Societal Impact Statement The human population is expected to reach 9.7 billion in the next 30 years, increasing strain on our already precarious food system. Climate change shifting weather patterns, leading unpredictable and catastrophic events that further threaten agronomic sector. Plant scientists are implementing biotechnological tools sustainably increase both production nutritional cont...

Physiological adaptation and genome-wide expression profiles of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 in response to gradual transitions between nitrogen-limited and light-limited growth conditions were measured in continuous cultures. Transitions induced changes in pigment composition, light absorption coefficient, photosynthetic electron transport, and specific growth rate. Phy...

Circadian clocks are a great evolutionary innovation and provide competitive advantage during the day/night cycle and under changing environmental conditions. The circadian clock mediates expression of a large proportion of genes in plants, achieving a harmonious relationship between energy metabolism, photosynthesis, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. Here it is shown that multiple paral...

Another "green revolution" is needed for crop yields to meet demands for food. The international C(4) Rice Consortium is working toward introducing a higher-capacity photosynthetic mechanism--the C(4) pathway--into rice to increase yield. The goal is to identify the genes necessary to install C(4) photosynthesis in rice through different approaches, including genomic and transcriptional sequenc...

Blastomonas is a strictly aerobic bacteriochlorophyll a-producing genus within the alpha-4 Proteobacteria. Here we report the first genome sequence from this genus. The draft genome of Blastomonas sp. strain AAP53 contains a split photosynthesis gene cluster and two gene clusters encoding a flagellar system. Genes for the autotrophic CO2 fixation pathway are absent.

The Gram-negative alphaproteobacterium Jannaschia aquimarina GSW-M26 (DSM 28248) is a member of the Roseobacter clade. The size of the draft genome is 4.1 Mb. Genome analysis revealed the presence of genes encoding a complete gene transfer agent and aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis. The latter indicated a photoheterotrophic lifestyle.

The draft genome sequence of Chlorobium limicola strain Frasassi was assembled from metagenomic sequencing of a green mat in an artificially lighted aquarium inside the Frasassi caves in Italy. The genome is 2.08 Mbp in size and contains the necessary genes for anoxygenic photosynthesis and CO2 fixation.

Genome organization, plasmid content and localization of the pufLM genes of the photosynthesis reaction center were studied by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) in marine phototrophic Alphaproteobacteria. Both anaerobic phototrophs (Rhodobacter veldkampii and Rhodobacter sphaeroides) and strictly aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs from the Roseobacter-Sulfitobacter-Silicibacter clade (Roseivi...

Chloroplasts fulfill important functions in cellular metabolism. The majority of plastid genome-encoded genes is involved in either photosynthesis or chloroplast gene expression. Whether or not plastid genes also can determine extraplastidic functions has remained controversial. We demonstrate here an essential role of plastid protein synthesis in tobacco leaf development. By using chloroplast ...

Parasitic organisms exemplify morphological and genomic reduction. Some heterotrophic, parasitic plants harbor drastically reduced and degraded plastid genomes resulting from relaxed selective pressure on photosynthetic function. However, few studies have addressed the initial stages of plastome degradation in groups containing both photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic species. Corallorhiza is ...