Photosynthesis is a biological process of primary importance, as it provides the energy that drives food, feedstock and biofuel production and mitigates climate change.
Light in excess of photosynthetic capacity can be damaging, thus ways to protect against damage have evolved, including ways to minimize light absorption, detoxify reactive oxygen species generated by excess light, and dissipate excess absorbed light. Together, these processes are known as photoprotection.
The objective of our research is to solve molecular mechanisms of photoprotection in photosynthetic organisms. Our specific aims are to:
1) investigate the function of known involved factors in sustained energy dissipation termed qH in the model plant Arabidopsis (e.g. plastid lipocalin, suppressor of quenching1, relaxation of qH1),
2) identify novel molecular players involved in qH,
3) study the conservation of qH in the microalga Chlamydomonas and in the evergreen Norway spruce.
The research carried out in our laboratory combines genetics, biochemistry, biophysics and physiological approaches to study these questions. It provides insights into fundamental mechanisms of light energy capture, utilization and dissipation and is leading to the identification of new targets for manipulation, key to increasing yields of energy and food crops.