Photoprotective nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of absorbed solar energy is vital for survival of photosynthetic organisms, and NPQ modifications significantly improve plant productivity. However, the exact NPQ quenching mechanism is obscured by discrepancies between reported mechanisms, involving xanthophyll-chlorophyll (Xan-Chl) and Chl-Chl interactions. We present evidence of an experimental artifact that may explain the discrepancies: strong laser pulses lead to the formation of a novel electronic species in the major plant light-harvesting complex (LHCII). This species evolves from a high excited state of Chl a and is absent with weak laser pulses. It resembles an excitonically coupled heterodimer of Chl a and lutein (or other Xans at site L1) and acts as a de-excitation channel. Laser powers, and consequently amounts of artifact, vary strongly between NPQ studies, thereby explaining contradicting spectral signatures attributed to NPQ. Our results offer pathways toward unveiling NPQ mechanisms and highlight the necessity of careful attention to laser-induced artifacts.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b03049 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Decoding the physicochemical basis of resurrection: the journey of lichen Flavoparmelia caperata through prolonged water scarcity to full rehydration.
BMC Plant Biol
December 2024
Plant Bioenergetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
Desiccation tolerance is a complex phenomenon observed in the lichen Flavoparmelia ceparata. To understand the reactivation process of desiccated thalli, completely dried samples were rehydrated. The rehydration process of this lichen occurs in two phases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInvestigation of Transient Temperature Rising of Light-Harvesting Complex II by Nonradiative Heat Dissipation at the Protein Level.
J Phys Chem Lett
December 2024
Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
Light-harvesting complex II (LHCII), the most abundant membrane protein in photosystem II, plays dual roles, i.e., efficient light harvesting and energy transfer to the reaction center under low light conditions and dissipating excess energy as heat to prevent photodamage under high irradiation conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdaptive significance of age- and light-related variation in needle structure, photochemistry, and pigments in evergreen coniferous trees.
Photosynth Res
February 2025
Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71E, 60-625, Poznan, Poland.
Article Synopsis
- Evergreen conifers adapt to tough environments by possessing multiple needle sets, which optimizes photosynthesis.
- The study examined how needle structure and age affect photosynthesis across different light conditions in three conifer species.
- Findings showed that older needles have reduced photosynthetic efficiency due to self-shading, but still maintain effective light capture, indicating a balance between needle age and photochemical performance.
Chilling- and dark-regulated photoprotection in Miscanthus, an economically important C grass.
Commun Biol
December 2024
Department of Biochemistry and Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA.
Tolerance of chilling dictates the geographical distribution, establishment, and productivity of C crops. Chilling reduces enzyme rate, limiting the sink for the absorbed light energy leading to the need for quick energy dissipation via non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). Here, we characterize NPQ upon chilling in three Miscanthus accessions representing diverse chilling tolerance in C grasses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLight Harvesting Complex II Resists Non-bilayer Lipid-Induced Polymorphism in Plant Thylakoid Membranes via Lipid Redistribution.
J Phys Chem Lett
December 2024
Department of Chemistry, IIT Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342037, India.
The plant thylakoid membrane hosting the light-harvesting complex (LHCII) is the site of oxygenic photosynthesis. Contrary to the earlier consensus of a protein-driven single lamellar phase of the thylakoid, despite containing 40% non-bilayer-forming lipids, recent experiments confirm the polymorphic state of the functional thylakoid. What, then, is the origin of this polymorphism and what factors control it? The current Letter addresses the question using a total of 617.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!