Manganese (Mn) is an essential metal for plant growth. It plays a major role in the chloroplast, in the photosynthetic chain of Photosystem II where it forms a cluster Mn4CaO5, which catalyzes the oxidation of water. Mn deficiency affects photosynthesis while its excess is toxic.
In order to understand the role of Mn in the structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus, the researchers studied the effects of variations in its concentration in the model plant Marchantia polymorpha. They show that both an excess and a deficiency of Mn disorganize the thylakoid membrane (cell membrane inside the chloroplast, seat of photosynthesis) and affect the transport of photosynthetic electrons.
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Contact : Anja Krieger anja.krieger-liszkay@cea.fr ; Anja.Krieger-Liszkay@i2bc.paris-saclay.fr
Legend : M polymorpha in culture in increasing concentrations of Mn (top); Microscopic observation of chloroplasts at different Mn concentrations (bottom) © Messant et al., Plant Physiol. 2023