The following scientific autobiography is presented here as a homage to Professor Kazuo Shibata, who is the one who led me to do research in photosynthesis. He had invited me to Riken (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research), and had launched the Japan-US Collaboration Project on "The Solar Energy Conversion by Means of Photosynthesis" and had invited many international scientists to Riken. My research, under Shibata, started on using a sensitive method for the determination of chlorophyll b, and of SDS-PAGE for the pigment protein complexes of the two photosystems. After Shibata had passed away at the age of 66, I found post-illumination CO2 burst from cyanobacterial cell suspensions. This finding led me to study the CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) and the function and structure of NADP(H) dehydrogenase complexes (NDH-I) in cyanobacteria, which were developed after I had moved to Nagoya University, and in several other laboratories in the world after I had retired from Nagoya University.

• Klíčová slova
• CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM), Kazuo Shibata, NDH-I complexes, Riken (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research), cyanobacteria, stomata,
• MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dějiny 21. století MeSH
• fotosyntéza * fyziologie   MeSH
• sinice metabolismus   MeSH
• výzkum * dějiny   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dějiny 21. století MeSH
• Publikační typ
• autobiografie MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• historické články MeSH

To keep up with the growth of human population and to circumvent deleterious effects of global climate change, it is essential to enhance crop yield to achieve higher production. Here we review mathematical models of oxygenic photosynthesis that are extensively used, and discuss in depth a subset that accounts for diverse approaches providing solutions to our objective. These include models (1) to study different ways to enhance photosynthesis, such as fine-tuning antenna size, photoprotection and electron transport; (2) to bioengineer carbon metabolism; and (3) to evaluate the interactions between the process of photosynthesis and the seasonal crop dynamics, or those that have included statistical whole-genome prediction methods to quantify the impact of photosynthesis traits on the improvement of crop yield. We conclude by emphasizing that the results obtained in these studies clearly demonstrate that mathematical modelling is a key tool to examine different approaches to improve photosynthesis for better productivity, while effective multiscale crop models, especially those that also include remote sensing data, are indispensable to verify different strategies to obtain maximized crop yields.

• Klíčová slova
• C4 rice, Improving photosynthesis and crop yield, Leaf and crop models, Photorespiration bypasses, Photosynthesis models, Synthetic biology,
• MeSH
• biologické modely MeSH
• fotosyntéza * fyziologie   MeSH
• listy rostlin * fyziologie   metabolismus   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• teoretické modely MeSH
• transport elektronů MeSH
• zemědělské plodiny * růst a vývoj   genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

We honor Professor Hartmut Karl Lichtenthaler, a versatile pioneer of photosynthesis research, plant physiology, isoprenoid biochemistry, and stress physiology of plants, for his groundbreaking and creative contributions to plant science. His innovative research on the chemical composition, ultrastructure, and function of chloroplasts and his detection of the major methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway in plants is key to our current understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of photosynthesis systems. His ingenious use of the powerful laser-induced chlorophyll a fluorescence imaging has helped us better understand the stress response processes in plant leaves. In this tribute, we present a summary of Lichtenthaler's career, significant scientific contributions, editorial engagement, promotion of international cooperation, many honors, and awards, as well as his devotion to hiking and mountaineering.

• Klíčová slova
• DOXP/MEP pathway, chlorophyll fluorescence, chloroplast ultrastructure, fluorescence imaging of photosynthetic function, isoprenoid biosynthesis, mode of action of herbicides, phylloquinone K1, plastoglobuli, sun/shade-type chloroplasts, the Berkeley Spirit,
• MeSH
• botanika dějiny   MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dějiny 21. století MeSH
• fotosyntéza * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dějiny 21. století MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• historické články MeSH

In this historical perspective, we focus on selected discoveries that Albert Frenkel (1919-2015) made all by himself - single-handedly - which is the discovery of photophosphorylation and NAD reduction in anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria. Then, we present various aspects of his research life through his unpublished letters with some key scientists in his research field. To give a glimpse of his personal life, we have also provided some photographs.

• Klíčová slova
• Allan H. Brown, Daniel Arnon, Florence Hellman, Fritz Lipmann, Hans Gaffron, Jack Myers, Josephine E. Tilden, Margareta and Herrick Baltscheffsky, Marie Curie, Martin Kamen, Robert Emerson,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH