Modelling the photosynthetic electron transport chain in Nannochloropsis gaditana via exploitation of absorbance data

The development of mathematical models describing the photosynthetic apparatus of microalgae is paramount to gain deeper knowledge of the involved biological process and enable optimisation of cultivation conditions. This paper presents a dynamic model of the entire photosynthetic apparatus including the photosystems I (PSI) and II (PSII), the electron carriers between the two photosystems (plastoquinone, cytochrome b6f and cytochrome c6) and the final electron acceptor complex, the ferredoxin. In vivo measurements of PSI oxidation dynamics at different light intensities for the microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana have been exploited to develop and calibrate the model. The model has been experimentally identified and proved to be capable of accurate predictions of both linear and cyclic electron flows dependence on light intensity.