Young research investigators honored at the 2012 Gordon Research Conference on photosynthesis

We provide a News Report on the 2012 Gordon Research Conference on Photosynthesis held at Davidson College, North Carolina during July 8?C13 that focuses on four young investigators who were presented awards during the conference.     

The grand design of photosynthesis: Acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus to environmental cues

Dynamic acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus in response to environmental cues, particularly light quantity and quality, is a widely-observed and important phenomenon which contributes to the tolerance of plants against stress and helps to maintain, as far as possible, optimal photosynthetic efficiency and resource utilization. This mini-review represents a scrutiny of a number of possible photoreceptors (including the two photosystems acting as light sensors) and signal transducers that may be involved in producing acclimation responses. We suggest that regulation by signal transduction may be effected at each of several possible points, and that there are multiple regulatory mechanisms for photosynthetic acclimation.Abbreviations FR far-red light - LHC I, LHC II light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein complex of PS I and PS II, respectively - P700 primary electron donor of PS I - Pmax maximum photosynthetic capacity - Q_A primary quinone electron acceptor of PS II - q_N, q_P non-photochemical and photochemical quenching, respectively - R red light     

Research on photosynthetic reaction centers from 1932 to 1987

The history of research on photosynthetic reaction centers is outlined, starting with the implication of their existence through the discovery of the photosynthetic unit, as reported by R. Emerson and W. Arnold in 1932, and culminating in the crystallization and X-ray analysis of the anoxygenic bacterial reaction centers, reported by J. Deisenhofer, H. Michel, and coworkers, over the period 1982–1987. Reaction centers of purple photosynthetic bacteria have received the most attention because they have been well purified and characterized. Structures of cyanobacterial reaction centers of Photosystems I and II are now available from the laboratories of H. Witt and W. Saenger. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Global photosynthetic capacity is optimized to the environment

Earth system models (ESMs) use photosynthetic capacity, indexed by the maximum Rubisco carboxylation rate (V_cmax), to simulate carbon assimilation and typically rely on empirical estimates, including an assumed dependence on leaf nitrogen determined from soil fertility. In contrast, new theory, based on biochemical coordination and co‐optimization of carboxylation and water costs for photosynthesis, suggests that optimal V_cmax can be predicted from climate alone, irrespective of soil fertility. Here, we develop this theory and find it captures 64% of observed variability in a global, field‐measured V_cmax dataset for C₃ plants. Soil fertility indices explained substantially less variation (32%). These results indicate that environmentally regulated biophysical constraints and light availability are the first‐order drivers of global photosynthetic capacity. Through acclimation and adaptation, plants efficiently utilize resources at the leaf level, thus maximizing potential resource use for growth and reproduction. Our theory offers a robust strategy for dynamically predicting photosynthetic capacity in ESMs.     

Isoprene emission from aspen leaves : influence of environment and relation to photosynthesis and photorespiration

Isoprene emission rates from quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) leaves were measured simultaneously with photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO₂ partial pressure. Isoprene emission required the presence of CO₂ or O₂, but not both. The light response of isoprene emission rate paralleled that of photosynthesis. Isoprene emission was inhibited by decreasing ambient O₂ from 21% to 2%, only when there was oxygen insensitive photosynthesis. Mannose (10 millimolar) fed through cut stems resulted in strong inhibition of isoprene emission rate and is interpreted as evidence that isoprene biosynthesis requires either the export of triose phosphates from the chloroplast, or the continued synthesis of ATP. Light response experiments suggest that photosynthetically generated reductant or ATP is required for isoprene biosynthesis. Isoprene biosynthesis and emission are not directly linked to glycolate production through photorespiration, contrary to previous reports. Isoprene emission rate was inhibited by above-ambient CO₂ partial pressures (640 microbar outside and 425 microbar inside the leaf). The inhibition was not due to stomatal closure. This was established by varying ambient humidity at normal and elevated CO₂ partial pressures to measure isoprene emission rates over a range of stomatal conductances. Isoprene emission rates were inhibited at elevated CO₂ despite no change in stomatal conductance. Addition of abscisic acid to the transpiration stream dramatically inhibited stomatal conductance and photosynthesis rate, with a slight increase in isoprene emission rate. Thus, isoprene emission is independent of stomatal conductance, and may occur through the cuticle. Temperature had an influence on isoprene emission rate, with the Q₁₀ being 1.8 to 2.4 between 35 and 45°C. At these high temperatures the amount of carbon lost through isoprene emission was between 2.5 and 8% of that assimilated through photosynthesis. This represents a significant carbon cost that should be taken into account in determining midsummer carbon budgets for plants that are isoprene emitters.     

Young research investigators honored at the 2011 Gordon research conference on photosynthesis: ambiance and a perspective

Using photographs taken at the conference site, we provide a perspective on (i) the awards that were given to four young investigators at the 2011 Gordon Research Conference on Photosynthesis, and (ii) the ambiance at this conference, held at Davidson College, North Carolina, during June 12–17, 2011.     

Engineering plant metabolism into microbes: from systems biology to synthetic biology

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Highlights► Microbial production of pharmaceutical and fuel molecules. ► Systems biology tools advanced our understanding about synthetic pathway design. ► Synthetic biology led us to cell factories tailor-made for chemical production. ► Combinatorial gene assembly for synthetic pathway diversification. ► Engineering static, dynamic and spatial control for better production phenotype.     

Thermal plasticity of photosynthesis: the role of acclimation in forest responses to a warming climate

The increasing air temperatures central to climate change predictions have the potential to alter forest ecosystem function and structure by exceeding temperatures optimal for carbon gain. Such changes are projected to threaten survival of sensitive species, leading to local extinctions, range migrations, and altered forest composition. This study investigated photosynthetic sensitivity to temperature and the potential for acclimation in relation to the climatic provenance of five species of deciduous trees, Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus rubra, Quercus falcata, Betula alleghaniensis, and Populus grandidentata. Open‐top chambers supplied three levels of warming (+0, +2, and +4 °C above ambient) over 3 years, tracking natural temperature variability. Optimal temperature for CO₂ assimilation was strongly correlated with daytime temperature in all treatments, but assimilation rates at those optima were comparable. Adjustment of thermal optima was confirmed in all species, whether temperatures varied with season or treatment, and regardless of climate in the species' range or provenance of the plant material. Temperature optima from 17° to 34° were observed. Across species, acclimation potentials varied from 0.55 °C to 1.07 °C per degree change in daytime temperature. Responses to the temperature manipulation were not different from the seasonal acclimation observed in mature indigenous trees, suggesting that photosynthetic responses should not be modeled using static temperature functions, but should incorporate an adjustment to account for acclimation. The high degree of homeostasis observed indicates that direct impacts of climatic warming on forest productivity, species survival, and range limits may be less than predicted by existing models.     

Ferredoxins in the evolution of photosynthetic systems from anaerobic bacteria to higher plants

Ferredoxins are present in a wide range of organisms, from the primitive anaerobic bacteria to higher plants and animals, where they function in diverse electron transfer processes. They are relatively small proteins with molecular weights of 6000 to 12000, contain 2–8 Fe atoms and an equivalent amount of inorganic sulphur per molecule, and they transfer electrons at low redox potentials.Anaerobic bacteria, like the clostridia, contain 8 Fe ferredoxins with a peptide chain of 55 amino acid residues which could be arranged in two similar halves suggesting the evolution of the molecule, from a prototype of 26 amino acid residues, by gene duplication. Since these ferredoxins contain a high predominance of certain amino acids detected in meteorites and lunar samples and synthesized under simulated prebiotic environment and since iron and sulphus could be incorporated easily into the apoprotein in anaerobic conditions, the ferredoxin molecule could have been formed in the early periods of the origin of life. From the available chemical compositions and amino acid sequences of various ferredoxins the following evolutionary scheme can be postulated: anaerobic bacteriagreen photosynthetic bacteriared photosynthetic bacteriasulphate reducing bacteriablue-green algaegreen algae and higher plants.Special Symposium on Photochemistry and the Origins of Life, Sixth International Congress on Photobiology, Bochum, Germany.     

Redesigning the photosynthetic light reactions to enhance photosynthesis – the PhotoRedesign consortium

In this Perspective article, we describe the visions of the PhotoRedesign consortium funded by the European Research Council of how to enhance photosynthesis. The light reactions of photosynthesis in individual phototrophic species use only a fraction of the solar spectrum, and high light intensities can impair and even damage the process. In consequence, expanding the solar spectrum and enhancing the overall energy capacity of the process, while developing resilience to stresses imposed by high light intensities, could have a strong positive impact on food and energy production. So far, the complexity of the photosynthetic machinery has largely prevented improvements by conventional approaches. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop concepts to redesign the light-harvesting and photochemical capacity of photosynthesis, as well as to establish new model systems and toolkits for the next generation of photosynthesis researchers. The overall objective of PhotoRedesign is to reconfigure the photosynthetic light reactions so they can harvest and safely convert energy from an expanded solar spectrum. To this end, a variety of synthetic biology approaches, including de novo design, will combine the attributes of photosystems from different photoautotrophic model organisms, namely the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In parallel, adaptive laboratory evolution will be applied to improve the capacity of reimagined organisms to cope with enhanced input of solar energy, particularly in high and fluctuating light.     

Acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana to the light environment: changes in photosynthetic function

Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. cv. Landsberg erecta was grown under light regimes of differing spectral qualities, which results in differences in the stoichiometries of the two photosynthetic reaction centres. The acclimative value of these changes was investigated by assessing photosynthetic function in these plants when exposed to two spectrally distinct actinic lights. Plants grown in an environment enriched in far-red light were better able to make efficient use of non-saturating levels of actinic light enriched in long-wavelength red light. Simultaneous measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence and absorption changes at 820 nm indicated that differences between plants grown under alternative light regimes can be ascribed to imbalances in excitation of photosystems I and II (PSI, PSII). Measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence emission and excitation spectra at 77 K provided strong evidence that there was little or no difference in the composition or function of PSI or PSII between the two sets of plants, implying that changes in photosynthetic stoichiometry are primarily responsible for the observed differences in photosynthetic function.Abbreviations Chl chlorophyll - FR far-red light - HF highirradiance FR-enriched light (400 mol·m^–2·s^–1, RFR = 0.72) - HW high-irradiance white light (400 mol·m^–2 1·1 s^–1RFR = 1.40) - LHCI, LHCII light-harvesting complex of PSI, PSII - qO quenching of dark-level chlorophyll fluorescence - qN non-photochemical quenching of variable chlorophyll fluorescence - qP photochemical quenching of variable chlorophyll fluorescence - R red light - Rubisco ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase We thank Dr. Sasha Ruban for assistance with the 77 K fluorescence measurements and for helpful discussions. This work was supported by Natural Environment Research Council Grant GR3/7571A.