THE GRAND DESIGN OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS - ACCLIMATION OF THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC APPARATUS TO ENVIRONMENTAL CUES

Dynamic acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus in response to env ironmental cues, particularly light quantity and quality, is a widely- observed and important phenomenon which contributes to the tolerance o f plants against stress and helps to maintain, as far as possible, opt imal photosynthetic efficiency and resource utilization. This mini-rev iew represents a scrutiny of a number of possible photoreceptors (incl uding the two photosystems acting as light sensors) and signal transdu cers that may be involved in producing acclimation responses. We sugge st that regulation by signal transduction may be effected at each of s everal possible points, and that there are multiple regulatory mechani sms for photosynthetic acclimation.