Photochemical reaction of photosystem II in diatoms under phosphorus starvation and its response to high light intensity

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2022.0448

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims As the ocean warms, the upper mixed layer becomes shallower, increasing nutrient limitation and sunlight exposure for diatoms. The photosynthetic yield of diatoms was affected by the dual stress of high light and nutrient limitation. This study mainly explored the photophysiological regulation of diatoms in response to phosphorus starvation and high light stress to further understand the effects of marine environmental changes on diatom photosynthesis.
Methods We cultured the two different-sized diatom species Thalassiosira pseudonana and T. weissflogii under the condition of phosphorus starvation to monitor the changes of photosystem II (PSII) function and to investigate their photophysiological responses to high light.
Important findings Under the condition of phosphorus starvation, the PSII activity of smaller T. pseudonana gradually declined, the electron transport efficiency from plastoquinone Q_A^-which binds to D2 protein to plastoquinone Q_Bwhich binds to D1 protein descended. Thus, the energy captured for electron transport per unit reaction center decreased, and the non-photoquenched was induced, while the PSII activity of larger T. weissflogii could be maintained for a longer time; T. pseudonana had higher value of PSII photoinactivation cross section (σ_i) under phosphorus sufficient condition than T. weissflogii, which was prone to photoinhibition and exhibited a higher repair rate for PSII. Phosphorus starvation had no significant effect on its sensitivity to photoinhibition, while T. weissflogii had significantly higher σ_i under phosphorus starvation condition, and its tolerance to high light intensity was significantly reduced. Under the condition of nutrient limitation and increased light exposure, the larger T. weissflogii may tend to distribute in the lower euphotic layer. In summary, this study suggests that marine environmental changes may change the niche of diatoms with different cell sizes and affect their contribution to primary production.

Key words: diatoms, phosphorus starvation, photosystem II function, photosynthesis

LIU Hai-Yan, ZANG Sha-Sha, ZHANG Chun-Xia, ZUO Jin-Cheng, RUAN Zuo-Xi, WU Hong-Yan. Photochemical reaction of photosystem II in diatoms under phosphorus starvation and its response to high light intensity[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2023, 47(12): 1718-1727.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2022.0448

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2023/V47/I12/1718

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1 Changes of PSII maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) (A) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) (B) in Thalassiosira weissflogii and T. pseudonana cultures under phosphorus starvation (mean ± SD).

Fig. 2 Chlorophyll a fluorescence transients (OJIP) in Thalassiosira weissflogii (A) and T. pseudonana (B) grown under phosphorus (P) repletion or starvation conditions.

Fig. 3 Relatively variable fluorescence at J-point (VJ), initial slope at the beginning of instantaneous fluorescence (Mo) and QA- electron transfer efficiency to QB (Ψ0) in Thalassiosira weissflogii and T. pseudonana cultures grown under phosphorus (P) repletion or starvation conditions (mean ± SD). Different lowercase letters indicate differences between different species and treatments (p < 0.05).

Fig. 4 Changes of the energy absorbed per unit reaction center (ABS/RC), energy dissipated from the reaction center (TR0/RC), energy captured by the unit reaction center for reducing QA (ET0/RC) and energy captured by the reaction center for electron transport (DI0/RC) in Thalassiosira weissflogii and T. pseudonana grown under phosphorus (P) repletion or starvation conditions (mean ± SD). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between species and treatments (p < 0.05).

Fig. 5 Response of photosystem II (PSII) maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) to high light in Thalassiosira weissflogii and T. pseudonana grown under phosphorus (P) repletion or starvation conditions (mean ± SD).

Fig. 6 Response of non-photochemical quenching (NPQs) to high light in Thalassiosira weissflogii and T. pseudonana grown under phosphorus (P) repletion or starvation (mean ± SD).

Fig. 7 Changes of PSII photo deactivation function cross section (σi) and photosystem II (PSII) repair rate (RPSII) in Thalassiosira weissflogii and T. pseudonana grown under phosphorus (P) repletion or starvation conditions (mean ± SD). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between species and treatments (p < 0.05).

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