Some characteristics of photosynthetic apparatus under conditions of spaceflight

During colonization of space by humans, the bioregenerative life-support systems on board the space ships will require the plants with a highly efficient photosynthesis, a process producing food and O2 and removing CO2-Therefore, in recent years the scientists increasingly focus the their attention to study on photosynthetic apparatus of plants grown in space. Although the available data are quite scanty and, at times, controversial, it is Considered that the space grown plants differ from around control plants by growth and development, many structural and functional indices and metabolism. Data exist showing changes in the chlorophyll (Chl) content, structure and number of chloroplasts in the cell, swelling of thylakoids and decrease in the number and size of starch grains in the chloroplasts (for reviews, see Halstead and Dutcher, 1987; Kordyum, 1997). The decrease of shoot fresh weight and reduction of CO2-saturated photosynthetic rate at saturating light intensities in space grown wheat plants in comparison with ground control have been reported by Tripathy et al. (1996). The thylakoids isolated from space grown plants displayed lower rates of electron transport through photosystems I and II (PSI and PSII) and in a whole chain. This study aimed to examine the electron transport rates through PSI and PSII in the isolated thylakoids, to elucidate if there are any differences in accumulation of thylakoid membranes between space grown Brassica rapa plants and ground control plants (based on Chl quantity) and to measure the Chl a/b ratio in isolated thylakoids. These studies were part of the Collaborative US/Ukrainian program during the STS-87 mission (1997).