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Photoprotection is the biochemical process that helps organisms cope with molecular damage caused by sunlight.Plants and other oxygenic phototrophs have developed a suite of photoprotective mechanisms to prevent photoinhibition and oxidative stress caused by excess or fluctuating light conditions.
These reactive chemical species can reach DNA by diffusion and the bimolecular reaction damages the DNA (oxidative stress). Unlike direct DNA damage which causes sunburn, indirect DNA damage does not result in any warning signal or pain in the human body. The bimolecular reactions that cause the indirect DNA damage are illustrated in the figure:
Cyanobacteria photosystem II, dimer, PDB 2AXT. Photoinhibition occurs in all organisms capable of oxygenic photosynthesis, from vascular plants to cyanobacteria. [14] [15] In both plants and cyanobacteria, blue light causes photoinhibition more efficiently than other wavelengths of visible light, and all wavelengths of ultraviolet light are more efficient than wavelengths of visible light. [14]
Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a particularly important excision mechanism that removes DNA damage induced by ultraviolet light (UV). UV DNA damage results in bulky DNA adducts — these adducts are mostly thymine dimers and 6,4-photoproducts. Recognition of the damage leads to removal of a short single-stranded DNA segment that contains ...
This is a completely separate process from photosynthesis where light is used as a source of energy. Phytochromes, cryptochromes, and phototropins are photochromic sensory receptors that restrict the photomorphogenic effect of light to the UV-A, UV-B, blue, and red portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. [1]
This process of absorption works to reduce the risk of DNA damage and the formation of pyrimidine dimers. UVA light makes up 95% of the UV light that reaches earth, whereas UVB light makes up only about 5%. UVB light is the form of UV light that is responsible for tanning and burning. Sunscreens work to protect from both UVA and UVB rays.
Drinking water before, during, and after sun exposure won't necessarily prevent UV damage. However, it does play an essential role in keeping the skin hydrated, which makes it less sensitive to ...
Photolyase is particularly important in repairing UV induced damage in plants. The photolyase mechanism is no longer working in humans and other placental mammals who instead rely on the less efficient nucleotide excision repair mechanism , although they do retain many cryptochromes . [ 11 ]