Photosynthetica - Ahead of Print
A life in light: celebrating the 75th birthday of Professor Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev
B.D. BRUCE, T. TATSUYA, G. GOVINDJEE, G. GARAB, A S. RAGHAVENDRA, S. RAMAKRISHNA, A. LARKUM, J.J. EATON-RYE, J.R. SHEN, R. SUBRAMANYAM, M.M. NAJAFPOUR
Photosynthetica X:X | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2026.007 
This Special Issue of Photosynthetica is dedicated to celebrating the distinguished scientific life and 75th birthday of Professor Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev (born 1 August 1950), whose contributions have left an enduring mark on modern photosynthesis research, photobiology, and bioenergetics. His pioneering studies of Photosystem II advanced the field in fundamental ways, including establishing pheophytin as the primary electron acceptor, defining the functional Mn₄ water-oxidizing cluster and its reconstitution, and clarifying the redox properties of key cofactors such as QA, QB, and P680....
Role of pheophytin in chlorophyll a fluorescence transients
G. GARAB
Photosynthetica X:X | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2026.008
In this review, I revisit the groundbreaking discovery of pheophytin a (Pheo) in the primary charge separation of photosystem II (PSII) reaction centres (RCs) and draw attention to key observations that concern the origin of the variable chlorophyll a fluorescence (Fv) of PSII as well as the partitioning of the absorbed quanta between different de-excitation pathways. In particular, I recall data from the 1970s and 1980s, which have revealed photoreduction of Pheo in closed PSII (PSIIC) containing the primary quinone acceptor in reduced form, and in photoinhibited PSII with largely suppressed Fv. Taken...
Chloroplast structure and photosynthetic acclimation in shade-adapted lycophyte Selaginella: a window into photosynthesis of ancient vascular plants?
L. FERRONI
Photosynthetica X:X | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2026.010
Selaginella is a diverse genus of lycophytes, an ancient group of vascular plants that is sister to all other vascular plants (euphyllophytes, including angiosperms). The majority of Selaginella species thrive in environments with humid, shaded conditions. This review examines current knowledge and unresolved issues concerning the distinctive photosynthetic adaptations of shade-adapted Selaginella species, addressing aspects from cell morphology to thylakoid organisation. Unique is their giant chloroplast, in which the thylakoid system can differentiate into lamellar and granal (bizonoplast). Optimisation of light harvesting and photoprotection...
A perspective on why modeling the water-oxidizing complexin photosystem II remains functionally elusive
M.M. NAJAFPOUR
Photosynthetica X:X | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2026.011
The water-oxidation reaction (WOR) is a critical yet kinetically sluggish process, requiring a complex four-electron transformation. Manganese (Mn) is a premier candidate for WOR catalysts due to its low cost, low toxicity, and its fundamental role in natural photosynthesis. Consequently, extensive research has focused on designing Mn-based ligands and compounds. However, a significant challenge persists: harsh oxidizing conditions necessary for WOR often trigger unintended phase transformations. Spectroscopy reveals that many Mn complexes and salts - even biomimetic clusters - eventually degrade or rearrange into various Mn oxides. This typically...
What's in your pellet? 16S rRNA V4 amplicon-profiling reveals persistent microbiomes in laboratory cyanobacterial cultures
M.S. RAO, J. MONDAL, B.D. BRUCE
Photosynthetica X:X | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2026.013
Cyanobacterial laboratory cultures are widely assumed to be axenic, yet the diversity and associated microorganisms are rarely examined. In this study, 16S rRNA V4 amplicon sequencing was used to characterize microbial communities associated with multiple cyanobacterial strains maintained in laboratory cultures and large-scale photobioreactors. Analysis of 24 samples revealed persistent, culture-specific microbiomes dominated by heterotrophic bacteria. Distinct ecological patterns were observed, including consistent differences between thermophilic and mesophilic cyanobacterial cultures and repeated detection of taxa linked to geothermal or freshwater...