The review is devoted to the outstanding contributions to the path of carbon in photosynthesis by Professor Emeritus Andrew A. Benson, on the occasion of his death at the age of 97, on January 16, 2015. Benson is the legendary co-discoverer of the photosynthetic reductive pentose phosphate cycle, known to every student of photosynthesis as the Benson-Bassham-Calvin cycle. This pathway evolved into the dominant assimilation mechanism for atmospheric carbon into metabolites. The fundamental ecological and biochemical optimization and evolutionary stability of this mechanism unfolded elegantly in Benson’s hands, as he was the first to recognize the building blocks for the synthesis of essential organic compounds that satisfy the energetic needs and demands of most life forms. Photosynthetic carbon metabolism together with other energy and oxidative reactions and secondary biosynthetic processes are critical for the formation of organic matter; and, thereby, the Benson-Bassham-Calvin cycle ensures maintenance of the biosphere., K. Biel, I. Fomina., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is a metalloenzyme that performs interconversion between CO2 and the bicarbonate ion (HCO3-). CAs appear among all taxonomic groups of three domains of life. Wide spreading of CAs in nature is explained by the fact that carbon, which is the major constituent of the enzyme’s substrates, is a key element of life on the Earth. Despite the diversity of CAs, they all carry out the same reaction of CO2/HCO3- interconversion. Thus, CA obviously represents a universal enzyme of the
carbon-based life. Within the classification of CAs, here we proposed the existence of an extensive family of CA-related proteins (γCA-RPs) - the inactive forms of γ-CAs, which are widespread among the Archaea, Bacteria, and, to a lesser extent, in Eukarya. This review focuses on the history of CAs discovery and integrates the most recent data on their classification, catalytic mechanisms, and physiological roles at various organisms., E. Kupriyanova, N. Pronina, D. Los., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In order to evaluate the effect of static magnetic field (SMF) on morphological and physiological responses of soybean to water stress, plants were grown under well-watered (WW) and water-stress (WS) conditions. The adverse effects of WS given at different growth stages was found on growth, yield, and various physiological attributes, but WS at the flowering stage severely decreased all of above parameters in soybean. The result indicated that SMF pretreatment to the seeds significantly increased the plant growth attributes, biomass accumulation, and photosynthetic performance under both WW and WS conditions. Chlorophyll a fluorescence transient from SMF-treated plants gave a higher fluorescence yield at J-I-P phase. Photosynthetic pigments, efficiency of PSII, performance index based on absorption of light energy, photosynthesis, and nitrate reductase activity were also higher in plants emerged from SMF-pretreated seeds which resulted in an improved yield of soybean. Thus SMF pretreatment mitigated the adverse effects of water stress in soybean., L. Baghel, S. Kataria, K. N. Guruprasad., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In spring and winter cultivars of oilseed rape (Brassica napus var. oleifera), acclimation of photosynthetic apparatus to cold was connected with the increase in activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO) and sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS). Conversely, cold de-acclimation entailed the decline of RuBPCO and SPS activities. The rate of this photosynthetic de-acclimation might depend on day temperature. On the other hand, temperature rise during de-acclimation (identical during the day and night) resulted in the improvement of photosynthetic activity measured by means of chlorophyll fluorescence. An increase in SPS activity (and even transitory increase in RuBPCO activity) was observed when the elongation growth rate (EGR) accelerated during de-acclimation. Throughout re-acclimation, plants with high EGR were unable to maintain or recover higher photosynthetic capacity, despite the fact that SPS activity remained high or even increased during re-acclimation. and M. Rapacz, K. Hura.