Low Light Increases the Abundance of Light Reaction Proteins: Proteomics Analysis of Maize (Zea mays L.) Grown at High Planting Density

Maize (Zea mays L.) is usually planted at high density, so most of its leaves grow in low light. Certain morphological and physiological traits improve leaf photosynthetic capacity under low light, but how light absorption, transmission, and transport respond at the proteomic level remains unclear. Here, we used tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomics to investigate maize photosynthesis-related proteins under low light due to dense planting, finding increased levels of proteins related to photosystem II (PSII), PSI, and cytochrome b(6)f. These increases likely promote intersystem electron transport and increased PSI end electron acceptor abundance. OJIP transient curves revealed increases in some fluorescence parameters under low light: quantum yield for electron transport (φE(o)), probability that an electron moves beyond the primary acceptor Q(A)(−) (ψ(o)), efficiency/probability of electron transfer from intersystem electron carriers to reduction end electron acceptors at the PSI acceptor side (δR(o)), quantum yield for reduction of end electron acceptors at the PSI acceptor side (φR(o)), and overall performance up to the PSI end electron acceptors (PI(total)). Thus, densely planted maize shows elevated light utilization through increased electron transport efficiency, which promotes coordination between PSII and PSI, as reflected by higher apparent quantum efficiency (AQE), lower light compensation point (LCP), and lower dark respiration rate (R(d)).