Year: 2024
Type: review
Abstract: Improving photosynthesis, the fundamental process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy, is a key area of research with great potential for enhancing sustainable agricultural productivity and addressing global food security challenges. This perspective delves into the latest advancements and approaches aimed at optimizing photosynthetic efficiency. Our discussion encompasses the entire process, beginning with light harvesting and its regulation and progressing through the bottleneck of electron transfer. We then delve into the carbon reactions of photosynthesis, focusing on strategies targeting the enzymes of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle. Additionally, we explore methods to increase carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration near the Rubisco, the enzyme responsible for the first step of CBB cycle, drawing inspiration from various photosynthetic organisms, and conclude this section by examining ways to enhance CO2 delivery into leaves. Moving beyond individual processes, we discuss two approaches to identifying key targets for photosynthesis improvement: systems modeling and the study of natural variation. Finally, we revisit some of the strategies mentioned above to provide a holistic view of the improvements, analyzing their impact on nitrogen use efficiency and on canopy photosynthesis.
Source: The Plant Cell
Institutions: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Lancaster University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Monash University, Wageningen University & Research, University of Essex, University of Edinburgh, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, University of Milan, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Climate action, Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,255
Funders: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, U.S. Department of Energy, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Princeton University, Lancaster University, University of Essex, University of Illinois System, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, European Commission, University of Edinburgh, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Department for International Development, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Directorate for Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Office of Science, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Basic Energy Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division, ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Carbon Technology Research Foundation
Awards: G1475468695, IWYP Call 2: Manipulating stomatal blue light response in wheat to improve productivity, G1794357160, G2004909471, COMBINING APPROACHES FOR PHOTOSYNTHETIC IMPROVEMENT TO ALLOW INCREASED SUSTAINABILITY IN EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE, Exploring the potential of hornworts to enhance photosynthesis and growth in crop plants, A holistic approach to improve the photosynthetic performance and productivity of C3 crops under diverse environmental conditions, G3402580046, BBSRC Institute Strategic Programme: Delivering Sustainable Wheat (DSW) Partner Grant, 15-IWYP Realising increased photosynthetic efficiency to increase wheat yields, BBSRC-NSF/BIO: Engineering an algal pyrenoid into higher plants to enhance yields, Harvesting the rainbow: Engineering light-harvesting complexes for a better coverage of the solar spectrum, 22BBSRC-NSF/BIO: A synthetic pyrenoid to guide the engineering of enhanced crops, G7348905458, Boosting photosynthESis To deliver novel CROPs for the circular bioeconomy, G8100105857, G8352196707, AAFC IWYP Aligned Call Stomata signalling pathways for increasing yield potential in wheat, G8466742928, Metabolic engineering to enhance photosynthesis based on empirical data and in silico modelling
OpenAlex ID: W4396605179