How Light Reactions of Photosynthesis in C4 Plants Are Optimized and Protected under High Light Conditions
Most C4 plants that naturally occur in tropical or subtropical climates, in high light environments, had to evolve a series of adaptations of photosynthesis that allowed them to grow under these conditions. In this review, we summarize mechanisms that ensure the balancing of energy distribution, cou...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-03-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/7/3626 |
| _version_ | 1797439061671018496 |
|---|---|
| author | Wioleta Wasilewska-Dębowska Maksymilian Zienkiewicz Anna Drozak |
| author_facet | Wioleta Wasilewska-Dębowska Maksymilian Zienkiewicz Anna Drozak |
| author_sort | Wioleta Wasilewska-Dębowska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Most C4 plants that naturally occur in tropical or subtropical climates, in high light environments, had to evolve a series of adaptations of photosynthesis that allowed them to grow under these conditions. In this review, we summarize mechanisms that ensure the balancing of energy distribution, counteract photoinhibition, and allow the dissipation of excess light energy. They secure effective electron transport in light reactions of photosynthesis, which will lead to the production of NADPH and ATP. Furthermore, a higher content of the cyclic electron transport components and an increase in ATP production are observed, which is necessary for the metabolism of C4 for effective assimilation of CO<sub>2</sub>. Most of the data are provided by studies of the genus <i>Flaveria</i>, where species belonging to different metabolic subtypes and intermediate forms between C3 and C4 are present. All described mechanisms that function in mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts, into which photosynthetic reactions are divided, may differ in metabolic subtypes as a result of the different organization of thylakoid membranes, as well as the different demand for ATP and NADPH. This indicates that C4 plants have plasticity in the utilization of pathways in which efficient use and dissipation of excitation energy are realized. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:47:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50c6ab51105f4c8d90c8d57e3136a491 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:47:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-50c6ab51105f4c8d90c8d57e3136a4912023-11-30T23:19:41ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-03-01237362610.3390/ijms23073626How Light Reactions of Photosynthesis in C4 Plants Are Optimized and Protected under High Light ConditionsWioleta Wasilewska-Dębowska0Maksymilian Zienkiewicz1Anna Drozak2Department of Molecular Plant Physiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, I. Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Molecular Plant Physiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, I. Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Molecular Plant Physiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, I. Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, PolandMost C4 plants that naturally occur in tropical or subtropical climates, in high light environments, had to evolve a series of adaptations of photosynthesis that allowed them to grow under these conditions. In this review, we summarize mechanisms that ensure the balancing of energy distribution, counteract photoinhibition, and allow the dissipation of excess light energy. They secure effective electron transport in light reactions of photosynthesis, which will lead to the production of NADPH and ATP. Furthermore, a higher content of the cyclic electron transport components and an increase in ATP production are observed, which is necessary for the metabolism of C4 for effective assimilation of CO<sub>2</sub>. Most of the data are provided by studies of the genus <i>Flaveria</i>, where species belonging to different metabolic subtypes and intermediate forms between C3 and C4 are present. All described mechanisms that function in mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts, into which photosynthetic reactions are divided, may differ in metabolic subtypes as a result of the different organization of thylakoid membranes, as well as the different demand for ATP and NADPH. This indicates that C4 plants have plasticity in the utilization of pathways in which efficient use and dissipation of excitation energy are realized.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/7/3626bundle sheath chloroplastsC4 photosynthesiscyclic electron transportenvironmental factorshigh light intensitymesophyll chloroplasts |
| spellingShingle | Wioleta Wasilewska-Dębowska Maksymilian Zienkiewicz Anna Drozak How Light Reactions of Photosynthesis in C4 Plants Are Optimized and Protected under High Light Conditions International Journal of Molecular Sciences bundle sheath chloroplasts C4 photosynthesis cyclic electron transport environmental factors high light intensity mesophyll chloroplasts |
| title | How Light Reactions of Photosynthesis in C4 Plants Are Optimized and Protected under High Light Conditions |
| title_full | How Light Reactions of Photosynthesis in C4 Plants Are Optimized and Protected under High Light Conditions |
| title_fullStr | How Light Reactions of Photosynthesis in C4 Plants Are Optimized and Protected under High Light Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Light Reactions of Photosynthesis in C4 Plants Are Optimized and Protected under High Light Conditions |
| title_short | How Light Reactions of Photosynthesis in C4 Plants Are Optimized and Protected under High Light Conditions |
| title_sort | how light reactions of photosynthesis in c4 plants are optimized and protected under high light conditions |
| topic | bundle sheath chloroplasts C4 photosynthesis cyclic electron transport environmental factors high light intensity mesophyll chloroplasts |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/7/3626 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wioletawasilewskadebowska howlightreactionsofphotosynthesisinc4plantsareoptimizedandprotectedunderhighlightconditions AT maksymilianzienkiewicz howlightreactionsofphotosynthesisinc4plantsareoptimizedandprotectedunderhighlightconditions AT annadrozak howlightreactionsofphotosynthesisinc4plantsareoptimizedandprotectedunderhighlightconditions |