Interactions between photosynthesis and the circadian system

Queiroz, M. V., Battle, M. W. and Jones, M. A. (2023) Interactions between photosynthesis and the circadian system. In: Sharwood, R. (ed.) Understanding and Improving Crop Photosynthesis. Series: Burleigh Dodds series in agricultural science (130). Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing: Cambridge, UK, pp. 75-92. ISBN 9781801461290

Abstract

Evolution has driven plants to optimise their metabolism so that they can adapt to environmental challenges. This is crucial since day length and light intensity vary during the year, as do maximum/minimum temperatures and the availability of water. Each of these abiotic factors influences photosynthetic efficiency, since plants must balance photosynthetic potential against water retention and the damage induced by completing photosynthesis in suboptimal conditions. Plants have developed several biochemical and physiological strategies to mitigate these challenges including stomatal closure, chloroplast and leaf movements, changes in respiration rate, and photoinhibition (Schulze et al., 2019). However, when should plants utilise these strategies? How can plants distinguish transient changes in illumination (e.g. from sunflecks or cloud cover) from longer-term changes induced by the daily rising and setting of the sun? One solution is provided by the circadian system, a molecular mechanism that provides an endogenous timing reference. This biological clock enables anticipation of environmental signals such as dawn and daily temperature fluctuations as well as providing a yardstick to determine day length. These features enable plants to respond more appropriately to environmental change as well as modulating biochemical and physiological behaviours to optimise growth in varied conditions. In this review, we will discuss how the circadian system regulates photosynthetic metabolism and how these metabolic signals can feed back into the circadian clock itself.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Jones, Dr Matt and Battle, Dr Martin
• Authors: Queiroz, M. V., Battle, M. W., and Jones, M. A.
• Subjects: Q Science > QK Botany
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Molecular Biosciences
• Publisher: Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing
• ISBN: 9781801461290
• Published Online: 09 January 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited
• First Published: First published in Understanding and Improving Crop Photosynthesis: 75-92
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
307958		How does PAP, a stress-induced metabolite, regulate gene expression?	Matthew Jones	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)	BB/S005404/1	Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology