Honoring Jean-David Rochaix

We honor Jean-David Rochaix, an outstanding scholar of chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis, who received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award of the International Society of Photosynthesis Research at its 17th International Photosynthesis Congress held in Maastricht, The Netherlands (August 5–12, 2016). With this award he joins other major discoverers in the field of photosynthesis: Pierre Joliot (of France, 2013); Ulrich W. Heber* (of Germany, 2010) and Kenneth Sauer (of USA, 2010); Jan M. Anderson* (of Australia, 2007); and Horst T. Witt* (of Germany, 2004). See “Appendix 1” for the list of those who have received the ISPR Communication, Innovation, Calvin–Benson, and Hill awards.     

The International Society of Photosynthesis Research (ISPR) and its associated International Congress on Photosynthesis (ICP): a pictorial report

We present here some thoughts on the origin of the International Society of Photosynthesis Research (ISPR). We provide two tables, one of the Officers of the ISPR and the International Photosynthesis Committee, and the other of the Organizers of the International Congress of Photosynthesis (ICP) from the 14th ICP (PS07 in Glasgow) to the 9th ICP (in Nagoya). In celebration of the 14th ICP, we provide here a collection of photographs of the many involved in the ISPR and the ICP as well as some of the others. We end this presentation with the list of members of the committees of the ISPR. If there are any errors in this report, we request the readers to send them to one of us (G; gov@uiuc.edu). Further, we are seeking recollections on ISPR and the Congresses from all the readers of the events during the 1992–1998 period. Hopefully, these will shed further light on the origin and the evolution of the ISPR. These will aid in the preparation of a more complete history of the origin and the evolution of ISPR for publication in 2008.     

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。     

An invitation to the 16th international congress on photosynthesis research in 2013: opportunities and challenges in the 21st century

The 16th International Congress on Photosynthesis will be held August 11–16, 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The congress will include 15 plenary lectures, 21 scientific symposia, poster sessions, exhibitors, opening reception, final banquet, excursions and accompanying persons program. The congress is organized as an official event sponsored by the International Society of Photosynthesis Research.     

Celebrating 20 years of historical papers in Photosynthesis Research

This Editorial has four goals: (1) to inform the readers of ‘Photosynthesis Research‘ about the past of the ‘Historical corner’; which began 20 years ago; (2) to encourage photosynthesis researchers and historians of science to contact me for publishing papers of historical interest; these include: (a) Obituaries and Tributes; (b) historical papers on current and past discoveries and controversies; (c) history of research in specific laboratories, or in specific countries, or at specific conferences; (d) Personal perspectives (not discussed any further); (3) to encourage researchers not to discard, but to save correspondence and data of their discoveries for the future historians by donating them to their Archives, when appropriate (not discussed any further); and (4) to reinforce to the readers that the concept of two-light reaction and two-pigment system was already there in 1959. I mention here three key papers presented at the IX^th International Botanical Congress, held at Montreal Canada (in August, 1959) prior to the famous April 9, 1960 paper by Robert Hill and Fay Bendall on the ‘Z-scheme’ of photosynthesis, that was based on thermodynamic and energetic considerations. ^★ This Historical corner Editorial is dedicated to Bessel Kok (1918–1978).     

光合作用与农业生产

光合作用被誉为是地球上最重要的化学反应,没有光合作用就不可能有人类社会的产生和发展。光合作用是作物产量形成的物质基础,如何充分利用太阳能进行光合作用是农业生产中的一个根本性问题。文章从作物光能利用率与光合作用效率、光合作用过程及其运转的调控、农业发展动向与高光效三个方面简要分析了光合作用与农业生产的关系,以期为今后的相关研究提供一些思考。     

Discoveries in Oxygenic Photosynthesis (1727–2003): A Perspective

We present historic discoveries and important observations, related to oxygenic photosynthesis, from 1727 to 2003. The decision to include certain discoveries while omitting others has been difficult. We are aware that ours is an incomplete timeline. In part, this is because the function of this list is to complement, not duplicate, the listing of discoveries in the other papers in these history issues of Photosynthesis Research. In addition, no one can know everything that is in the extensive literature in the field. Furthermore, any judgement about significance presupposes a point of view. This history begins with the observation of the English clergyman Stephen Hales (1677-1761) that plants derive nourishment from the air; it includes the definitive experiments in the 1960-1965 period establishing the two-photosystem and two-light reaction scheme of oxygenic photosynthesis; and includes the near-atomic resolution of the structures of the reaction centers of these two Photosystems, I and II, obtained in 2001-2002 by a team in Berlin, Germany, coordinated by Horst Witt and Wolfgang Saenger. Readers are directed to historical papers in Govindjee and Gest [(2002a) Photosynth Res 73: 1-308], in Govindjee, J. Thomas Beatty and Howard Gest [(2003a) Photosynth Res 76: 1-462], and to other papers in this issue for a more complete picture. Several photographs are provided here. Their selection is based partly on their availability to the authors (see Figures 1-15). Readers may view other photographs in Part 1 (Volume 73, Photosynth Res, 2002), Part 2 (Volume 76, Photosynth Res, 2003) and Part 3 (Volume 80 Photosynth Res, 2004) of the history issues of Photosynthesis Research. Photographs of most of the Nobel-laureates are included in Govindjee, Thomas Beatty and John Allen, this issue. For a complementary time line of anoxygenic photosynthesis, see H. Gest and R. Blankenship (this issue).     

Photosynthesis: Molecular biology and bioenergetics

Book Review

Photosynthesis: Molecular biology and bioenergeticsG.S. Singhal, J. Barber, R.A. Dilley, Govindjee, R. Haselkorn and P. Mohanty (Eds), Proceedings of the International Workshop on Application of Molecular Biology and Bioenergetics of Photosynthesis. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Narosa: Springer-Verlag, 1989. xiv+441 pages. DM 148,00. ISBN 3-540-50451-6     

Directory of Soviet Scientists Engaged in Psychological and Psychophysiological Research

For purposes of space, and because the International Congress deals primarily with problems of psychology and psychophysiology, we have not included in this listing scientists engaged in purely psychiatric research. (Such a listing will appear in the next issue of this Journal.) The list includes all authors of relevant articles published in 1964 and 1965 in the journals Voprosy psikhologii (designated as V), Zhurnal vysshey nervnoy deyatel'nosti im. I. P. Pavlova (P), and Zhurnal nevropatologii i psikhiatrii im. S. S. Korsakova (K), and in all past issues of Soviet Psychology and Psychiatry (S) (1962-1965). Also included are authors of relevant books published in the period 1962-1965. The list has been augmented by information provided by members of the Advisory Board of this Journal, and by the trip reports listed in "Reviews in English of Recent Soviet Psychology: A Bibliography" (this issue). As we stated in regard to the Directory of Institutions, above, no doubt this compendium contains gaps and inaccuracies, for which we beg the indulgence of our readers and our Soviet colleagues. We have done the best we could with the material available to us.     

International conference on “Photosynthesis research for sustainability-2013: in honor of Jalal A. Aliyev”, held during June 5–9, 2013, Baku, Azerbaijan

In this brief report, we provide a pictorial essay on an international conference “Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability-2013 in honor of Jalal A. Aliyev” that was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, during June 5–9, 2013 (http://photosynthesis2013.cellreg.org/). We begin this report with a brief note on Jalal Aliyev, the honored scientist, and on John Walker (1997 Nobel laureate in Chemistry) who was a distinguished guest and lecturer at the Conference. We briefly describe the Conference, and the program. In addition to the excellent scientific program, a special feature of the Conference was the presentation of awards to nine outstanding young investigators; they are recognized in this report. We have also included several photographs to show the pleasant ambience at this conference. (See http://photosynthesis2013.cellreg.org/Photo-Gallery.php; https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qcr124dajwffwh6/TlcHBvFu4H?m; and https://www.copy.com/s/UDlxb9fgFXG9/Baku for more photographs taken by the authors as well as by others.) We invite the readers to the next conferences on “Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability—2014: in honor of Vladimir A. Shuvalov” to be held during June 2–7, 2014, in Pushchino, Russia. Detailed information for this will be posted at the Website: http://photosynthesis2014.cellreg.org/, and for the subsequent conference on “Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability—2015” to be held in May or June 2015, in Baku, Azerbaijan, at http://photosynthesis2015.cellreg.org/.     

Celebrating the Millennium: Historical Highlights of Photosynthesis Research,Part 3

This paper introduces the third and final part of the 'millennium celebrations of historical highlights of photosynthesis research.' Part 1 (308 pages) was published in October 2002 as Vol. 73 of the journal Photosynthesis Research, and Part 2 (458 pages) was published in July 2003 as Vol. 76. Here, we recognize particularly the work of three major contributors to our understanding of photosynthesis: Roger Stanier (1916-1982); Germaine Cohen-Bazire (Stanier) (1920-2001); and William Arnold (1904-2001). We also introduce the historical papers contained in this volume; consider the legacy of Alfred Nobel (1833-1896); and identify Nobel prizes of special relevance to understanding the capture, conversion, and storage of light energy in both anoxygenic and oxygenic photosynthesis.     

Photosynthesis: a multiscopic view

Journal of Plant Research - A recurring analogy for photosynthesis research is the fable of the blind men and the elephant. Photosynthesis has many complex working parts, which has driven the need...     

Photosynthesis and salinity: are these mutually exclusive?

Photosynthetica - Photosynthesis has walked into the path of evolution for over millions of years. Organisms relying directly on photosynthesis, when subjected to adverse environments for a long...     

Photosynthesis and water-use characteristics in Indian mangroves

Photosynthesis and water efflux were measured in different PAR and stomatal conductance in members of Avicenniaceae and Rhizophoraceae. Trend of leaf temperature with irradiance and its effect on photosynthesis were also estimated. In most of the studied species, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance followed similar trends with increase in irradiance. The rate of net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were higher in members of Avicenniaceae than in Rhizophoraceae. In Avicenniaceae, the optimum PAR for maximum photosynthesis ranged between 1340–1685 (μmol m^-2s^-1, which was also higher than that of Rhizophoraceae (840-1557 μmol m^-2s^-1). Almost in all the studied taxa, transpiration and stomatal conductance followed similar trends and reached the maximal peaks at the same PAR value. The range of breakeven leaf temperature was almost the same in both the families (34-36°C in Avicenniaceae and 33.5-36.3°C in Rhizophoraceae), beyond which assimilation rate declined.     

Photosynthesis on the edge: photoinhibition,desiccation and freezing tolerance of Antarctic bryophytes

Photosynthesis Research - In Antarctica, multiple stresses (low temperatures, drought and excessive irradiance) hamper photosynthesis even in summer. We hypothesize that controlled inactivation of...     

光慈姑叶片光合速率日变化规律的研究

以野生和栽培光慈姑植株为材料,研究了光慈姑叶片光合速率日变化规律和环境因子对其的影响,比较了不同生育期光合速率的大小。结果表明:3月份结果的光慈姑叶片净光合速率日变化呈单峰曲线,4月结果的光慈姑叶片净光合速率日变化呈双峰曲线,光合“午睡”现象明显;开花期与结果期的净光合速率日变化差异显著,开花期的净光合速率大于结果期的净光合速率。栽培条件下,叶片净光合速率大于野生状态下的光合速率。     

The little mermaid hosts the 2010 IUSSI World Congress on social interactions

The 16th World Congress of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI) was held in Copenhagen (Denmark), where it was hosted by the Northwest European Section of the IUSSI. Scientists working on social evolution in unicellular and other arthropods joined the meeting, demonstrating the strength of collaborative research across disciplines and biological models, and broadening the IUSSI2010 congress profile to the study of social interactions.     

Announcing the call for the Special Issue on the 20th International Congress of the International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB)—virtual meeting,October 2021

This Commentary describes a call for submissions for the upcoming Special Issue focused on the science presented at the 20^th IUPAB Congress to be held in conjunction with the 45^th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Biophysical Society and the 49^th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 20^th International IUPAB Congress will take place as a virtual meeting this year from October 4 to 8, 2021. This triennial IUPAB Congress will be held in loose conjunction with the 45^th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Biophysical Society and the 49^th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. To act as a complement to this virtual meeting, the Biophysical Reviews journal will base a Special Issue on the scientific topics of the meeting contributors selected from the range of invited speakers and poster presenters. This Special Issue will also work to highlight the host country’s (Brazil) National Biophysical Society. Finally, this Special Issue will also serve to publish the meeting abstracts in supplemental form.Review articles from IUPAB Congress speakers and poster presenters to the IUPAB Congress and associated conferences (the 45^th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Biophysical Society and the 49^th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) are solicited. Similar to the SI based on the 19^th IUPAB Congress held in Edinburgh summarizing Commentaries from session chairs are also requested (Hall and dos Remedios 2017). The Special Issue for the 20^th IUPAB International Congress will be prepared and edited by the current authors (Rosangela Itri, Mauricio Baptista, Richard Garratt, and Antonio Jose Costa-Filho).     

Plants under Climatic Stress: I. Low Temperature, High Light Effects on Photosynthesis

Photosynthetic rates of both C₄- and C₃-pathway plants grown at 25 C were measured before and during a period of chilling stress at 10 C, and then again at 25 C following various periods at 10 C. When temperatures are first lowered photosynthetic rates drop immediately, then undergo a further reduction which is quite rapid in species such as Sorghum, maize, and Pennisetum; slower in soybean; and very slow in Paspalum and ryegrass. Visible light causes progressive permanent damage to the photosynthetic capacity of leaves during this period of lowered photosynthesis. The extent of damage increases with light intensity and the length of time leaves are held at 10 C but varies greatly between species, being roughly correlated with the extent to which chilling initially and subsequently lowers photosynthesis. Three days of chilling (10 C) at 170 w·m⁻² reduces the photosynthetic capacity of youngest-mature Paspalum leaves only 30 to 40% while Sorghum leaves are essentially inoperative when returned to 25 C after the same stress. Root temperature has a substantial rapid effect on photosynthesis of soybean and little immediate effect on Sorghum. Photosynthesis of stress-intolerant species (Sorghum) is reduced only slightly more than that of semitolerant species (Paspalum) when temperatures are lowered at mid-photo-period, but to a far greater extent if temperatures are reduced at the commencement of a photoperiod.