Context: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) have identified a gene that facilitates in the greening of plants.
It facilitates in the greening of plants by playing a crucial role in regulating the levels of protochlorophyllide.

Key Points

• The researchers discovered a mechanism where two proteins oppositely regulate the BBX11 gene to maintain optimum ranges of BBX11.
• BBX11 plays a vital role in regulation of the amount of protochlorophyllide synthesized by the plant.
• Protochlorophyllide is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of the green pigment chlorophyll.

How Greening of plant takes place?

• The synthesis of chlorophyll in plants is a lengthy, multi-step process.
• When a seedling emerges from under the soil it must quickly synthesize chlorophyll to start supporting its own growth.
• In order to facilitate quick synthesis of chlorophyll, plants make a precursor of chlorophyll called ‘protochlorophyllide’ in the dark, which glows red when blue light is shone on the plant.
• As soon as the plant comes out into the light from under the soil, light-dependent enzymes convert protochlorophyllide to chlorophyll.
• If there is excess of free protochlorophyllide, then exposure to light converts it into molecules that cause ‘photobleaching’.
• It is very important to regulate the amount of protochlorophyllide synthesized by the plant.

Role of Protochlorophyllide

• If it is less, plants are unable to efficiently ‘green’ in order to harvest sunlight.
• If the amount of protochlorophyllide is more, then plants bleach under the light.

Significance of the study

• Severe drought, high temperature and high light are some of the major reasons for crop failure.
• Young seedlings emerging out of the soil are extremely sensitive to high irradiance of light.
• This study can provide leads to optimize plant growth under these stressful conditions.

Chlorophyll

• Chlorophyll is any of several related green pigments found in the mesosomes of cyanobacteria and in the chloroplasts of algae and plants.
• It is essential in photosynthesis, allowing plants to absorb energy from light.
• Chlorophylls absorb light most strongly in the blue portion of the electromagnetic spectrum as well as the red portion.
• It is a poor absorber of green and near-green portions of the spectrum, which it reflects, producing the green colour of chlorophyll-containing tissues.
• It is the molecule that absorbs sunlight and uses its energy to synthesise carbohydrates from CO2 and water.
• This process is known as photosynthesis and is the basis for sustaining the life processes of all plants.