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Updated: Dec 21, 2025

A Colorimetric Method for Measuring Iron Content in Plants
Published on: September 7, 2018
Regulation of Iron Homeostasis and Use in Chloroplasts
Gretchen E Kroh1, Marinus Pilon1
1Department of Biology, Colorado State University Department of Biology, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Abstract:
Iron (Fe) is essential for life because of its role in protein cofactors. Photosynthesis, in particular photosynthetic electron transport, has a very high demand for Fe cofactors. Fe is commonly limiting in the environment, and therefore photosynthetic organisms must acclimate to Fe availability and avoid stress associated with Fe deficiency. In plants, adjustment of metabolism, of Fe utilization, and gene expression, is especially important in the chloroplasts during Fe limitation. In this review, we discuss Fe use, Fe transport, and mechanisms of acclimation to Fe limitation in photosynthetic lineages with a focus on the photosynthetic electron transport chain. We compare Fe homeostasis in Cyanobacteria, the evolutionary ancestors of chloroplasts, with Fe homeostasis in green algae and in land plants in order to provide a deeper understanding of how chloroplasts and photosynthesis may cope with Fe limitation.
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