Research by Hainan University professor Lu Yandu into the dynamic balancing mechanism between photoprotection and efficient light harvesting during photosynthesis in marine microalgae was published in Nature Communications on Jan 29.

His thesis, entitled Role of an ancient light-harvesting protein of PSI in light absorption and photoprotection, describes the isolation of a Nannochloropsisoceanica LHCR mutant – hlr1 – which exhibits a greater tolerance to high-light stress.

Illustration of the thesis.

According to the research, the increased high-light tolerance can be attributed to alterations in PSI, making it less prone to producing reactive oxygen species, thereby limiting oxidative damage and favoring growth in high-light conditions. HLR1 deficiency attenuates PSI light-harvesting capacity and growth of the mutant under light-limiting conditions. The paper concludes that HLR1, a member of a conserved and broadly distributed clade of LHCR proteins, plays a pivotal role in the dynamic balance between photoprotection and efficient light harvesting for photosynthesis.