How a dual defense protects photosynthesis from extreme heat (IMAGE)
Caption
Schematic illustration of how heat stress damages photosystem II (PSII), a key component of the photosynthetic machinery, and how this damage can be reduced. (A) Heat increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which directly damage PSII and interfere with the protein synthesis required for its repair. (B) The researchers developed a dual-defense strategy by enhancing ROS-scavenging enzymes (SodB and VktA) and introducing an oxidation-resistant version of the protein-synthesis factor EF-Tu (C82S). Together, these modifications protect PSII from heat-induced damage to PSII while maintaining its repair capacity, thereby improving photosynthetic heat tolerance.
Credit
Yoshitaka Nishiyama from Saitama University
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