Photosynthesis research in the People's Republic of China1

The first research paper on photosynthesis in China was published by T.T. Li² in 1929. Two photosynthesis laboratories were established in Shanghai and Beijing in the 1950s and the 1960s, respectively. A photophosphorylation `intermediate' was discovered after the energy conversion process was separated into light and dark phases in the 1960s. Since the 1980s, research has accelerated at several different levels through efforts of a large number of scientists in China. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

试析光合作用的研究动向

光合作用被称为＂地球上最重要的化学反应＂和＂生命界最重大的顶极创造之一＂,在生物演化、生物圈形成和运转及人类诞生与经济和社会的可持续发展等过程中都处于非常关键的地位。从最近召开的国际和国内光合作用会议来看,当前进行的研究呈现出领域越来越宽广、层次越来越深入、技术越来越先进的特点;研究重点集中在探讨光合作用反应机理、结构与功能,揭示光合机构组装、运转与调节机制及光合作用与人类可持续发展3个方面。     

Modifications to the photosynthetic apparatus of higher plants in response to changes in the light environment

A brief review of the photosynthetic apparatus of higher plants is given, followed by a consideration of the modifications induced in this apparatus by changes in light intensity and light quality. Possible strategies by which plants may optimize photosynthetic activity by both long- and short-term modifications of their photosynthetic apparatus in response to changing light regimes are discussed.     

Mechanisms of photoprotection and nonphotochemical quenching in pea light-harvesting complex at 2.5 A resolution

The plant light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHC-II) collects and transmits solar energy for photosynthesis in chloroplast membranes and has essential roles in regulation of photosynthesis and in photoprotection. The 2.5 A structure of pea LHC-II determined by X-ray crystallography of stacked two-dimensional crystals shows how membranes interact to form chloroplast grana, and reveals the mutual arrangement of 42 chlorophylls a and b, 12 carotenoids and six lipids in the LHC-II trimer. Spectral assignment of individual chlorophylls indicates the flow of energy in the complex and the mechanism of photoprotection in two close chlorophyll a-lutein pairs. We propose a simple mechanism for the xanthophyll-related, slow component of nonphotochemical quenching in LHC-II, by which excess energy is transferred to a zeaxanthin replacing violaxanthin in its binding site, and dissipated as heat. Our structure shows the complex in a quenched state, which may be relevant for the rapid, pH-induced component of nonphotochemical quenching.     

Solar‐to‐Hydrogen Energy Conversion Based on Water Splitting

Artificial photosynthesis provides a blueprint to harvest solar energy to sustain the future energy demands. Solar‐driven water splitting, converting solar energy into hydrogen energy, is the prototype of photosynthesis. Various systems have been designed and evaluated to understand the reaction pathways and/or to meet the requirements of potential applications. In solar‐to‐hydrogen conversion, electrocatalytic hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions are key research areas that are meaningful both theoretically and practically. To utilize hydrogen energy, fuel cell technology has been extensively investigated because of its high efficiency in releasing chemical energy. In this review, general concepts of the photosynthesis in green plants are discussed, different strategies for the light‐driven water splitting proposed in laboratories are introduced, the progress of electrocatalytic hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions are reviewed, and finally, the reactions in hydrogen fuel cells are briefly discussed. Overall, the mass and energy circulation in the solar‐hydrogen‐electricity circle are delineated. The authors conclude that attention from scientists and engineers of relevant research areas is still highly needed to eliminate the wide disparity between the aspirations and realities of artificial photosynthesis.     

水淹导致皇冠草光合机构发生变化并加剧其出水后光抑制

通过气体交换和叶绿素荧光等方法研究了水淹及胁迫解除后皇冠草不同功能叶的光合特性及光抑制的变化.结果表明:与对照相比,气生叶(全淹组淹水前形成的功能叶)在水淹条件下叶片大小和气孔没有明显变化,但沉水叶(全淹组淹水后新生的功能叶)的叶面积增加,气孔变小,上表皮气孔密度增加.水淹导致气生叶碳同化能力、光化学效率和叶绿素含量下降.沉水叶在发育过程中碳同化能力、光化学效率和叶绿素逐渐升高.气生叶和沉水叶出水后其活体叶片在强光下的相对含水量急剧下降,发生明显的光抑制;而弱光下无明显光抑制发生.出水后离体叶片强光照射下6h后两种功能叶均发生严重光抑制,且弱光下不能恢复.因此,可以认为淹水条件下,沉水叶上表皮气孔密度的增加使其蒸腾速率提高;沉水叶较强的碳同化能力和增加的叶面积是确保其植株水下生存的重要因素;强光使气生叶和沉水叶出水后均发生严重光抑制,导度和蒸腾速率提高导致的叶片失水则加剧了这一过程,两者共同作用导致自然条件下两种功能叶的出水死亡.     

Minimal requirements for in vitro reconstitution of the structural subunit of light-harvesting complexes of photosynthetic bacteria

Unlike the and polypeptides of the core light-harvesting complex (LH1) of Rhodobacter (Rb.) sphaeroides, the and polypeptides of the peripheral light-harvesting complex (LH2) of this organism will not form a subunit complex by in vitro reconstitution with bacteriochlorophyll. Guided by prior experiments with the LH1 polypeptides of Rb. sphaeroides and Rhodospirillum rubrum, which defined a set of interactions required to stabilize the subunit complex, a series of mutations to the Rb. sphaeroides LH2 polypeptide was prepared and studied to determine the minimal changes necessary to enable it to form a subunit-type complex. Three mutants were prepared: Arg at position –10 was changed to Asn (numbering is from the conserved His residue which is known to be coordinated to bacteriochlorophyll); Arg at position –10 and Thr at position +7 were changed to Asn and Arg, respectively; and Arg at position –10 was changed to Trp and the C-terminus from +4 to +10 was replaced with the amino acids found at the corresponding positions in the LH1 polypeptide of Rb. sphaeroides. Only this last multiple mutant polypeptide formed subunit-type complexes in vitro. Thus, the importance of the C-terminal region, which encompasses conserved residues at positions +4, +6 and +7, is confirmed. Two mutants of the LH1 polypeptide of Rb. sphaeroides were also constructed to further evaluate the interactions stabilizing the subunit complex and those necessary for oligomerization of subunits to form LH1 complexes. In one of these mutants, Trp at position –10 was changed to Arg, as found in LH2 at this position, and in the other His at position –18 was changed to Val. The results from these mutants allow us to conclude that the residue at the –10 position is unimportant in subunit formation or oligomerization, while the strictly conserved His at –18 is not required for subunit formation but is very important in oligomerization of subunits to form LH1.     

Annual patterns of phytoplankton density and primary production in a large, shallow lake: the central role of light

1. We studied the seasonal dynamics of suspended particulate matter in a turbid, large shallow lake during an annual period (2005–06). We relate the patterns of seston concentration (total suspended solids), phytoplankton biomass and water transparency to the seasonal pattern of incident solar radiation (I₀). We also report the seasonal trends of phytoplankton primary production (PP) and photosynthesis photoinhibition due to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) (I_β and UV₅₀). 2. We first collected empirical evidence that indicated the conditions of light limitation persisted during the study period. We found that the depth‐averaged irradiance estimated for the time of the day of maximum irradiance (I_mean–noon) was always lower than the measured onset of light saturation of photosynthesis (I_k). 3. We then contrasted the observations with theoretical expectations based on a light limitation scenario. The observed temporal patterns of seston concentration, both on a volume and area basis, were significantly explained by I₀ (R² = 0.39 and R² = 0.37 respectively). The vertical diffuse attenuation coefficient (kd_PAR) (R² = 0.55) and the depth‐averaged irradiance (I_mean) (R² = 0.66), significantly increased with the I₀; while the irradiance reaching the lake bottom (I_out) significantly decreased with the incident irradiance (R² = 0.49). However, phytoplankton biovolume maxima were not coincident with the time of the year of maximum irradiance. 4. A significant positive relationship was observed between PP estimated on an area basis and I₀ (R² = 0.51, P < 0.001). In addition, the parameters describing the photosynthetic responses to high irradiances displayed marked seasonal trends. The photosynthesis photoinhibition due to PAR as well as to UV were significantly related to incident solar radiation (PAR: R² = 0.73; UV: R² = 0.74). These results suggest adaptation of the phytoplankton community in response to changes in incident solar radiation.     

两种热带雨林树苗对环境光强变化的生理响应和适应机制

干季末雨季初以西双版纳热带雨林中木奶果和玉蕊2种树苗为材料,研究了将生长于12.5%自然光（相当于小林窗的光强）和36%自然光（相当于大林窗的光强）下的这2种树苗分别移至36%自然光和12.5%自然光下之后各自叶片最大净光合速率（Pmax）、叶绿素荧光参数、光合色素含量、比叶重（LMA）以及叶片悬挂角（MA）的变化过程,探讨了2种植物幼苗在生长环境光强改变后其形态和生理生态特性做出的相应调整以适应新的光环境的过程与机制。结果表明,这2种树苗均不适宜生长在大林窗的强光环境下,但木奶果对光环境的增强表现出一定的耐受力,光合适应潜力强于玉蕊,2种树苗对低光环境都能较好地适应;新叶的生成在整株植物对生长光环境变化的适应过程中也起到至关重要的作用。     

Molecular topology of the Photosystem II chlorophyll a binding protein,CP 43: Topology of a thylakoid membrane protein

We have used antibodies generated against synthetic peptides to determine the topology of the 43 kD chlorophyll a binding protein (CP 43) of Photosystem II. Based on the pattern of proteolytic fragments detected (on western blots) by peptide specific antibodies, a six transmembrane span topological model, with the amino and carboxyl termini located on the stromal membrane surface, is predicted. This structure is similar to that predicted for CP 47, a PS II chlorophyll a binding protein (Bricker T (1990) Photosynth Res 24: 1–13). The model is discussed in reference to the possible location of chlorophyll binding sites.This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Research Grant, GM40703 and U.S. Department of Energy Grant, DE-FG01-92ER20076 (to R.T.S.).     

Photoinhibition of photosynthesis: effect of O2 and selective excitation of the photosystems in intact Lemna gibba plants

Intact Lemna gibba plants were photoinhibited under anaerobic conditions on illumination with monochromatic light which selectively excited the photosystems. Photoinhibition was less when PS 1 was excited and greatest when mainly PS 2 was excited, which suggests that PS 2 was most damaged by photoinhibition induced in complete absence of O₂ and CO₂.The illumination of plants with monochromatic light exciting PS 1, at different O₂ concentrations (in CO₂ deficient conditions), showed that PS 1 photoinhibition was increased at the low O₂ concentrations. The damage to PS 1 was more evident at 2% O₂ than at the higher O₂ concentrations.CO₂ as well as O₂ at atmospheric concentration, (air), was necessary for complete protection of the plant from photoinhibition when both photosystems were excited either separately or together.Abbreviations I irradiance, photon fluence rate - PCO photosynthetic carbon oxidation cycle - PCR photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle - PS 1 photosystem 1 - PS 2 photosystem 2