Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting

Sofie E. Voerman; Arvydas Ruseckas; Graham A. Turnbull; Ifor D. W. Samuel; Heidi L. Burdett

doi:10.1186/s12915-022-01480-3

Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting

Sofie E. Voerman, Arvydas Ruseckas, Graham A. Turnbull^*, Ifor D. W. Samuel^*, Heidi L. Burdett^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background
Despite a global prevalence of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean’s mesophotic zone (30–200+ m depth), the mechanisms that enable photosynthesis to proceed in this low light environment are poorly defined. Red coralline algae are the deepest known marine benthic macroalgae — here we investigated the light harvesting mechanism and mesophotic acclimatory response of the red coralline alga Lithothamnion glaciale.

Results
Following initial absorption by phycourobilin and phycoerythrobilin in phycoerythrin, energy was transferred from the phycobilisome to photosystems I and II within 120 ps. This enabled delivery of 94% of excitations to reaction centres. Low light intensity, and to a lesser extent a mesophotic spectrum, caused significant acclimatory change in chromophores and biliproteins, including a 10% increase in phycoerythrin light harvesting capacity and a 20% reduction in chlorophyll-a concentration and photon requirements for photosystems I and II. The rate of energy transfer remained consistent across experimental treatments, indicating an acclimatory response that maintains energy transfer.

Conclusions
Our results demonstrate that responsive light harvesting by phycobilisomes and photosystem functional acclimation are key to red algal success in the mesophotic zone.

Original language	English
Article number	291
Number of pages	16
Journal	BMC Biology
Volume	20
Early online date	27 Dec 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01480-3
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 27 Dec 2022

Keywords

Coralline algae
Photosynthesis
Phycobilisome
Mesophotic
Fluorescence
Photosystem
Photo-acclimation
Chromo-acclimation
Maerl
Rhodolith

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Voerman_2023_BMC-B_Red-algae_CC
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Final published version, 3.72 MBLicence: CC BY

Elucidating the light harvesting: Elucidating the light harvesting strategy of the deepest living marine algae
Turnbull, G. (PI)
The Leverhulme Trust
1/09/18 → 28/02/21
Project: Standard
CRITICAT Equipment Account: CRITICAT Equipment Fund
Smith, A. D. (PI)
EPSRC
21/07/14 → 30/06/15
Project: Standard

Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting
Voerman, S. E. (Creator), Ruseckas, A. (Creator), Turnbull, G. A. (Creator), Samuel, I. D. W. (Creator) & Burdett, H. L. (Creator), Figshare, 2023
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.22602770
Dataset

Cite this

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title = "Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting",

abstract = "BackgroundDespite a global prevalence of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean{\textquoteright}s mesophotic zone (30–200+ m depth), the mechanisms that enable photosynthesis to proceed in this low light environment are poorly defined. Red coralline algae are the deepest known marine benthic macroalgae — here we investigated the light harvesting mechanism and mesophotic acclimatory response of the red coralline alga Lithothamnion glaciale.ResultsFollowing initial absorption by phycourobilin and phycoerythrobilin in phycoerythrin, energy was transferred from the phycobilisome to photosystems I and II within 120 ps. This enabled delivery of 94% of excitations to reaction centres. Low light intensity, and to a lesser extent a mesophotic spectrum, caused significant acclimatory change in chromophores and biliproteins, including a 10% increase in phycoerythrin light harvesting capacity and a 20% reduction in chlorophyll-a concentration and photon requirements for photosystems I and II. The rate of energy transfer remained consistent across experimental treatments, indicating an acclimatory response that maintains energy transfer.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that responsive light harvesting by phycobilisomes and photosystem functional acclimation are key to red algal success in the mesophotic zone.",

keywords = "Coralline algae, Photosynthesis, Phycobilisome, Mesophotic, Fluorescence, Photosystem, Photo-acclimation, Chromo-acclimation, Maerl, Rhodolith",

author = "Voerman, {Sofie E.} and Arvydas Ruseckas and Turnbull, {Graham A.} and Samuel, {Ifor D. W.} and Burdett, {Heidi L.}",

note = "Funding: Funding was provided by a Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EP/L017008/1 to GT & IS and a Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant (RPG-2018–113) to HB, GT and IS.",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1186/s12915-022-01480-3",

language = "English",

volume = "20",

journal = "BMC Biology",

issn = "1741-7007",

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T1 - Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting

AU - Voerman, Sofie E.

AU - Ruseckas, Arvydas

AU - Turnbull, Graham A.

AU - Samuel, Ifor D. W.

AU - Burdett, Heidi L.

N1 - Funding: Funding was provided by a Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EP/L017008/1 to GT & IS and a Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant (RPG-2018–113) to HB, GT and IS.

PY - 2022/12/27

Y1 - 2022/12/27

N2 - BackgroundDespite a global prevalence of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean’s mesophotic zone (30–200+ m depth), the mechanisms that enable photosynthesis to proceed in this low light environment are poorly defined. Red coralline algae are the deepest known marine benthic macroalgae — here we investigated the light harvesting mechanism and mesophotic acclimatory response of the red coralline alga Lithothamnion glaciale.ResultsFollowing initial absorption by phycourobilin and phycoerythrobilin in phycoerythrin, energy was transferred from the phycobilisome to photosystems I and II within 120 ps. This enabled delivery of 94% of excitations to reaction centres. Low light intensity, and to a lesser extent a mesophotic spectrum, caused significant acclimatory change in chromophores and biliproteins, including a 10% increase in phycoerythrin light harvesting capacity and a 20% reduction in chlorophyll-a concentration and photon requirements for photosystems I and II. The rate of energy transfer remained consistent across experimental treatments, indicating an acclimatory response that maintains energy transfer.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that responsive light harvesting by phycobilisomes and photosystem functional acclimation are key to red algal success in the mesophotic zone.

AB - BackgroundDespite a global prevalence of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean’s mesophotic zone (30–200+ m depth), the mechanisms that enable photosynthesis to proceed in this low light environment are poorly defined. Red coralline algae are the deepest known marine benthic macroalgae — here we investigated the light harvesting mechanism and mesophotic acclimatory response of the red coralline alga Lithothamnion glaciale.ResultsFollowing initial absorption by phycourobilin and phycoerythrobilin in phycoerythrin, energy was transferred from the phycobilisome to photosystems I and II within 120 ps. This enabled delivery of 94% of excitations to reaction centres. Low light intensity, and to a lesser extent a mesophotic spectrum, caused significant acclimatory change in chromophores and biliproteins, including a 10% increase in phycoerythrin light harvesting capacity and a 20% reduction in chlorophyll-a concentration and photon requirements for photosystems I and II. The rate of energy transfer remained consistent across experimental treatments, indicating an acclimatory response that maintains energy transfer.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that responsive light harvesting by phycobilisomes and photosystem functional acclimation are key to red algal success in the mesophotic zone.

KW - Coralline algae

KW - Photosynthesis

KW - Phycobilisome

KW - Mesophotic

KW - Fluorescence

KW - Photosystem

KW - Photo-acclimation

KW - Chromo-acclimation

KW - Maerl

KW - Rhodolith

U2 - 10.1186/s12915-022-01480-3

DO - 10.1186/s12915-022-01480-3

M3 - Article

SN - 1741-7007

VL - 20

JO - BMC Biology

JF - BMC Biology

M1 - 291

ER -

Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Elucidating the light harvesting: Elucidating the light harvesting strategy of the deepest living marine algae

CRITICAT Equipment Account: CRITICAT Equipment Fund

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Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting

Cite this