Light and oxygenic photosynthesis: energy dissipation as a protection mechanism against photo-oxidation.
Efficient photosynthesis is of fundamental importance for plant survival and fitness. However, in oxygenic photosynthesis, the complex apparatus responsible for the conversion of light into chemical energy is susceptible to photodamage. Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms have therefore evolved several protective mechanisms to deal with light energy. Rapidly inducible non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) is a short-term response by which plants and eukaryotic algae dissipate excitation energy as heat. This review focuses on recent advances in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying this protective quenching pathway in higher plants.
Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35121 Padova, Italy. ildi@civ.bio.unipd.it
Ildikó
I
Szabó
Elisabetta
E
Bergantino
Giorgio Mario
GM
Giacometti
D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008027:Light; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism
D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene