CO2浓度倍增对谷子和紫花苜蓿叶绿体超微结构的效应

电镜观察结果表明,不同种类植物生长在相同倍增的高ＣＯ２ 浓度条件下,其叶绿体超微结构彼此呈现出明显的差异． 最醒目的特征是淀粉粒的积累比对照的增加很多;类囊体膜系发生异变． 总体上,（１）淀粉粒,Ｃ４ 植物谷子（Ｓｅｔａｒｉａ ｉｔａｌｉｃａ）叶绿体比Ｃ３ 植物紫花苜蓿（Ｍｅｄｉｃａｇｏ ｓａｔｉｖａ）积累的更多． （２）淀粉粒较小且较少时,紫花苜蓿叶绿体基粒类囊体膜增多,与基质类囊体膜相间排列有序;谷子叶绿体的基粒垛及基粒类囊体膜数均增多,但基粒变小,基质类囊体膜变长,且有些膜出现膨胀甚至破损． （３）淀粉粒较大且积累过多时,紫花苜蓿叶绿体中尚可隐约见到由４～８ 个类囊体膜组成的短小基粒零星分布于淀粉粒间;谷子叶绿体中几乎找不到可辨认的基粒和基质类囊体膜     

定位于类囊体膜的PPF1在转基因拟南芥中的表达影响叶绿体的发育

PPF1是一个与植物营养生长相关的基因。它编码的产物可能是一个膜蛋白并与拟南芥叶绿体中的类囊体蛋白ALB3有很高的同源性。免疫电镜分析表明PPF1蛋白同样主要定位于类囊体膜 ,而且在短日照G2豌豆开花两周后仍发育良好的叶绿体中有很高的表达 ,在长日照豌豆同时期非正常叶绿体中丰度非常低。对转基因拟南芥和野生型植株的叶片衰老进程比较发现 ,PPF1在拟南芥中的过量表达可以延缓叶片的衰老 ,而用PPF1反义mRNA抑制拟南芥中的同源基因ALB3则明显加快叶片衰老速度。对转基因拟南芥的超微结构分析显示 ,PPF1在拟南芥中过量表达时 ,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体大并含有更多的基粒和基质类囊体膜 ;相反 ,反义PPF1表达抑制其在拟南芥中的同源物时 ,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体小并含有较少的基粒和发育较差的类囊体膜系统。这些数据表明叶绿体的发育状况与PPF1或拟南芥同源物ALB3的表达水平呈正相关。我们的结果提示PPF1基因可能通过控制叶绿体的发育状况来调节植物的发育。     

定位于类囊体膜的PPF1在转基因拟南芥中的表达影响叶绿体的发育

PPF1是一个与植物营养生长相关的基因.它编码的产物可能是一个膜蛋白并与拟南芥叶绿体中的类囊体蛋白ALB3有很高的同源性.免疫电镜分析表明PPF1蛋白同样主要定位于类囊体膜,而且在短日照G2豌豆开花两周后仍发育良好的叶绿体中有很高的表达,在长日照豌豆同时期非正常叶绿体中丰度非常低.对转基因拟南芥和野生型植株的叶片衰老进程比较发现, PPF1在拟南芥中的过量表达可以延缓叶片的衰老,而用PPF1反义mRNA抑制拟南芥中的同源基因ALB3则明显加快叶片衰老速度.对转基因拟南芥的超微结构分析显示,PPF1在拟南芥中过量表达时,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体大并含有更多的基粒和基质类囊体膜;相反,反义PPF1表达抑制其在拟南芥中的同源物时,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体小并含有较少的基粒和发育较差的类囊体膜系统.这些数据表明叶绿体的发育状况与PPF1或拟南芥同源物ALB3的表达水平呈正相关.我们的结果提示PPF1基因可能通过控制叶绿体的发育状况来调节植物的发育.     

珊瑚树阳生和阴生叶片光合特性和状态转换的比较

珊瑚树阳生和阴生叶片是在不同光照环境中长期生长的,它们的光合特性有一些明显的差异.与阳生叶片相比,阴生叶片单位干重的叶绿素含量较多,类囊体膜垛叠程度较高(即每个基粒的类囊体膜垛叠层数较多,基粒类囊体的直径较大),而叶绿素a/b比值、光合作用的饱和光强和最大净光合速率等较低.用弱红光诱导阳生和阴生叶片向状态2转换时,叶绿素荧光Fm/Fo和F685/F735先迅速下降再逐渐回升,这表明两种叶片都先后通过满溢和LHCⅡ转移调节激发能在PSⅡ和PSⅠ之间的分配,改善光能利用,但阳生叶片Fm/Fo和F685/F735下降的幅度较大.     

不同失水状态发菜类囊体膜蛋白的分离及鉴定

采用液氮研磨与超声波破碎相结合的方法,破碎不同失水状态的发菜藻体和细胞,用差速离心法制备发菜类囊体膜粗制品,蔗糖密度梯度高速离心纯化类囊体膜,SDS-PAGE电泳分离类囊体膜蛋白,并对膜蛋白进行了MALDI-TOF-TOF/MS质谱分析和鉴定。结果表明:(1)充分吸胀4h后失水6h的发菜(含水量51.2%)和失水24h的发菜(含水量14.9%),经过多步差速离心后再进行蔗糖密度梯度高速离心,可得到纯化的类囊体膜。(2)发菜类囊体膜蛋白SDS-PAGE电泳分离到14个条带,共鉴定出8种蛋白,根据其功能可分为4类——光合作用相关蛋白(光系统Ⅱ锰稳定蛋白PsbO,F1F0 ATP合成酶α亚基和β亚基)、结构域蛋白、选择性通道蛋白OprB、未知蛋白(hypothetical protein Npun_R1321、Npun_R3785、N9414_02186),它们在发菜的光合作用中具有重要作用。     

小麦黄化突变体叶绿体超微结构研究

利用透射电镜对小麦自然黄化突变体及其突变亲本(西农1718)叶片细胞叶绿体的数目、形态及超微结构进行比较分析。结果发现:(1)3种不同黄化程度突变体的叶绿体分布、数目、形状及大小与突变亲本无明显差异;(2)突变体叶绿素含量为野生型58%的黄绿植株与其突变亲本叶绿体超微结构无明显差异,基质类囊体与基粒类囊体高度分化,基粒数目以及基粒片层数目较多;(3)突变体金黄和绿黄植株的叶绿素含量分别为野生型的17%、24%,其叶绿体超微结构与突变亲本明显不同,突变体的叶绿体发育存在明显缺陷,其中突变体金黄植株的叶绿体内无基粒、基质片层清晰可见,有淀粉粒,嗜锇颗粒较多,而突变体绿黄植株的叶绿体内有基粒,但明显少于突变亲本,且基粒片层较少,基质类囊体较发达。结果表明该黄化突变体叶绿体超微结构的改变,是由于叶绿素含量降低造成,推测,该黄化突变是由于叶绿素合成受阻导致的。     

大刍草稀有等位基因促进玉米密植高产

密植是提高作物单位面积产量、促进粮食增产的重要途径之一。叶夹角是影响玉米(Zea mays)密植的关键因子。中国农业大学田丰课题组最近克隆了2个调控玉米叶夹角的数量性状位点(QTL)——UPA1和UPA2, 揭示了这2个位点的功能基因(brd1和ZmRAVL1)通过油菜素内酯(BR)信号通路调控叶夹角。UPA2位于ZmRAVL1上游9.5 kb, 可与DRL1蛋白结合。另一个影响玉米叶夹角的蛋白LG1可以激活ZmRAVL1的表达; DRL1蛋白与LG1蛋白直接互作抑制LG1对ZmRAVL1的激活表达。玉米祖先种大刍草(teosinte)的UPA2位点序列与DRL1蛋白结合能力更强, 导致大刍草ZmRAVL1的表达受到更强的抑制, 下调表达的ZmRAVL1进一步使下游基因brd1的表达下调, 进而降低叶环区的内源BR水平, 导致叶夹角变小。将大刍草的UPA2等位基因导入到玉米中或对玉米中ZmRAVL1进行基因编辑, 在密植条件下均可显著提高玉米产量。上述发现为高产玉米品种的分子育种改良提供了重要理论基础和基因资源。     

大刍草稀有等位基因促进玉米密植高产

密植是提高作物单位面积产量、促进粮食增产的重要途径之一。叶夹角是影响玉米(Zea mays)密植的关键因子。中国农业大学田丰课题组最近克隆了2个调控玉米叶夹角的数量性状位点(QTL)——UPA1和UPA2, 揭示了这2个位点的功能基因(brd1和ZmRAVL1)通过油菜素内酯(BR)信号通路调控叶夹角。UPA2位于ZmRAVL1上游9.5 kb, 可与DRL1蛋白结合。另一个影响玉米叶夹角的蛋白LG1可以激活ZmRAVL1的表达; DRL1蛋白与LG1蛋白直接互作抑制LG1对ZmRAVL1的激活表达。玉米祖先种大刍草(teosinte)的UPA2位点序列与DRL1蛋白结合能力更强, 导致大刍草ZmRAVL1的表达受到更强的抑制, 下调表达的ZmRAVL1进一步使下游基因brd1的表达下调, 进而降低叶环区的内源BR水平, 导致叶夹角变小。将大刍草的UPA2等位基因导入到玉米中或对玉米中ZmRAVL1进行基因编辑, 在密植条件下均可显著提高玉米产量。上述发现为高产玉米品种的分子育种改良提供了重要理论基础和基因资源。     

低浓度尼日利亚菌素或氯化铵促进ATP形成机理的再探

在低盐介质中,含有垛叠类囊体（基粒）与不垛叠类囊体（间质片层）结构的叶绿体进行的光系统Ｉ电子传递与磷酸化反应（ＰＳＰ）都为低浓度的尼日利亚菌素所促进,低浓度的氯化铵对基粒结构叶绿体的系统Ｉ与包括两个系统的电子传递以及与之相偶联的磷酸化反应有促进效应,而对间质片层膜上进行的ＰＳＰ反应无影响。尼日利亚菌素或氯化铵对ＰＳＰ的促进效应在高盐介质中消失,且它们对高能态（Ｚ）形成的抑制效应在低盐介质中较高盐介质中大。当存在吡啶时,在低盐介质中它们对Ｚ形成的影响是抑制作用,在高盐介质中则是促进效应。这都表明不同结构的膜上均存在区域化质子。     

莲子光下萌发过程中光合膜超分子结构与27kD多肽变化

冰冻撕裂电镜观察及膜多肽组分的研究结果表明,随着莲子在光下萌发时间的延长,莲(Nelumbonucifera Gaertn.)胚芽叶的叶绿体光合膜的超分子结构发育与膜多肽组分中的27kD多肽含量变化具有明显的相关性:1.萌发2d后,胚芽叶的叶绿体巨基位变成解垛叠状态,其光合膜的超分子结构只呈现解垛叠类囊体区外质膜撕裂面(EF)和解垛叠类囊体的原生质膜撕裂面(PF)两个面;膜组分中主要是30kD多肽,而27kD多肽含量甚微。2.萌发4d后,光合膜从解垛叠开始转变成小基粒垛,垛叠区类囊体外质膜撕裂面(EFs)和垛叠类囊体的原生质膜撕裂面(PFs)开始发育;27kD多肽含量开始增加,30kD多肽含量开始减少。3.萌发6～8d后,光合膜明显分化出非垛叠膜区,非垛叠类囊体的外质膜撕裂面(EFu)和非垛叠类囊体的原生质膜撕裂面(PFu)开始呈现,EFs和PFs功能蛋白颗粒逐渐增多;27kD多肽逐渐增加,30kD多肽逐渐减少。4.萌发10～12d后,光合膜垛叠和非垛叠膜区分化完善,排列有序,EFs、PFs、EFu和PFu面功能蛋白颗粒的密度、大小、分布等超分子构象发育正常;27kD多肽更加增多,30kD多肽几乎消失。表明其超分子结构的发育动态既与其超微结构变化相一致,又与27kD多肽含量变化相吻合,却与一般高等植物的叶绿体发育相反,可为显示莲在被子植物系统演化中的独特地位提     

Arabidopsis CURVATURE THYLAKOID1 Proteins Modify Thylakoid Architecture by Inducing Membrane Curvature

Chloroplasts of land plants characteristically contain grana, cylindrical stacks of thylakoid membranes. A granum consists of a core of appressed membranes, two stroma-exposed end membranes, and margins, which connect pairs of grana membranes at their lumenal sides. Multiple forces contribute to grana stacking, but it is not known how the extreme curvature at margins is generated and maintained. We report the identification of the CURVATURE THYLAKOID1 (CURT1) protein family, conserved in plants and cyanobacteria. The four Arabidopsis thaliana CURT1 proteins (CURT1A, B, C, and D) oligomerize and are highly enriched at grana margins. Grana architecture is correlated with the CURT1 protein level, ranging from flat lobe-like thylakoids with considerably fewer grana margins in plants without CURT1 proteins to an increased number of membrane layers (and margins) in grana at the expense of grana diameter in overexpressors of CURT1A. The endogenous CURT1 protein in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp PCC6803 can be partially replaced by its Arabidopsis counterpart, indicating that the function of CURT1 proteins is evolutionary conserved. In vitro, Arabidopsis CURT1A proteins oligomerize and induce tubulation of liposomes, implying that CURT1 proteins suffice to induce membrane curvature. We therefore propose that CURT1 proteins modify thylakoid architecture by inducing membrane curvature at grana margins.     

Proteins affecting thylakoid morphology – the key to understanding vesicle transport in chloroplasts?

We recently showed that a Rab protein, CPRabA5e (CP = chloroplast localized), is located in chloroplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana where it is involved in various processes, such as thylakoid biogenesis and vesicle transport. Using a yeast two-hybrid method, CPRabA5e was shown to interact with a number of chloroplast proteins, including the CURVATURE THYLAKOID 1A (CURT1A) protein and the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein (LHCB1.5). CURT1A has recently been shown to modify thylakoid architecture by inducing membrane curvature in grana, whereas LHCB1.5 is a protein of PSII (Photosystem II) facilitating light capture. LHCB1.5 is imported to chloroplasts and transported to thylakoid membranes using the post-translational Signal Recognition Particle (SRP) pathway. With this information as starting point, we here discuss their subsequent protein-protein interactions, given by the literature and Interactome 3D. CURT1A itself and several of the proteins interacting with CURT1A and LHCB1.5 have relations to vesicle transport and thylakoid morphology, which are also characteristics of cprabA5e mutants. This highlights the previous hypothesis of an alternative thylakoid targeting pathway for LHC proteins using vesicles, in addition to the SRP pathway.     

Developmental acclimation of the thylakoid proteome to light intensity in Arabidopsis

Photosynthetic acclimation, the ability to adjust the composition of the thylakoid membrane to optimise the efficiency of electron transfer to the prevailing light conditions, is crucial to plant fitness in the field. While much is known about photosynthetic acclimation in Arabidopsis, to date there has been no study that combines both quantitative label-free proteomics and photosynthetic analysis by gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and P700 absorption spectroscopy. Using these methods we investigated how the levels of 402 thylakoid proteins, including many regulatory proteins not previously quantified, varied upon long-term (weeks) acclimation of Arabidopsis to low (LL), moderate (ML) and high (HL) growth light intensity and correlated these with key photosynthetic parameters. We show that changes in the relative abundance of cytb₆f, ATP synthase, FNR2, TIC62 and PGR6 positively correlate with changes in estimated PSII electron transfer rate and CO₂ assimilation. Improved photosynthetic capacity in HL grown plants is paralleled by increased cyclic electron transport, which positively correlated with NDH, PGRL1, FNR1, FNR2 and TIC62, although not PGR5 abundance. The photoprotective acclimation strategy was also contrasting, with LL plants favouring slowly reversible non-photochemical quenching (qI), which positively correlated with LCNP, while HL plants favoured rapidly reversible quenching (qE), which positively correlated with PSBS. The long-term adjustment of thylakoid membrane grana diameter positively correlated with LHCII levels, while grana stacking negatively correlated with CURT1 and RIQ protein abundance. The data provide insights into how Arabidopsis tunes photosynthetic electron transfer and its regulation during developmental acclimation to light intensity.     

Dark-adapted spinach thylakoid protein heterogeneity offers insights into the photosystem II repair cycle

In higher plants, thylakoid membrane protein complexes show lateral heterogeneity in their distribution: photosystem (PS) II complexes are mostly located in grana stacks, whereas PSI and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase are mostly found in the stroma-exposed thylakoids. However, recent research has revealed strong dynamics in distribution of photosystems and their light harvesting antenna along the thylakoid membrane. Here, the dark-adapted spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) thylakoid network was mechanically fragmented and the composition of distinct PSII-related proteins in various thylakoid subdomains was analyzed in order to get more insights into the composition and localization of various PSII subcomplexes and auxiliary proteins during the PSII repair cycle. Most of the PSII subunits followed rather equal distribution with roughly 70% of the proteins located collectively in the grana thylakoids and grana margins; however, the low molecular mass subunits PsbW and PsbX as well as the PsbS proteins were found to be more exclusively located in grana thylakoids. The auxiliary proteins assisting in repair cycle of PSII were mostly located in stroma-exposed thylakoids, with the exception of THYLAKOID LUMEN PROTEIN OF 18.3 (TLP18.3), which was more evenly distributed between the grana and stroma thylakoids. The TL29 protein was present exclusively in grana thylakoids. Intriguingly, PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION5 (PGR5) was found to be distributed quite evenly between grana and stroma thylakoids, whereas PGR5-LIKE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PHENOTYPE1 (PGRL1) was highly enriched in the stroma thylakoids and practically missing from the grana cores. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability: Keys to Produce Clean Energy.     

Insect-induced cecidomyiid galls deficient in light-harvesting protein complex II showing normal grana stacking

It has been postulated that grana stacking and destacking are mediated by the alteration of the surface charge density on the thylakoid membrane, which is regulated by the LHCII phosphorylation and dephosphorylation cycle. Insect-induced cecidomyiid galls, transformed from Machilus thunbergii Sieb & Zucc. (Lauraceae) leaves, are totally deficient in the pigment–protein complexes CPI and A1 of PSI and AB1 and AB2 of PSII. Although the galls are deficient in LHCII complex, grana stacking is normal. Our data suggest that the LHCII complex may not be the only factor responsible for grana stacking of thylakoid membranes.     

Too rigid to fold: Carotenoid-dependent decrease in thylakoid fluidity hampers the formation of chloroplast grana

In chloroplasts of land plants, the thylakoid network is organized into appressed regions called grana stacks and loosely arranged parallel stroma thylakoids. Many factors determining such intricate structural arrangements have been identified so far, including various thylakoid-embedded proteins, and polar lipids that build the thylakoid matrix. Although carotenoids are important components of proteins and the lipid phase of chloroplast membranes, their role in determining the thylakoid network structure remains elusive. We studied 2D and 3D thylakoid network organization in carotenoid-deficient mutants (ccr1-1, lut5-1, szl1-1, and szl1-1npq1-2) of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to reveal the structural role of carotenoids in the formation and dynamics of the internal chloroplast membrane system. The most significant structural aberrations took place in chloroplasts of the szl1-1 and szl1-1npq1-2 plants. Increased lutein/carotene ratio in these mutants impaired the formation of grana, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of thylakoids used to build a particular stack. Further, combined biochemical and biophysical analyses revealed that hampered grana folding was related to decreased thylakoid membrane fluidity and significant changes in the amount, organization, and phosphorylation status of photosystem (PS) II (PSII) supercomplexes in the szl1-1 and szl1-1npq1-2 plants. Such changes resulted from a synergistic effect of lutein overaccumulation in the lipid matrix and a decreased level of carotenes bound with PS core complexes. Moreover, more rigid membrane in the lutein overaccumulating plants led to binding of Rubisco to the thylakoid surface, additionally providing steric hindrance for the dynamic changes in the level of membrane folding.

Increases in lutein/carotenoid ratios lead to decreased thylakoid fluidity and hamper grana folding due to carotenoid-dependent changes in both photosynthetic complexes and lipid matrix organization.     

Changes of Thylakoid Membrane Stacks and Chl a/b Ratio of Chloroplast from Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Seeds During Their Germination Under Light

Changes of chloroplast thylakoid membrane stacks and Chl a/b ratio in the plumule of sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn) seeds during their germination under light were as follows: Before germination there were giant grana and very low Chi a/b ratio (0.9) in the chloroplasts. Two days after germination, the thylakoid membranes of the giant grana gradually loosened and even destacked (disintegrated), the Chl a/b ratio was 1.06. Four clays after germination, the newly formed grana thylakoid membranes were 3–5 times shorter than those of the supergrana thylakoid membranes before germination and less grana stacks were seen; the Chl a/b ratio was 1.42. Six days after germination, the stacked thylakoi membranes became more orderly arranged. In addition the grana increased in number, the stroma thylakoid membranes were scarce, the Chl a/b ratio was 2.16. Eiglt days after germination, the thylakoid membranes in each granum decreased, but the total number of grana increased only slightly. In the meantime, some large starch grains and more stroma thylakoid membranes appeared; the Chl a/b ratio was 2.77. Ten days after germination normal thylakoid membrane structure was formed both in grana and stroma lamellae. They were arranged orderly as in the chloroplasts of other higher plants; the Chl a/b ratio was 2.80. The following conclusions could be drawn from the above mentioned results: 1) There was a negative correlation between the degree of stacking of the grana thylakoid membranes and the Chl a/b ratio. This statement further proved that the membranes stacking might mainly be induced by LHCII. 2) Development of the grana thylakoid membranes within chloroplasts from sacred lotus plumule followed that of the stroma thylakoid membranes, and the tendency of changes of their Chl 2/b ratio being from the lowest to the highest and then to normal were quite different from those of other higher plants. The chloroplasts iri the latter plants contain long parallel stacks of nonappressed primary thylakoids at second step, and the changes of their ratio of Chl a/b tend to be from the highest to the lowest and then to normal. There are indications that sacred lotus plumule might employ a distinctive developing pathway. This provides an important basis for Nelumbo to possess an unique position in phylogeny of Angiospermae.     

Plastid Thylakoid Formation

Inclusion bodies found in proplastids and immature chloroplastswhich possibly play a role in thylakoid formation are described.These include membrane-bound bodies, the bounding membrane ofwhich is continuous with those of the grana and striated osmiophilicdroplets whose over-all morphology bears a resemblance to granastacks. It is suggested that both inclusions contain precursormolecules for membrane synthesis and that they may be actualsites of thylakoid formation.     

An alternative model for photosystem II/light harvesting complex II in grana membranes based on cryo-electron microscopy studies.

The photosynthetic protein complexes in plants are located in the chloroplast thylakoid membranes. These membranes have an ultrastructure that consists of tightly stacked 'grana' regions interconnected by unstacked membrane regions. The structure of isolated grana membranes has been studied here by cryo-electron microscopy. The data reveals an unusual arrangement of the photosynthetic protein complexes, staggered over two tightly stacked planes. Chaotrope treatment of the paired grana membranes has allowed the separation and isolation of two biochemically distinct membrane fractions. These data have led us to an alternative model of the ultrastructure of the grana where segregation exists within the grana itself. This arrangement would change the existing view of plant photosynthesis, and suggests potential links between cyanobacterial and plant photosystem II light harvesting systems.     

Supramolecular organization of thylakoid membrane proteins in green plants

The light reactions of photosynthesis in green plants are mediated by four large protein complexes, embedded in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast. Photosystem I (PSI) and Photosystem II (PSII) are both organized into large supercomplexes with variable amounts of membrane-bound peripheral antenna complexes. PSI consists of a monomeric core complex with single copies of four different LHCI proteins and has binding sites for additional LHCI and/or LHCII complexes. PSII supercomplexes are dimeric and contain usually two to four copies of trimeric LHCII complexes. These supercomplexes have a further tendency to associate into megacomplexes or into crystalline domains, of which several types have been characterized. Together with the specific lipid composition, the structural features of the main protein complexes of the thylakoid membranes form the main trigger for the segregation of PSII and LHCII from PSI and ATPase into stacked grana membranes. We suggest that the margins, the strongly folded regions of the membranes that connect the grana, are essentially protein-free, and that protein-protein interactions in the lumen also determine the shape of the grana. We also discuss which mechanisms determine the stacking of the thylakoid membranes and how the supramolecular organization of the pigment-protein complexes in the thylakoid membrane and their flexibility may play roles in various regulatory mechanisms of green plant photosynthesis.