Zeno Guardini, Luca Dall’Osto, Rodrigo L. Gomez, Roberto Caferri, Pierre Joliot and Roberto Bassi
When plants are exposed to excess light they activate photoprotective mechanisms to prevent over-excitation, avoid damage, and maintain productivity. The light-harvesting complex (LHC) proteins associated with Photosystem II (PSII) are central to these responses.
In this study, we used CRISPR–Cas9 to create Arabidopsis thaliana knockout lines missing specific LHC subgroups and examined how different parts of the PSII antenna contribute to photoprotection and light capture.
Our results show that LHC proteins are not interchangeable: distinct subgroups perform specific roles. These proteins are essential for maintaining PSII stability and function and play a key part in preventing photoinhibition.
