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Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Photosynthesis: Integrating Experimental and Theoretical Approaches
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Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Photosynthesis: Integrating Experimental and Theoretical Approaches

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2026 | Viewed by 2848

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Divya Kaur Matta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
Interests: electron and proton transfer reactions; photosynthesis; computational chemistry; density functional theory; molecular dynamics simulations; multi conformation continuum electrostatics; photosynthetic proteins; energy transfer; membrane dynamics and function

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Photosynthesis is central to life on Earth, converting solar energy into chemical energy and sustaining global ecosystems. This Special Issue seeks high-quality contributions that delve into both the fundamental processes and advanced applications of photosynthesis through innovative research approaches. It invites studies that explore the structural and functional dynamics of photosynthetic protein complexes, such as Photosystem I, Photosystem II, and other membrane assemblies, under various light conditions ranging from visible to far-red. This research is essential for understanding how these complexes are organized, assembled, and function.

This Issue also emphasizes advancements in spectroscopic techniques. Researchers are encouraged to employ cutting-edge methods—including ultrafast spectroscopy, time-resolved infrared spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, and infrared microscopy—to investigate pigment properties, energy transfer pathways, and the intricate dynamics of light harvesting. These techniques provide critical insights into the transient processes that govern energy conversion.

In addition, contributions that integrate experimental data with computational modeling and theoretical analyses are sought to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying energy conversion and pigment behavior. Such interdisciplinary work aims to reveal new details about the overall performance of photosynthetic systems.

We also welcome comparative studies that shed light on the evolutionary development of photosynthetic machinery. These investigations should explore how structural adaptations and functional innovations have evolved across different organisms, offering a broader context for current photosynthetic mechanisms.

Dr. Divya Kaur Matta
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Plants 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

  • far-red and visible photosynthesis
  • ultrafast spectroscopy
  • time-resolved infrared spectroscopy
  • vibrational spectroscopy
  • membrane protein complexes
  • structural dynamics
  • energy conversion
  • theoretical chemistry
  • light harvesting
  • energy transfer
  • electron and proton transfer

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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14 pages, 874 KB  
Article
Tuning Shinkarev’s Bicycle: Separating the Parallel Cycles of Photosystem II Using Empirical Wavelet Transform
by Nicholas Ferrari, Brandon P. Russell and David J. Vinyard
Plants 2026, 15(4), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15040625 - 16 Feb 2026
Viewed by 575
Abstract
The oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of Photosystem II (PSII) catalyzes light-driven water oxidation, a process necessary to sustain Earth’s atmospheric oxygen. Oxygen yields measured during single-turnover flash sequences exhibit period-four oscillations, which form the basis of the Joliot–Kok (S-state) model. However, when the oscillations [...] Read more.
The oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of Photosystem II (PSII) catalyzes light-driven water oxidation, a process necessary to sustain Earth’s atmospheric oxygen. Oxygen yields measured during single-turnover flash sequences exhibit period-four oscillations, which form the basis of the Joliot–Kok (S-state) model. However, when the oscillations of other processes contribute to the measured oxygen yield, fitting methods can conflate these signals and distort estimates of inefficiencies and initial S-state populations. To address this, we applied the empirical wavelet transform (EWT) as a model-independent method to separate overlapping oscillators and capture damping dynamics that are not well represented in Fourier analysis. We tested this framework on polarographic flash-oxygen traces from both our Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 thylakoid membrane preparations and archival datasets on Chlorella and isolated chloroplasts. EWT consistently resolves the expected period-four component alongside a distinct binary oscillation. Simulations suggest that fitting this isolated period-four signal recovers VZAD parameters more accurately than analysis of raw traces, yielding different estimates for S-state distributions and transition probabilities. Notably, this binary oscillation aligns closely with semiquinone dynamics predicted solely from period-four fit parameters. These findings indicate that EWT can effectively distinguish complex signals in oxygen evolution, offering a framework potentially applicable to other spectroscopic probes of the S-state cycle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Photosynthesis: Integrating Experimental and Theoretical Approaches)
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Review

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18 pages, 2041 KB  
Review
Driving Electron Transfer in Photosystem I Using Far-Red Light: Overall Perspectives
by Jimit Patel, Amen ElMasadef, Abraham Peele Karlapudi, Katayoun Etemadi, K. V. Lakshmi, Art van der Est and Divya Kaur
Plants 2025, 14(21), 3384; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14213384 - 5 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1627
Abstract
Photosystem I (PSI) is a photosynthetic protein–pigment complex that, upon photoexcitation, transfers electrons to ferredoxin, facilitating the production of NADPH. Isolated PSI reaction centers (RCs) have also been used in hybrid systems to reduce protons and produce ‘biohydrogen’. This review article examines how [...] Read more.
Photosystem I (PSI) is a photosynthetic protein–pigment complex that, upon photoexcitation, transfers electrons to ferredoxin, facilitating the production of NADPH. Isolated PSI reaction centers (RCs) have also been used in hybrid systems to reduce protons and produce ‘biohydrogen’. This review article examines how various cyanobacteria with similar photosynthetic machinery utilize different wavelengths of light to execute photosynthetic electron transport through PSI. Key factors, such as, the structure of the electron transfer cofactors, the protein environment surrounding the primary donor pigments and hydrogen-bonding interactions with the surrounding protein matrix are analyzed to understand their roles in maintaining efficient electron transfer when it is driven using photons of different energies. We compare PSI complexes with known atomic structures from four species of cyanobacteria, Thermosynechococcus elongatus, Acaryochloris marina, Halomicronema hongdechloris, and Fischerella thermalis. T. elongatus is typical of most oxygenic photosynthetic organisms in that it requires visible light and uses only chlorophyll a (Chl a) in PSI. In contrast, H. hongdechloris and F. thermalis are photoacclimating species capable of producing Chl f and Chl d that use red light when little visible light is available. A. marina, on the other hand, is adapted to red light conditions and consistently utilizes Chl d as its primary photosynthetic pigment, maintaining a stable pigment composition. Here, we explore the structural and functional differences between the PSI RCs of these organisms and the impact of these differences on electron transport. The structural differences in the cofactors influence both the absorption wavelengths of the cofactors and the energy levels of the intermediate states of electron transfer. An analysis of the surrounding protein shows how it has been adapted and underscores the interplay between the pigment structure, protein environment, and hydrogen bonding networks in tuning the efficiency and adaptability of photosynthetic mechanisms across different species of cyanobacteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Photosynthesis: Integrating Experimental and Theoretical Approaches)
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