Concepts in Photobiology : Photosynthesis and Photomorphogenesis

Photobiology is an important area of biological research since a very large number of living processes are either dependent on or governed by light that we receive from the Sun. Among various subjects, photosynthesis is one of the most important, and thus a popular topic in both molecular and organismic biology, and one which has made a considerable impact throughout the world since almost all life on Earth depends upon it as a source of food, fuel and oxygen. However, for growth of plants, light is equally essential, and research on photomorphogenesis has revealed exciting new developments with the application of newer molecular biological approaches. The present book brings together and integrates various aspects of photosynthesis, biology of pigments, light regulation of chloroplast development, nuclear and chloroplast gene expression, light signal transduction, other photomorphogenetic processes and some photoecological aspects under one cover. The chapters cover biochemical and molecular discussions of most of the above topics in a comprehensive manner and include a wide range of `hot topics' that are currently under investigation in the field of photobiology of cyanobacteria, algae and plants. The authors of this book are selected international authorities in their fields from USA, Europe, Australia and Asia. The book is designed primarily to be used as a text book by graduates and post-graduates. It is, however, also intended to be a resource book for new researchers in plant photobiology. Several introductory chapters are designed as suitable reading for undergraduate courses in integrative and molecular biology, biochemistry and biophysics. Front Matter....Pages i-xv Introduction to Photobiology, Photosynthesis and Photomorphogenesis....Pages 1-7 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 The Photosynthetic Process....Pages 11-51 Basic Principles of Photophysics and Photochemistry....Pages 52-90 Models of the Light Reaction of Photosynthesis....Pages 91-103 Structure and Function of Phycobilisomes....Pages 104-135 Architecture of the Thylakoid Membrane....Pages 139-180 Biology of Photosystem I: Structural aspects....Pages 181-220 Function and Molecular Genetics of Photosystem I....Pages 221-262 Polypeptides of Photosystem II: Structure and function....Pages 264-291 Mechanism of Photosynthetic Water Cleavage....Pages 292-329 Synthetic Catalysts for Non-biological Water Oxidation: Comparison to the photosynthetic water oxidation complex....Pages 330-363 The Electrochemical Properties of the Thylakoid Membrane....Pages 367-388 Photophosphorylation....Pages 389-429 Carbon Dioxide Metabolism in Photosynthesis....Pages 430-473 Front Matter....Pages 475-475 Acclimation of Photosynthesis to the Environment....Pages 477-512 How Higher Plants Respond to Excess Light: Energy dissipation in photosystem II....Pages 513-548 Photoregulation and Photoprotection of the Photosystem II Reaction Center Heterodimer....Pages 549-571 Molecular Adaptation to Irradiance: The dual functionality of photosystem II....Pages 572-587 UV-Effects on Plants....Pages 588-613 Elevated Temperature Stress Effects on Photosystems: Characterization and evaluation of the nature of heat induced impairments....Pages 617-648 Front Matter....Pages 475-475 Salt Tolerance Engineering—Which are the essential mechanisms?....Pages 649-667 Oxidative Stress in Photodynamic Herbicidal Action of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid....Pages 668-688 Front Matter....Pages 689-689 Molecular Biology of Chloroplast Genome....Pages 691-738 Regulation of Plastid Gene Expression....Pages 739-751 Phytochromes: molecular structure, photoreceptor process and physiological function....Pages 755-795 Blue Light Perception and Signal Transduction in Higher Plants....Pages 796-820 UV-B Effects: Receptors and Targets....Pages 821-832 Photomorphogenesis in Lower Plants....Pages 835-867 The Photoperiodic Control of Plant Reproduction....Pages 868-896 Light Signal Transduction and Gene Expression....Pages 897-929 Use of Mutants and Transgenics in Understanding Photomorphogenesis....Pages 930-961 Back Matter....Pages 963-1019