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Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress
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Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant, Algae and Fungi Cell Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 66157

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Suleyman Allakhverdiev

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Guest Editor
К.А. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, 35 Botanicheskaya St., 12 7276 Moscow, Russia
Interests: photosynthesis; plant physiology; environmental stress; abiotic stress; UV radiation; photoreceptor signalling; cyanobacteria; algal; ROS; nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ); chlorophyll fluorescence; salt stress; hydrogen energy; artificial photosynthesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Alexander G. Ivanov

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Photoexcitable Membranes, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad G. Bonchev Str., l. 21, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
2. Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Str. N., London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
Interests: bioenergetics; chlorophyll fluorescence techniques; membrane biophysics; photosynthesis; physiological stress responses; thylakoid membranes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Marian Brestic

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Guest Editor
Department of Plant Physiology, The Slovak University of Agriculture, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia
Interests: crop physiology; drought and high-temperature stress; photosynthesis; noninvasive methods; chlorophyll fluorescence; secondary metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Photosynthesis is a unique process that has shaped life on our planet and created the conditions for all known life forms. During evolution, plant species and photosynthetic forms have been created and partial mechanisms have been optimized that can work optimally within a certain range of environmental conditions. Changing environmental conditions caused by climate change, environmental pollution, and biotic factors significantly limit growth, biomass production, and plant reproduction.

By better understanding of the reactions and partial processes of photosynthesis in a changing or stressful environment, we can predict how plants will function in different climate change scenarios, under conditions of exposure to abiotic and biotic stressors, as well as how to help plants improve their adaptability.

This Special Issue of Cells will therefore represent research into the effects of abiotic and biotic stresses that can have adverse effects on structures as well as photochemical and biochemical processes, from the molecular to the whole-plant level.

We welcome original research and review papers addressing all aspects of photosynthesis, including regulatory mechanisms, as well as their value in agriculture, forestry, and biotechnology.

We hope that interdisciplinary applications of knowledge will stimulate future research.

Prof. Dr.  Suleyman Allakhverdiev
Prof. Dr.  Alexander Ivanov
Prof. Dr.  Marian Brestic
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant physiology
  • photosynthesis
  • biotic and abiotic stressors
  • environmental pollution
  • biotechnology
  • agriculture
  • forestry

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 226 KiB  
Editorial
Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress
by Marian Brestic and Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev
Cells 2022, 11(24), 3953; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11243953 - 07 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1428
Abstract
Photosynthesis is a unique process that has shaped life on our planet and created the conditions for all known life forms [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

22 pages, 28592 KiB  
Article
Influence of Mo and Fe on Photosynthetic and Nitrogenase Activities of Nitrogen-Fixing Cyanobacteria under Nitrogen Starvation
by Asemgul K. Sadvakasova, Bekzhan D. Kossalbayev, Aziza I. Token, Meruert O. Bauenova, Jingjing Wang, Bolatkhan K. Zayadan, Huma Balouch, Saleh Alwasel, Yoong Kit Leong, Jo-Shu Chang and Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev
Cells 2022, 11(5), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11050904 - 05 Mar 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3446
Abstract
The potential of cyanobacteria to perform a variety of distinct roles vital for the biosphere, including nutrient cycling and environmental detoxification, drives interest in studying their biodiversity. Increasing soil erosion and the overuse of chemical fertilizers are global problems in developed countries. The [...] Read more.
The potential of cyanobacteria to perform a variety of distinct roles vital for the biosphere, including nutrient cycling and environmental detoxification, drives interest in studying their biodiversity. Increasing soil erosion and the overuse of chemical fertilizers are global problems in developed countries. The option might be to switch to organic farming, which entails largely the use of biofertilisers. Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic, photosynthetic organisms with considerable potential, within agrobiotechnology, to produce biofertilisers. They contribute significantly to plant drought resistance and nitrogen enrichment in the soil. This study sought, isolated, and investigated nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterial strains in rice fields, and evaluated the effect of Mo and Fe on photosynthetic and nitrogenase activities under nitrogen starvation. Cyanobacterial isolates, isolated from rice paddies in Kazakhstan, were identified as Trichormus variabilis K-31 (MZ079356), Cylindrospermum badium J-8 (MZ079357), Nostoc sp. J-14 (MZ079360), Oscillatoria brevis SH-12 (MZ090011), and Tolypothrix tenuis J-1 (MZ079361). The study of the influence of various concentrations of Mo and Fe on photosynthetic and nitrogenase activities under conditions of nitrogen starvation revealed the optimal concentrations of metals that have a stimulating effect on the studied parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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14 pages, 2352 KiB  
Article
Influence of Light of Different Spectral Compositions on the Growth, Photosynthesis, and Expression of Light-Dependent Genes of Scots Pine Seedlings
by Pavel Pashkovskiy, Vladimir D. Kreslavski, Yury Ivanov, Alexandra Ivanova, Alexander Kartashov, Alexander Shmarev, Valeriya Strokina, Vladimir V. Kuznetsov and Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev
Cells 2021, 10(12), 3284; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10123284 - 24 Nov 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2266
Abstract
Varying the spectral composition of light is one of the ways to accelerate the growth of conifers under artificial conditions for the development of technologies and to obtain sustainable seedlings required to preserve the existing areas of forests. We studied the influence of [...] Read more.
Varying the spectral composition of light is one of the ways to accelerate the growth of conifers under artificial conditions for the development of technologies and to obtain sustainable seedlings required to preserve the existing areas of forests. We studied the influence of light of different quality on the growth, gas exchange, fluorescence indices of Chl a, and expression of key light-dependent genes of Pinus sylvestris L. seedlings. It was shown that in plants growing under red light (RL), the biomass of needles and root system increased by more than two and three times, respectively, compared with those of the white fluorescent light (WFL) control. At the same time, the rates of photosynthesis and respiration in RL and blue light (BL) plants were lower than those of blue red light (BRL) plants, and the difference between the rates of photosynthesis and respiration, which characterizes the carbon balance, was maximum under RL. RL influenced the number of xylem cells, activated the expression of genes involved in the transduction of cytokinin (Histidine-containing phosphotransfer 1, HPT1, Type-A Response Regulators, RR-A) and auxin (Auxin-induced protein 1, Aux/IAA) signals, and reduced the expression of the gene encoding the transcription factor phytochrome-interacting factor 3 (PIF3). It was suggested that RL-induced activation of key genes of cytokinin and auxin signaling might indicate a phytochrome-dependent change in cytokinins and auxins activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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17 pages, 2203 KiB  
Article
The Combined Effect of ZnO and CeO2 Nanoparticles on Pisum sativum L.: A Photosynthesis and Nutrients Uptake Study
by Elżbieta Skiba, Monika Pietrzak, Sława Glińska and Wojciech M. Wolf
Cells 2021, 10(11), 3105; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10113105 - 10 Nov 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2987
Abstract
Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are emerging pollutants that are likely to occur in the contemporary environment. So far, their combined effects on terrestrial plants have not been thoroughly investigated. Obviously, this subject is a challenge [...] Read more.
Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are emerging pollutants that are likely to occur in the contemporary environment. So far, their combined effects on terrestrial plants have not been thoroughly investigated. Obviously, this subject is a challenge for modern ecotoxicology. In this study, Pisum sativum L. plants were exposed to either CeO2 NPs or ZnO NPs alone, or mixtures of these nano-oxides (at two concentrations: 100 and 200 mg/L). The plants were cultivated in hydroponic system for twelve days. The combined effect of NPs was proved by 1D ANOVA augmented by Tukey’s post hoc test at p = 0.95. It affected all major plant growth and photosynthesis parameters. Additionally, HR-CS AAS and ICP-OES were used to determine concentrations of Cu, Mn, Fe, Mg, Ca, K, Zn, and Ce in roots and shoots. Treatment of the pea plants with the NPs, either alone or in combination affected the homeostasis of these metals in the plants. CeO2 NPs stimulated the photosynthesis rate, while ZnO NPs prompted stomatal and biochemical limitations. In the mixed ZnO and CeO2 treatments, the latter effects were decreased by CeO2 NPs. These results indicate that free radicals scavenging properties of CeO2 NPs mitigate the toxicity symptoms induced in the plants by ZnO NPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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16 pages, 3408 KiB  
Article
Identification of a Novel Mutation Exacerbated the PSI Photoinhibition in pgr5/pgrl1 Mutants; Caution for Overestimation of the Phenotypes in Arabidopsis pgr5-1 Mutant
by Shinya Wada, Katsumi Amako and Chikahiro Miyake
Cells 2021, 10(11), 2884; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10112884 - 26 Oct 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2701
Abstract
PSI photoinhibition is usually avoided through P700 oxidation. Without this protective mechanism, excess light represents a potentially lethal threat to plants. PGR5 is suggested to be a major component of cyclic electron transport around PSI and is important for P700 oxidation in angiosperms. [...] Read more.
PSI photoinhibition is usually avoided through P700 oxidation. Without this protective mechanism, excess light represents a potentially lethal threat to plants. PGR5 is suggested to be a major component of cyclic electron transport around PSI and is important for P700 oxidation in angiosperms. The known Arabidopsis PGR5 deficient mutant, pgr5-1, is incapable of P700 oxidation regulation and has been used in numerous photosynthetic studies. However, here it was revealed that pgr5-1 was a double mutant with exaggerated PSI photoinhibition. pgr5-1 significantly reduced growth compared to the newly isolated PGR5 deficient mutant, pgr5hope1. The introduction of PGR5 into pgr5-1 restored P700 oxidation regulation, but remained a pale-green phenotype, indicating that pgr5-1 had additional mutations. Both pgr5-1 and pgr5hope1 tended to cause PSI photoinhibition by excess light, but pgr5-1 exhibited an enhanced reduction in PSI activity. Introducing AT2G17240, a candidate gene for the second mutation into pgr5-1 restored the pale-green phenotype and partially restored PSI activity. Furthermore, a deficient mutant of PGRL1 complexing with PGR5 significantly reduced PSI activity in the double-deficient mutant with AT2G17240. From these results, we concluded that AT2G17240, named PSI photoprotection 1 (PTP1), played a role in PSI photoprotection, especially in PGR5/PGRL1 deficient mutants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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20 pages, 14334 KiB  
Article
Gradual Response of Cyanobacterial Thylakoids to Acute High-Light Stress—Importance of Carotenoid Accumulation
by Myriam Canonico, Grzegorz Konert, Aurélie Crepin, Barbora Šedivá and Radek Kaňa
Cells 2021, 10(8), 1916; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10081916 - 28 Jul 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2241
Abstract
Light plays an essential role in photosynthesis; however, its excess can cause damage to cellular components. Photosynthetic organisms thus developed a set of photoprotective mechanisms (e.g., non-photochemical quenching, photoinhibition) that can be studied by a classic biochemical and biophysical methods in cell suspension. [...] Read more.
Light plays an essential role in photosynthesis; however, its excess can cause damage to cellular components. Photosynthetic organisms thus developed a set of photoprotective mechanisms (e.g., non-photochemical quenching, photoinhibition) that can be studied by a classic biochemical and biophysical methods in cell suspension. Here, we combined these bulk methods with single-cell identification of microdomains in thylakoid membrane during high-light (HL) stress. We used Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 cells with YFP tagged photosystem I. The single-cell data pointed to a three-phase response of cells to acute HL stress. We defined: (1) fast response phase (0–30 min), (2) intermediate phase (30–120 min), and (3) slow acclimation phase (120–360 min). During the first phase, cyanobacterial cells activated photoprotective mechanisms such as photoinhibition and non-photochemical quenching. Later on (during the second phase), we temporarily observed functional decoupling of phycobilisomes and sustained monomerization of photosystem II dimer. Simultaneously, cells also initiated accumulation of carotenoids, especially ɣ–carotene, the main precursor of all carotenoids. In the last phase, in addition to ɣ-carotene, we also observed accumulation of myxoxanthophyll and more even spatial distribution of photosystems and phycobilisomes between microdomains. We suggest that the overall carotenoid increase during HL stress could be involved either in the direct photoprotection (e.g., in ROS scavenging) and/or could play an additional role in maintaining optimal distribution of photosystems in thylakoid membrane to attain efficient photoprotection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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17 pages, 3834 KiB  
Article
Use of Synchrotron Phase-Sensitive Imaging for the Investigation of Magnetopriming and Solar UV-Exclusion Impact on Soybean (Glycine max) Leaves
by Anis Fatima, Sunita Kataria, Ashish Kumar Agrawal, Balwant Singh, Yogesh Kashyap, Meeta Jain, Marian Brestic, Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev and Anshu Rastogi
Cells 2021, 10(7), 1725; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10071725 - 08 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2228
Abstract
The combined response of exclusion of solar ultraviolet radiation (UV-A+B and UV-B) and static magnetic field (SMF) pre-treatment of 200 mT for 1 h were studied on soybean (Glycine max) leaves using synchrotron imaging. The seeds of soybean with and without [...] Read more.
The combined response of exclusion of solar ultraviolet radiation (UV-A+B and UV-B) and static magnetic field (SMF) pre-treatment of 200 mT for 1 h were studied on soybean (Glycine max) leaves using synchrotron imaging. The seeds of soybean with and without SMF pre-treatment were sown in nursery bags kept in iron meshes where UV-A+B (280–400 nm) and UV-B (280–315 nm) from solar radiation were filtered through a polyester filters. Two controls were planned, one with polythene filter controls (FC)- which allows all the UV (280–400 nm); the other control had no filter used (open control-OC). Midrib regions of the intact third trifoliate leaves were imaged using the phase-contrast imaging technique at BL-4, Indus-2 synchrotron radiation source. The solar UV exclusion results suggest that ambient UV caused a reduction in leaf growth which ultimately reduced the photosynthesis in soybean seedlings, while SMF treatment caused enhancement of leaf growth along with photosynthesis even under the presence of ambient UV-B stress. The width of midrib and second-order veins, length of the second-order veins, leaf vein density, and the density of third-order veins obtained from the quantitative image analysis showed an enhancement in the leaves of plants that emerged from SMF pre-treated seeds as compared to untreated ones grown in open control and filter control conditions (in the presence of ambient UV stress). SMF pre-treated seeds along with UV-A+B and UV-B exclusion also showed significant enhancements in leaf parameters as compared to the UV excluded untreated leaves. Our results suggested that SMF-pretreatment of seeds diminishes the ambient UV-induced adverse effects on soybean. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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21 pages, 4060 KiB  
Article
Features of the Duckweed Lemna That Support Rapid Growth under Extremes of Light Intensity
by Jared J. Stewart, William W. Adams III, Marina López-Pozo, Naiara Doherty Garcia, Maureen McNamara, Christine M. Escobar and Barbara Demmig-Adams
Cells 2021, 10(6), 1481; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10061481 - 12 Jun 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4314
Abstract
This study addresses the unique functional features of duckweed via comparison of Lemna gibba grown under controlled conditions of 50 versus 1000 µmol photons m−2 s−1 and of a L. minor population in a local pond with a nearby population of [...] Read more.
This study addresses the unique functional features of duckweed via comparison of Lemna gibba grown under controlled conditions of 50 versus 1000 µmol photons m−2 s−1 and of a L. minor population in a local pond with a nearby population of the biennial weed Malva neglecta. Principal component analysis of foliar pigment composition revealed that Malva was similar to fast-growing annuals, while Lemna was similar to slow-growing evergreens. Overall, Lemna exhibited traits reminiscent of those of its close relatives in the family Araceae, with a remarkable ability to acclimate to both deep shade and full sunlight. Specific features contributing to duckweed’s shade tolerance included a foliar pigment composition indicative of large peripheral light-harvesting complexes. Conversely, features contributing to duckweed’s tolerance of high light included the ability to convert a large fraction of the xanthophyll cycle pool to zeaxanthin and dissipate a large fraction of absorbed light non-photochemically. Overall, duckweed exhibited a combination of traits of fast-growing annuals and slow-growing evergreens with foliar pigment features that represented an exaggerated version of that of terrestrial perennials combined with an unusually high growth rate. Duckweed’s ability to thrive under a wide range of light intensities can support success in a dynamic light environment with periodic cycles of rapid expansion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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26 pages, 4382 KiB  
Article
Comparative Study between Exogenously Applied Plant Growth Hormones versus Metabolites of Microbial Endophytes as Plant Growth-Promoting for Phaseolus vulgaris L.
by Mohamed A. Ismail, Mohamed A. Amin, Ahmed M. Eid, Saad El-Din Hassan, Hany A. M. Mahgoub, Islam Lashin, Abdelrhman T. Abdelwahab, Ehab Azab, Adil A. Gobouri, Amr Elkelish and Amr Fouda
Cells 2021, 10(5), 1059; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10051059 - 29 Apr 2021
Cited by 64 | Viewed by 4940
Abstract
Microbial endophytes organize symbiotic relationships with the host plant, and their excretions contain diverse plant beneficial matter such as phytohormones and bioactive compounds. In the present investigation, six bacterial and four fungal strains were isolated from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) [...] Read more.
Microbial endophytes organize symbiotic relationships with the host plant, and their excretions contain diverse plant beneficial matter such as phytohormones and bioactive compounds. In the present investigation, six bacterial and four fungal strains were isolated from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) root plant, identified using molecular techniques, and their growth-promoting properties were reviewed. All microbial isolates showed varying activities to produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and different hydrolytic enzymes such as amylase, cellulase, protease, pectinase, and xylanase. Six bacterial endophytic isolates displayed phosphate-solubilizing capacity and ammonia production. We conducted a field experiment to evaluate the promotion activity of the metabolites of the most potent endophytic bacterial (Bacillus thuringiensis PB2 and Brevibacillus agri PB5) and fungal (Alternaria sorghi PF2 and, Penicillium commune PF3) strains in comparison to two exogenously applied hormone, IAA, and benzyl adenine (BA), on the growth and biochemical characteristics of the P. vulgaris L. Interestingly, our investigations showed that bacterial and fungal endophytic metabolites surpassed the exogenously applied hormones in increasing the plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrate and protein contents, antioxidant enzyme activity, endogenous hormones and yield traits. Our findings illustrate that the endophyte Brevibacillus agri (PB5) provides high potential as a stimulator for the growth and productivity of common bean plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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18 pages, 4723 KiB  
Article
Influence of Magnetic Field with Schumann Resonance Frequencies on Photosynthetic Light Reactions in Wheat and Pea
by Vladimir Sukhov, Ekaterina Sukhova, Yulia Sinitsyna, Ekaterina Gromova, Natalia Mshenskaya, Anastasiia Ryabkova, Nikolay Ilin, Vladimir Vodeneev, Evgeny Mareev and Colin Price
Cells 2021, 10(1), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10010149 - 13 Jan 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5129
Abstract
Photosynthesis is an important target of action of numerous environmental factors; in particular, stressors can strongly affect photosynthetic light reactions. Considering relations of photosynthetic light reactions to electron and proton transport, it can be supposed that extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELFMF) may [...] Read more.
Photosynthesis is an important target of action of numerous environmental factors; in particular, stressors can strongly affect photosynthetic light reactions. Considering relations of photosynthetic light reactions to electron and proton transport, it can be supposed that extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELFMF) may influence these reactions; however, this problem has been weakly investigated. In this paper, we experimentally tested a hypothesis about the potential influence of ELFMF of 18 µT intensity with Schumann resonance frequencies (7.8, 14.3, and 20.8 Hz) on photosynthetic light reactions in wheat and pea seedlings. It was shown that ELFMF decreased non-photochemical quenching in wheat and weakly influenced quantum yield of photosystem II at short-term treatment; in contrast, the changes in potential and effective quantum yields of photosystem II were observed mainly under chronic action of ELFMF. It is interesting that both short-term and chronic treatment decreased the time periods for 50% activation of quantum yield and non-photochemical quenching under illumination. Influence of ELFMF on pea was not observed at both short-term and chronic treatment. Thus, we showed that ELFMF with Schumann resonance frequencies could influence photosynthetic light processes; however, this effect depends on plant species (wheat or pea) and type of treatment (short-term or chronic). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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19 pages, 18910 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Abiotic Factors on Abundance and Photosynthetic Performance of Airborne Cyanobacteria and Microalgae Isolated from the Southern Baltic Sea Region
by Kinga Wiśniewska, Sylwia Śliwińska-Wilczewska, Anita Lewandowska and Marta Konik
Cells 2021, 10(1), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10010103 - 08 Jan 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3016
Abstract
Cyanobacteria and microalgae present in the aquatic or terrestrial environment may be emitted into the air and transported along with air masses over long distances. As a result of staying in the atmosphere, these organisms may develop a greater tolerance to stressful factors, [...] Read more.
Cyanobacteria and microalgae present in the aquatic or terrestrial environment may be emitted into the air and transported along with air masses over long distances. As a result of staying in the atmosphere, these organisms may develop a greater tolerance to stressful factors, but this topic is still relatively unknown. The main aim was to show an autecological characteristic of some airborne microalgae and cyanobacteria strains by a factorial laboratory experiment approach, including changes in irradiance, temperature, and salinity conditions. The additional purpose of this work was also to present part of the Culture Collection of Baltic Algae (CCBA) collection, which consists of airborne algae (AA) isolated from the atmospheric air of the southern Baltic Sea region. Altogether, 61 strains of airborne cyanobacteria and microalgae from the southern Baltic Sea region were isolated from May 2018 to August 2020. Selected microorganisms were tested in controlled laboratory conditions to identify their response to different irradiance (10–190 µmol photons m−2 s−1), temperature (13–23 °C), and salinity conditions (0–36 PSU). The highest numbers of cells (above 30 × 105 cell mL−1) were recorded for cyanobacterium Nostoc sp., and for diatoms Nitzschia sp., Amphora sp., and Halamphora sp. We found that for cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. as well as for green alga Coccomyxa sp. the maximum cell concentrations were recorded at the salinity of 0 PSU. Moreover, cyanobacteria Planktolyngbya contorta, Pseudanabaena catenata, Leptolyngbya foveolarum, Gloeocapsa sp., and Rivularia sp. were able to grow only at a salinity of 0 PSU. On the other hand, in the range of 16–24 PSU, the highest cell numbers of examined diatoms have been identified. Our research provided that deposited airborne microalgae and cyanobacteria showed full colonization potential. The present experiment suggests that the adaptive abilities of microorganisms, in particular those producing toxins, may contribute to the spread in the future. Thus, it may increase human exposure to their negative health effects. Any distinctive adaptations of the genera give them an additional competitive advantage and a greater chance for territorial expansion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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25 pages, 4584 KiB  
Article
Complexity of Brassica oleracea–Alternaria brassicicola Susceptible Interaction Reveals Downregulation of Photosynthesis at Ultrastructural, Transcriptional, and Physiological Levels
by Violetta Katarzyna Macioszek, Magdalena Gapińska, Agnieszka Zmienko, Mirosław Sobczak, Andrzej Skoczowski, Jakub Oliwa and Andrzej Kiejstut Kononowicz
Cells 2020, 9(10), 2329; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9102329 - 20 Oct 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3802
Abstract
Black spot disease, caused by Alternaria brassicicola in Brassica species, is one of the most devastating diseases all over the world, especially since there is no known fully resistant Brassica cultivar. In this study, the visualization of black spot disease development on Brassica [...] Read more.
Black spot disease, caused by Alternaria brassicicola in Brassica species, is one of the most devastating diseases all over the world, especially since there is no known fully resistant Brassica cultivar. In this study, the visualization of black spot disease development on Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba (white cabbage) leaves and subsequent ultrastructural, molecular and physiological investigations were conducted. Inter- and intracellular hyphae growth within leaf tissues led to the loss of host cell integrity and various levels of organelle disintegration. Severe symptoms of chloroplast damage included the degeneration of chloroplast envelope and grana, and the loss of electron denseness by stroma at the advanced stage of infection. Transcriptional profiling of infected leaves revealed that photosynthesis was the most negatively regulated biological process. However, in infected leaves, chlorophyll and carotenoid content did not decrease until 48 hpi, and several chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, such as photosystem II quantum yield (Fv/Fm), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), or plant vitality parameter (Rdf) decreased significantly at 24 and 48 hpi compared to control leaves. Our results indicate that the initial stages of interaction between B. oleracea and A. brassicicola are not uniform within an inoculation site and show a complexity of host responses and fungal attempts to overcome host cell defense mechanisms. The downregulation of photosynthesis at the early stage of this susceptible interaction suggests that it may be a part of a host defense strategy, or, alternatively, that chloroplasts are targets for the unknown virulence factor(s) of A. brassicicola. However, the observed decrease of photosynthetic efficiency at the later stages of infection is a result of the fungus-induced necrotic lesion expansion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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19 pages, 2296 KiB  
Article
Photosynthetic Pigments Changes of Three Phenotypes of Picocyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. under Different Light and Temperature Conditions
by Sylwia Śliwińska-Wilczewska, Zofia Konarzewska, Kinga Wiśniewska and Marta Konik
Cells 2020, 9(9), 2030; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9092030 - 03 Sep 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3028
Abstract
It is estimated that the genus Synechococcus is responsible for about 17% of net primary production in the Global Ocean. Blooms of these organisms are observed in tropical, subtropical and even temperate zones, and they have been recorded recently even beyond the polar [...] Read more.
It is estimated that the genus Synechococcus is responsible for about 17% of net primary production in the Global Ocean. Blooms of these organisms are observed in tropical, subtropical and even temperate zones, and they have been recorded recently even beyond the polar circle. The long-term scenarios forecast a growing expansion of Synechococcus sp. and its area of dominance. This is, among others, due to their high physiological plasticity in relation to changing environmental conditions. Three phenotypes of the genus Synechococcus sp. (Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3a) were tested in controlled laboratory conditions in order to identify their response to various irradiance (10, 55, 100 and 145 µmol photons m−2 s−1) and temperature (15, 22.5 and 30 °C) conditions. The highest total pigment content per cell was recorded at 10 μmol photons m−2 s−1 at all temperature variants with the clear dominance of phycobilins among all the pigments. In almost every variant the highest growth rate was recorded for the Type 1. The lowest growth rates were observed, in general, for the Type 3a. However, it was recognized to be less temperature sensitive in comparison to the other two types and rather light-driven with the highest plasticity and adaptation potential. The highest amounts of carotenoids were produced by Type 2 which also showed signs of the cell stress even around 55 μmol photons m−2 s−1 at 15 °C and 22.5 °C. This may imply that the Type 2 is the most susceptible to higher irradiances. Picocyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. require less light intensity to achieve the maximum rate of photosynthesis than larger algae. They also tolerate a wide range of temperatures which combined together make them gain a powerful competitive advantage. Our results will provide key information for the ecohydrodynamical model development. Thus, this work would be an important link in forecasting future changes in the occurrence of these organisms in the context of global warming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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Review

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25 pages, 3083 KiB  
Review
Raman Spectroscopy and Its Modifications Applied to Biological and Medical Research
by Elvin S. Allakhverdiev, Venera V. Khabatova, Bekzhan D. Kossalbayev, Elena V. Zadneprovskaya, Oleg V. Rodnenkov, Tamila V. Martynyuk, Georgy V. Maksimov, Saleh Alwasel, Tatsuya Tomo and Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev
Cells 2022, 11(3), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11030386 - 24 Jan 2022
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 6791
Abstract
Nowadays, there is an interest in biomedical and nanobiotechnological studies, such as studies on carotenoids as antioxidants and studies on molecular markers for cardiovascular, endocrine, and oncological diseases. Moreover, interest in industrial production of microalgal biomass for biofuels and bioproducts has stimulated studies [...] Read more.
Nowadays, there is an interest in biomedical and nanobiotechnological studies, such as studies on carotenoids as antioxidants and studies on molecular markers for cardiovascular, endocrine, and oncological diseases. Moreover, interest in industrial production of microalgal biomass for biofuels and bioproducts has stimulated studies on microalgal physiology and mechanisms of synthesis and accumulation of valuable biomolecules in algal cells. Biomolecules such as neutral lipids and carotenoids are being actively explored by the biotechnology community. Raman spectroscopy (RS) has become an important tool for researchers to understand biological processes at the cellular level in medicine and biotechnology. This review provides a brief analysis of existing studies on the application of RS for investigation of biological, medical, analytical, photosynthetic, and algal research, particularly to understand how the technique can be used for lipids, carotenoids, and cellular research. First, the review article shows the main applications of the modified Raman spectroscopy in medicine and biotechnology. Research works in the field of medicine and biotechnology are analysed in terms of showing the common connections of some studies as caretenoids and lipids. Second, this article summarises some of the recent advances in Raman microspectroscopy applications in areas related to microalgal detection. Strategies based on Raman spectroscopy provide potential for biochemical-composition analysis and imaging of living microalgal cells, in situ and in vivo. Finally, current approaches used in the papers presented show the advantages, perspectives, and other essential specifics of the method applied to plants and other species/objects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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23 pages, 4076 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Agriculture through Multidisciplinary Seed Nanopriming: Prospects of Opportunities and Challenges
by Amruta Shelar, Ajay Vikram Singh, Romi Singh Maharjan, Peter Laux, Andreas Luch, Donato Gemmati, Veronica Tisato, Shubham Pratap Singh, Maria Fernanda Santilli, Akanksha Shelar, Manohar Chaskar and Rajendra Patil
Cells 2021, 10(9), 2428; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10092428 - 15 Sep 2021
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 8326
Abstract
The global community decided in 2015 to improve people’s lives by 2030 by setting 17 global goals for sustainable development. The second goal of this community was to end hunger. Plant seeds are an essential input in agriculture; however, during their developmental stages, [...] Read more.
The global community decided in 2015 to improve people’s lives by 2030 by setting 17 global goals for sustainable development. The second goal of this community was to end hunger. Plant seeds are an essential input in agriculture; however, during their developmental stages, seeds can be negatively affected by environmental stresses, which can adversely affect seed vigor, seedling establishment, and crop production. Seeds resistant to high salinity, droughts and climate change can result in higher crop yield. The major findings suggested in this review refer nanopriming as an emerging seed technology towards sustainable food amid growing demand with the increasing world population. This novel growing technology could influence the crop yield and ensure the quality and safety of seeds, in a sustainable way. When nanoprimed seeds are germinated, they undergo a series of synergistic events as a result of enhanced metabolism: modulating biochemical signaling pathways, trigger hormone secretion, reduce reactive oxygen species leading to improved disease resistance. In addition to providing an overview of the challenges and limitations of seed nanopriming technology, this review also describes some of the emerging nano-seed priming methods for sustainable agriculture, and other technological developments using cold plasma technology and machine learning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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19 pages, 1890 KiB  
Review
Insights into the Interactions among Roots, Rhizosphere, and Rhizobacteria for Improving Plant Growth and Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses: A Review
by Naeem Khan, Shahid Ali, Muhammad Adnan Shahid, Adnan Mustafa, R. Z. Sayyed and José Alfredo Curá
Cells 2021, 10(6), 1551; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10061551 - 19 Jun 2021
Cited by 106 | Viewed by 7330
Abstract
Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, heavy metals, variations in temperature, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, are antagonistic to plant growth and development, resulting in an overall decrease in plant yield. These stresses have direct effects on the rhizosphere, thus severely affect the root [...] Read more.
Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, heavy metals, variations in temperature, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, are antagonistic to plant growth and development, resulting in an overall decrease in plant yield. These stresses have direct effects on the rhizosphere, thus severely affect the root growth, and thereby affecting the overall plant growth, health, and productivity. However, the growth-promoting rhizobacteria that colonize the rhizosphere/endorhizosphere protect the roots from the adverse effects of abiotic stress and facilitate plant growth by various direct and indirect mechanisms. In the rhizosphere, plants are constantly interacting with thousands of these microorganisms, yet it is not very clear when and how these complex root, rhizosphere, and rhizobacteria interactions occur under abiotic stresses. Therefore, the present review attempts to focus on root–rhizosphere and rhizobacterial interactions under stresses, how roots respond to these interactions, and the role of rhizobacteria under these stresses. Further, the review focuses on the underlying mechanisms employed by rhizobacteria for improving root architecture and plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photosynthesis under Biotic and Abiotic Environmental Stress)
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