to more positive values as compared to
non-fluorinated analogs, thus allowing access to reduced cobalt porphyrin species at significantly less negative applied bias potentials. The complex, cobalt(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-vinylphenyl)porphyrin, is abbreviated in this article as Gov-1 in honor of Govindjee for his pioneering investigations in the role of fluorine as a promoter of novel
protein-substrate interactions and the inspirational role he continues to have in encouraging young investigators in the areas of natural and artificial photosynthesis., D. Khusnutdinova, M. Flores, A. M. Beiler, G. F. Moore., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy