Photobiology and Bioenergy
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The aim of this course is to equip postgraduate students with a comprehensive understanding of how plants harness and optimize sunlight to drive the photosynthetic process. Through these lessons, students will gain the necessary knowledge to comprehend why plants, over the course of their evolution, have developed strategies to enhance the efficiency of light capture and utilization while safeguarding against potential damage from intense irradiation.
Students will delve into the evolutionary imperative behind plants' optimization of sunlight capture, a necessity driven by their immobile nature. This immobility has spurred the development of intricate molecular mechanisms capable of sensing and interpreting various aspects of light, including its quantity, quality, and direction.
Key concepts within the discipline will be elucidated through established models, while also incorporating recent and occasionally conflicting discoveries to provide a dynamic learning experience.
Students will delve into the evolutionary imperative behind plants' optimization of sunlight capture, a necessity driven by their immobile nature. This immobility has spurred the development of intricate molecular mechanisms capable of sensing and interpreting various aspects of light, including its quantity, quality, and direction.
Key concepts within the discipline will be elucidated through established models, while also incorporating recent and occasionally conflicting discoveries to provide a dynamic learning experience.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will attain:
1. Profound knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms through which plants discern various wavelengths of sunlight via specific photoreceptors.
2. Comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms employed to detect the continuous fluctuations in both spectrum and intensity of light.
3. Insight into the mechanisms by which plants gauge the duration of daylight and its ramifications on seasonal perception.
4. A thorough grasp of the molecular mechanisms underpinning chloroplast biogenesis.
5. In-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms facilitating chloroplast adaptation to environmental dynamics.
6. Insightful strategies aimed at enhancing photosynthetic efficiency, pertinent to the context of a second green revolution.
1. Profound knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms through which plants discern various wavelengths of sunlight via specific photoreceptors.
2. Comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms employed to detect the continuous fluctuations in both spectrum and intensity of light.
3. Insight into the mechanisms by which plants gauge the duration of daylight and its ramifications on seasonal perception.
4. A thorough grasp of the molecular mechanisms underpinning chloroplast biogenesis.
5. In-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms facilitating chloroplast adaptation to environmental dynamics.
6. Insightful strategies aimed at enhancing photosynthetic efficiency, pertinent to the context of a second green revolution.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Introductory remarks on light and its electromagnetic nature.
Overview of the physical mechanisms underlying light absorption.
Light signal transduction.
Plant photoreceptors: phytochromes, cryptochromes, and phototropins.
Biology of stomata and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of their opening by light.
Phototropisms.
Shade avoidance.
Plant photomorphogenesis: aspects of the interaction between natural light and plant development regulated by photoreceptors.
Circadian rhythms, photoperiodism.
Development and origin of the chloroplast.
Molecular mechanisms underlying chloroplast development.
Chloroplast-to-nucleus communication.
Photosynthesis, photorespiration, and variations in CO2 fixation mechanisms.
Genetic improvement techniques through manipulation of photosynthetic traits.
Overview of the physical mechanisms underlying light absorption.
Light signal transduction.
Plant photoreceptors: phytochromes, cryptochromes, and phototropins.
Biology of stomata and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of their opening by light.
Phototropisms.
Shade avoidance.
Plant photomorphogenesis: aspects of the interaction between natural light and plant development regulated by photoreceptors.
Circadian rhythms, photoperiodism.
Development and origin of the chloroplast.
Molecular mechanisms underlying chloroplast development.
Chloroplast-to-nucleus communication.
Photosynthesis, photorespiration, and variations in CO2 fixation mechanisms.
Genetic improvement techniques through manipulation of photosynthetic traits.
Prerequisites for admission
Good knowledge in organic chemistry, biochemistry, plant physiology, molecular and cell biology of plants.
Teaching methods
The lectures will have a classical format with lessons given by the teachers by using powerpoint slides.
During the lectures, the students will be encouraged to actively participate with questions and comments related to the considered subjects.
Course attendance is highly recommended.
During the lectures, the students will be encouraged to actively participate with questions and comments related to the considered subjects.
Course attendance is highly recommended.
Teaching Resources
The book used as a reference is the Taiz, Zeiger, Moller, Murphy. Plant Physiology and Development.
All the powerpoint material used for the lectures will be made available to the students at the dedicated Ariel website.
The reading of selected research papers and reviews will be suggested to the students at every lecture and they will be made available through the Ariel website.
All the powerpoint material used for the lectures will be made available to the students at the dedicated Ariel website.
The reading of selected research papers and reviews will be suggested to the students at every lecture and they will be made available through the Ariel website.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral examination.
For each part of the teaching, students will have to critically analyze, in the form of an oral presentation, a scientific paper chosen among the ones made available by the teachers. The presentation, consisting of a short introduction of the biological problem, and the critical analysis of the experiments reported in the paper/s, will be followed by a discussion with the teacher/s on the mechanisms analyzed in the research article and during the teaching.
The students will be also evaluated based on the theoretical knowledge of the different topics presented during the teaching.
Teachers will raise specific questions at a dedicated test session, or at the time of the article presentation.
The final grade will be defined as the average of the two parts (one for each teacher), and by common agreement by both teachers.
For each part of the teaching, students will have to critically analyze, in the form of an oral presentation, a scientific paper chosen among the ones made available by the teachers. The presentation, consisting of a short introduction of the biological problem, and the critical analysis of the experiments reported in the paper/s, will be followed by a discussion with the teacher/s on the mechanisms analyzed in the research article and during the teaching.
The students will be also evaluated based on the theoretical knowledge of the different topics presented during the teaching.
Teachers will raise specific questions at a dedicated test session, or at the time of the article presentation.
The final grade will be defined as the average of the two parts (one for each teacher), and by common agreement by both teachers.
BIO/04 - PLANT PHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours