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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Inhibition of photosynthesis by heat stress: the activation state of Rubisco as a limiting factor in photosynthesis.

Although the catalytic activity of Rubisco increases with temperature, the low affinity of the enzyme for CO(2) and its dual nature as an oxygenase limit the possible increase in net photosynthesis with temperature. For cotton, comparisons of measured rates of net photosynthesis with predicted rates that take into account limitations imposed by the kinetic properties of Rubisco indicate that direct inhibition of photosynthesis occurs at temperatures higher than about 30 degrees C. Inhibition of photosynthesis by moderate heat stress (i.e. 30-42 degrees C) is generally attributed to reduced rates of RuBP regeneration caused by disruption of electron transport activity, and specifically inactivation of the oxygen evolving enzymes of photosystem II. However, measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence and metabolite levels at air-levels of CO(2) indicate that electron transport activity is not limiting at temperatures that inhibit CO(2) fixation. Instead, recent evidence shows that inhibition of net photosynthesis correlates with a decrease in the activation state of Rubisco in both C(3) and C(4) plants and that this decrease in the amount of active Rubisco can fully account for the temperature response of net photosynthesis. Biochemically, the decrease in Rubisco activation can be attributed to: (1) more rapid de-activation of Rubisco caused by a faster rate of dead-end product formation; and (2) slower re-activation of Rubisco by activase. The net result is that as temperature increases activase becomes less effective in keeping Rubisco catalytically competent. In this opinionated review, we discuss how these processes limit photosynthetic performance under moderate heat stress.

Journal Article↗

Instantaneous canopy photosynthesis: analytical expressions for sun and shade leaves based on exponential light decay down the canopy and an acclimated non-rectangular hyperbola for leaf photosynthesis.

Analytical expressions for the contributions of sun and shade leaves to instantaneous canopy photosynthesis are derived. The analysis is based on four assumptions. First, that the canopy is closed in the sense that it is horizontally uniform. Secondly, that there is an exponential profile of light down the canopy with the same decay constant for light from different parts of the sky. Thirdly, that the leaf photosynthetic response to incident irradiance can be described by a three-parameter non-rectangular hyperbola (NRH). And lastly, that light acclimation at the leaf level occurs in only one parameter of the NRH, that describing the light-saturated photosynthetic rate, which is assumed to be proportional to the local averaged leaf irradiance. These assumptions have been extensively researched empirically and theoretically and their limitations are quite well understood. They have been widely used when appropriate. Combining these four assumptions permits the derivation of algebraic expressions for instantaneous canopy photosynthesis which are computationally efficient because they avoid the necessity for numerical integration down the canopy. These are valuable for modelling plant and crop ecosystems, for which canopy photosynthesis is the primary driver. Ignoring the sun/shade dichotomy can result in overestimates of canopy photosynthesis of up to 20 %, but using a rectangular hyperbola instead of a non-rectangular hyperbola to estimate canopy photosynthesis taking account of sun and shade leaves can lead to a similarly sized underestimate.

Acclimatization↗

The use of the ratio between the photosynthesis parameters p(ml)and v(cmax)for scaling up photosynthesis of C(3)Plants from leaves to canopies: A critical examination of different modelling approaches

Recent models of photosynthesis have adopted the close correlation between the main photosynthetic component processes, the maximum rate of carboxylation and the potential rate of RuBP (ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate) regeneration, at a reference temperature of 20 degrees C. When using the ratio between these two processes in models of photosynthesis, assumptions though have to be made about the temperature response of the potential rate of RuBP regeneration, which varies with growth conditions and among species. In order to assess the effects of deviations from the real temperature response of the potential rate of RuBP regeneration on photosynthesis, a sensitivity analysis, scaling up photosynthesis from the leaf to the canopy level, is applied in the present paper. No changes are predicted to occur for sunlit leaves, which receive both direct and diffuse radiation, as long as incident radiation does not cause carboxylation to shift from RuBP saturation to RuBP limitation, which, depending on incident radiation and canopy structure, might occur deeper down in the canopy. Carboxylation of shaded leaves, which receive solely diffuse radiation, is generally limited by the regeneration of RuBP, and is thus prone to be affected by changes in the temperature response of the potential rate of RuBP regeneration. Due to the saturation type response of the RuBP-limited rate of carboxylation to temperature at light intensities below saturation, the impact of deviations from the real temperature response is negligible at high leaf temperatures, but may become significant when leaf temperatures are low and photosynthetically active radiation incident on shaded leaves is comparably high, as in the upper canopy layers. The largest effects on whole canopy photosynthesis will therefore occur under cool conditions and a completely overcast sky, when all leaves receive diffuse radiation only. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗

Tracking molecular evolution of photosynthesis by characterization of a major photosynthesis gene cluster from Heliobacillus mobilis.

A DNA sequence has been obtained for a 35.6-kb genomic segment from Heliobacillus mobilis that contains a major cluster of photosynthesis genes. A total of 30 ORFs were identified, 20 of which encode enzymes for bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis, reaction-center (RC) apoprotein, and cytochromes for cyclic electron transport. Donor side electron-transfer components to the RC include a putative RC-associated cytochrome c553 and a unique four-large-subunit cytochrome bc complex consisting of Rieske Fe-S protein (encoded by petC), cytochrome b6 (petB), subunit IV (petD), and a diheme cytochrome c (petX). Phylogenetic analysis of various photosynthesis gene products indicates a consistent grouping of oxygenic lineages that are distinct and descendent from anoxygenic lineages. In addition, H. mobilis was placed as the closest relative to cyanobacteria, which form a monophyletic origin to chloroplast-based photosynthetic lineages. The consensus of the photosynthesis gene trees also indicates that purple bacteria are the earliest emerging photosynthetic lineage. Our analysis also indicates that an ancient gene-duplication event giving rise to the paralogous bchI and bchD genes predates the divergence of all photosynthetic groups. In addition, our analysis of gene duplication of the photosystem I and photosystem II core polypeptides supports a "heterologous fusion model" for the origin and evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis.

Bacteria↗

Photosynthesis of a Scots pine shoot: a comparison of two models of shoot photosynthesis in direct and diffuse radiation fields.

Two models of shoot photosynthesis, the needle surface element model (SEM) and needle volume element model (VEM), were tested against empirical data obtained from measurements of the photosynthetic response of twelve Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) shoots in direct and diffuse radiation. The models assume that shoot photosynthesis is obtained as the integrated response of either all needle surface area elements (SEM) or all needle volume elements (VEM) of the shoot. The models differ in that needles are treated as optically black in SEM, whereas in VEM radiation penetrates into the needle. The photosynthetic response of a surface/volume element was described as a Blackman-type curve and the distributions of irradiance on the elements were derived by computer simulation, based on a model of shoot geometry. The parameters (initial slope and maximum rate) of the Blackman-curve of an element were estimated iteratively by the method of least squares, i.e., by minimizing the residual sum of squares of simulated and measured rates of shoot photosynthesis. The parameter estimation was done separately for direct and diffuse radiation, and the models were evaluated based on the notion that, for the "ideal" model, the estimated parameter values should be the same in direct and diffuse radiation. Both models produced shoot photosynthesis curves that agreed well with measurements, but there was a discrepancy in the estimated parameter values, indicating that differences in the photosynthetic response of shoots in direct and diffuse radiation could not be explained solely on the basis of the simulated irradiance distributions. The agreement was, however, much better for the volume element model, which accounts for penetration of radiation into the needles.

Journal Article↗

The quantum yield of photosynthesis in Porphyridium cruentum, and the role of chlorophyll a in the photosynthesis of red algae.

Quantum yield measurements were made with the red alga Porphyridium cruentum, cultured so as to give different proportions of chlorophyll and phycobilins. Totally absorbing suspensions were used so that there was no uncertainty in the amount of energy absorbed. These measurements have shown that chlorophyll, in this alga, has a photosynthetic efficiency as high as in other algal groups, and higher than the phycobilins-at least at wave lengths shorter than about 650 mmicro. Wave lengths longer than this are beyond the range of maximum efficiency of chlorophyll. Under specified conditions of temperature and supplementary light full efficiency may be extended to longer wave lengths. The results of these measurements have made it unnecessary to suppose that in red algae chlorophyll plays a minor role while the phycobilins are the photosynthetic sensitizers of primary importance.

Chlorophyll↗

[Photosynthesis as a prototype of solar energetics of new type. I. Chlorophyll apparatus of photosynthesis].

The hybridization of double-stranded regions of pre-mRNA from mouse Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells, rabbit bone marrow cells and primary culture of rabbit kidney cells with an excess of total poly(A)+-mRNA of mouse or rabbit globin mRNA respectively was studied. The hybrids were detected as RNAase-stable acid precipitable material or by adsorbtion of the hybrid complexes of poly(U)-sepharose. The sizes of the hybrid complementary sequences and their thermal stability were estimated.

Chlorophyll↗

The potential of considering photosynthesis parameters in crop yield breeding by genomic prediction.

To meet the growing demand for agricultural products, optimizing photosynthesis is a promising strategy to improve crop yields. Phenotypic variance in photosynthesis has been observed within or between species. To explore the potential of integrating photosynthetic parameters into crop breeding programs, we explored the genetic variation in photosynthesis by assessing photosynthesis-related parameters across plant development in 631 barley recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from eight HvDRR subpopulations under field conditions. The genetic complexity of these parameters was resolved by analyses of bi-parental and multi-parental quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Finally, we examined the merit of integrating photosynthesis-related parameters in genomic prediction of yield and its components. Significant genotypic variations of the photosynthesis-related parameters were found among the RILs, with their heritability ranging from 0.38 to 0.54. The multiple QTLs and dynamic QTLs for photosynthesis observed across different developmental stages underlined the complexity of the genetics of photosynthesis in barley. The considerably higher percentage of phenotypic variance explained for genomic prediction than multi-parental QTL analysis illustrates that the photosynthesis-related parameters are inherited in a more complex way than classical agronomic traits. Notably, the prediction ability for yield was increased by integrating the photosynthesis-related parameters of some developmental stages into genomic prediction models. Thus, our results suggest a novel perspective on increasing the efficiency of crop breeding programs by integrating photosynthesis-related parameters into prediction models.

Photosynthesis↗

The Effect of Leaf Temperature and Photorespiratory Conditions on Export of Sugars during Steady-State Photosynthesis in Salvia splendens.

Export and photosynthesis in leaves of Salvia splendens were measured concurrently during steady-state 14CO2 labeling conditions. Under ambient CO2 and O2 conditions, photosynthesis and export rates were similar at 15 and 25[deg]C, but both declined as leaf temperature was raised from 25 to 40[deg]C. Suppressing photorespiration between 15 and 40[deg]C by manipulating CO2 and O2 levels resulted in higher rates of leaf photosynthesis, total sugar synthesis, and export. There was a linear relationship between the rate of photosynthesis and the rate of export between 15 and 35[deg]C. At these temperatures, 60 to 80% of the carbon fixed was readily exported with sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose, which together constituted over 90% of phloem mobile assimilates. Above 35[deg]C, however, export during photosynthesis was inhibited both in photorespiratory conditions, which inhibited photosynthesis, and in nonphotorespiratory conditions, which did not inhibit photosynthesis. Sucrose and raffinose but not stachyose accumulated in the leaf at 40[deg]C. When leaves were preincubated at 40[deg]C and then cooled to 35[deg]C, export recovered more slowly than photosynthesis. These data are consistent with the view that impairment of export processes, rather than photosynthetic processes associated with light trapping, carbon reduction, and sucrose synthesis, accounted for the marked reduction in export between 35 and 40[deg]C. Taken together, the data indicated that temperature changes between 15 and 40[deg]C had two effects on photosynthesis and concurrent export. At all temperatures, suppressing photorespiration increased both photosynthesis and export, but above 35[deg]C, export processes were more directly inhibited independent of changes in photorespiration and photosynthesis.

Journal Article↗

Selectable traits to increase crop photosynthesis and yield of grain crops.

The grain yield of cereals has almost doubled this century as a result of genetic manipulation by plant breeding. Surprisingly, there has been no change in the rate of photosynthesis per unit leaf area to accompany these increases. However, total photosynthesis has increased as a result of an increase in leaf area, daily duration of photosynthesis or leaf area duration. There remain substantial opportunities to continue to improve total photosynthesis and crop yield genetically using conventional breeding practices. Selectable traits are discussed here in the context of increasing total above-ground biomass under favourable conditions. Opportunities exist to alter crop duration and the timing of crop development to match it better to radiation, temperature and vapour pressure during crop growth, and to increase the rate of development of early leaf area to achieve rapid canopy closure. The importance of these traits will depend on the environment in which the crop is grown. Increases in crop photosynthesis through breeding are also likely to come via indirect means. Selection for a high and sustained stomatal conductance during the period of stem elongation is one way. Increasing assimilate allocation to the reproductive primordia so as to establish a large potential sink should also indirectly increase total crop photosynthesis. Evidence in the major grain crops suggests that by anthesis the capacity for photosynthesis is high and that photosynthesis is not limiting during grain filling. To use this surplus capacity it is suggested that carbon and nitrogen partitioning to the reproductive meristem be increased so as to establish a high potential grain number and the potential for a large grain size. It is then expected that additional photosynthesis will follow, either by a longer daily duration of photosynthesis or by an extended leaf area duration.

Biomass↗

Influence of climate and fertilization on net photosynthesis of mature slash pine.

Net photosynthesis was measured under field conditions in 23-year-old slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) trees to determine how it was affected by fertilization and climate. There was only a small decrease in rates of net photosynthesis from late summer through winter demonstrating that appreciable carbon gain occurs throughout the year in slash pine. Although fertilization substantially increased leaf area and aboveground biomass, it only slightly increased the rate of net photosynthesis. Simultaneous measurements of gas exchange in fertilized and unfertilized (control) plots allowed the detection of a small, but statistically significant difference in average net photosynthesis of 0.14 micro mol m(-2) s(-1). Irradiance, and to a lesser extent air temperature, were the environmental factors that exerted the most control on net photosynthesis. The highest rates of net photosynthesis occurred between air temperatures of 25 and 35 degrees C. Because air temperatures were within this range for 46% of all daylight hours during the year, air temperature was not often a significant limitation. Soil and atmospheric water deficits had less effect on photosynthesis than irradiance or air temperature. Although the depth to the water table changed during the year from 10 to 160 cm, predawn and midday xylem pressure potentials only changed slightly throughout the year. Predawn values ranged from -0.63 to -0.88 MPa in the control plot and from -0.51 to -0.87 MPa in the fertilized plot and were not correlated with water table depth. There was no correlation between xylem pressure potentials and net photosynthesis, presumably because water uptake was adequate. Although vapor pressure deficits reached 3.5 kPa during the summer, they had little effect on net photosynthesis. Over a vapor pressure deficit range from 1.0 to 3.0 kPa, net photosynthesis only decreased 21%. No differences in responses to these environmental factors could be attributed to fertilization.

Journal Article↗

Estimating photosynthesis and concurrent export rates in C3 and C4 species at ambient and elevated CO21,2

The ability of 21 C3 and C4 monocot and dicot species to rapidly export newly fixed C in the light at both ambient and enriched CO2 levels was compared. Photosynthesis and concurrent export rates were estimated during isotopic equilibrium of the transport sugars using a steady-state 14CO2-labeling procedure. At ambient CO2 photosynthesis and export rates for C3 species were 5 to 15 and 1 to 10 &mgr;mol C m-2 s-1, respectively, and 20 to 30 and 15 to 22 &mgr;mol C m-2 s-1, respectively, for C4 species. A linear regression plot of export on photosynthesis rate of all species had a correlation coefficient of 0.87. When concurrent export was expressed as a percentage of photosynthesis, several C3 dicots that produced transport sugars other than Suc had high efflux rates relative to photosynthesis, comparable to those of C4 species. At high CO2 photosynthetic and export rates were only slightly altered in C4 species, and photosynthesis increased but export rates did not in all C3 species. The C3 species that had high efflux rates relative to photosynthesis at ambient CO2 exported at rates comparable to those of C4 species on both an absolute basis and as a percentage of photosynthesis. At ambient CO2 there were strong linear relationships between photosynthesis, sugar synthesis, and concurrent export. However, at high CO2 the relationships between photosynthesis and export rate and between sugar synthesis and export rate were not as strong because sugars and starch were accumulated.

Journal Article↗

Influence of glycerate on photosynthesis by wheat chloroplasts.

Glycerate was found to effect photosynthetic O2 evolution in wheat chloroplasts by its conversion to triose phosphate and by influencing the rate of photosynthesis through the reductive pentose phosphate pathway. In the absence of bicarbonate, the photosynthetic O2 evolution with glycerate was low (10 to 25 mumol mg chlorophyll-1 h-1), and only about 15% of the rate of bicarbonate-dependent O2 evolution under optimum conditions. This corresponds to a rate of glycerate conversion to triose phosphate of 20 to 50 mumol mg chlorophyll-1 h-1, which appears sufficient to accommodate flux through the glycolate pathway in vivo. Pi was required for this glycerate-dependent O2 evolution; rates remained relatively constant between 0.1 and 40 mM Pi, and proceeded with little lag upon illumination (less than 0.5 min). Evidence for O2 evolution due to glycerate conversion to triose phosphate could be conclusively demonstrated by addition of glycolaldehyde, an inhibitor of the regenerative phase of photosynthesis, which prevents CO2 fixation. The effect of glycerate on photosynthesis in the presence of bicarbonate was determined by measuring both photosynthetic O2 evolution and 14CO2 fixation at varying Pi concentrations. Low concentrations of glycerate (micro- to millimolar levels) prevented inhibition of photosynthesis by Pi. With 1 mM bicarbonate and pH 8.2, which is favorable for glycolate synthesis, maximum rates of photosynthesis were obtained at low Pi (25 microM), whereas strong inhibition of photosynthesis occurred at only 0.2 mM Pi. Addition of glycerate relieved the inhibition of photosynthesis by Pi, indicating the possible importance of glycerate metabolism in the chloroplast under photorespiratory conditions. The initiation of photosynthesis by glycerate at inhibitory Pi levels occurred with little reduction in the ratio of CO2 fixed/O2 evolved, and the main effect of glycerate was on carbon assimilation. While the basis for the beneficial effect of glycerate on CO2 assimilation under moderate to high Pi levels is uncertain, it may increase the concentration of 3-phosphoglycerate (PGA) in the chloroplast, and thus make conditions more favorable for induction of photosynthesis and reduction of PGA to triose phosphate.

Bicarbonates↗

Estimating photosynthetic radiation use efficiency using incident light and photosynthesis of individual leaves.

It has been theorized that photosynthetic radiation use efficiency (PhRUE) over the course of a day is constant for leaves throughout a canopy if leaf nitrogen content and photosynthetic properties are adapted to local light so that canopy photosynthesis over a day is optimized. To test this hypothesis, 'daily' photosynthesis of individual leaves of Solanum melongena plants was calculated from instantaneous rates of photosynthesis integrated over the daylight hours. Instantaneous photosynthesis was estimated from the photosynthetic responses to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and from the incident PAR measured on individual leaves during clear and overcast days. Plants were grown with either abundant or scarce N fertilization. Both net and gross daily photosynthesis of leaves were linearly related to daily incident PAR exposure of individual leaves, which implies constant PhRUE over a day throughout the canopy. The slope of these relationships (i.e. PhRUE) increased with N fertilization. When the relationship was calculated for hourly instead of daily periods, the regressions were curvilinear, implying that PhRUE changed with time of the day and incident radiation. Thus, linearity (i.e. constant PhRUE) was achieved only when data were integrated over the entire day. Using average PAR in place of instantaneous incident PAR increased the slope of the relationship between daily photosynthesis and incident PAR of individual leaves, and the regression became curvilinear. The slope of the relationship between daily gross photosynthesis and incident PAR of individual leaves increased for an overcast compared with a clear day, but the slope remained constant for net photosynthesis. This suggests that net PhRUE of all leaves (and thus of the whole canopy) may be constant when integrated over a day, not only when the incident PAR changes with depth in the canopy, but also when it varies on the same leaf owing to changes in daily incident PAR above the canopy. The slope of the relationship between daily net photosynthesis and incident PAR was also estimated from the photosynthetic light response curve of a leaf at the top of the canopy and from the incident PAR above the canopy, in place of that measured on individual leaves. The slope (i.e. net PhRUE) calculated in this simple way did not differ statistically from that calculated using data from individual leaves.

Adaptation, Physiological↗