Despite extensive research on plant photosystems, there is a limited understanding of how these systems function under stress in vivo. Spectrometric recording of light-induced autofluorescence is a suitable method for evaluating photosystem activity at the cellular level, but changes in autofluorescence parameters are non-specific. Stress is known to inhibit electron transport between photosystems, generating electrical and photochemical signals that regulate the light phase of photosynthesis. In-depth studies of these signals would uncover the interaction of photosystems and the role of electrical signals in regulating photosynthetic processes.
This PhD project aims to evaluate how autofluorescence parameters reflect stress-induced changes in photosynthesis, and to reveal their relationship with electrical signals in single Nitellopsis obtusa cells.
Objectives:
• To determine changes in autofluorescence parameters of Nitellopsis obtusa cells, suitable for evaluating the effects of stress factors on physiological processes.
• To investigate how the generation of electrical signals in the cell affects autofluorescence parameters.
• To evaluate the influence of stress factors (ROS, intense light) on the interconnection of photosynthetic activity and electrical signals.
The research will provide insights into stress-induced changes in photosynthetic processes and contribute to the development of new optical methods suitable for real-time monitoring of the effects of environmental factors on plants.