Acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana to the light environment: the existence of separate low light and high light responses.

Journal article

The capacity for photosynthetic acclimation in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. cv. Landsberg erecta was assessed during growth over a broad range of irradiance. Discontinuities in the response to growth irradiance were revealed for the light- and CO2-saturated rate of photosynthesis (Pmax) and the ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b (Chl a/b). Three separate phases in the response of Pmax and Chl a/b to growth light were evident, with increases at low and high irradiance ranges and a plateau at intermediate irradiance. By measuring all chlorophyll-containing components of the thylakoid membrane that contribute to Chl a/b we reveal that distinct strategies for growth at low and high irradiance underlie the discontinuous response. These strategies include, in addition to changes in the major light-harvesting complexes of photosystem II (LHCII), large shifts in the amounts of both reaction centres as well as significant changes in the levels of minor LHCII and LHCI components.

Authors: Bailey, S; Walters, R; Jansson, S; Horton, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Planta
• Volume: 213
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 794-801
• Publication date: 2001-09-01
• DOI: 10.1007/s004250100556
• EISSN: 1432-2048
• ISSN: 0032-0935
• Language: English
• Keywords: Photosystem II Protein Complex; Arabidopsis; Chlorophyll; Acclimatization; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Photosynthesis; Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase; Light; Carbon Dioxide; Oxygen Consumption