Topics and Trends in Most Cited Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms Papers, Class of 2026

What topics and trends defined most-cited Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms research in the Class of 2026?

The 2026 cohort in Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms is driven by structural biology, with heavy emphasis on Photosystem I/II and Cryo-electron microscopy. We observe a marked shift toward regulatory mechanisms like stomatal movement and C4 photosynthesis, while focus on environmental stress responses and photoprotection has declined.

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Updated July 19, 2026

At a glance

Field: Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
Cohort label: Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed: 5,875
Papers ranked: 20
Top topics in ranked papers: Photosystem II, Cryo-electron microscopy, Photosystem I, Carbon fixation
Publication window: Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility: Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window: 18 months post-publication
18m citation range: 28–84
Data source: OpenAlex · Retrieved July 2026
License: CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 5,875

8418m citations

The mechanisms of photoinhibition and repair in plants under high light conditions and interplay with abiotic stressors

Fardad Didaran et al.Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B Biology202410.1016/j.jphotobiol.2024.113004

Pavel PashkovskiyUniversity of Tehran, Iran

photoinhibitionPhotosystem IID1 proteinPhotoprotectionNon-photochemical quenching (NPQ)Reactive oxygen speciesPhotodamageLight stressChloroplastDrought stressHeat stresscold stressxanthophyll cyclePhotosynthetic electron transport chainphotosynthetic efficiencystress acclimationCombined stress

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#2 of 5,875

6618m citations

MYB-related transcription factors control chloroplast biogenesis

Eftychios Frangedakis et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.06.039

Eftychios Frangedakis, Julian M. HibberdUniversity of Cambridge, United Kingdom

MYB-related transcription factorsChloroplast developmentGOLDEN2-LIKE transcription factorsMarchantia polymorphaArabidopsis thalianaglk mutantsphotosynthesis gene expressionchlorophyll biosynthesisCarbon fixationphotorespirationphotosystem assembly and repairdouble-mutant allelestranscriptional regulationPlant terrestrializationmaster regulators

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#3 of 5,875

6418m citations

Exaptation of ancestral cell-identity networks enables C4 photosynthesis

Joseph Swift, Leonie H Luginbuehl et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-08204-3

Leonie H. Luginbuehl, Joseph R. Ecker, Julian M. HibberdSalk Institute for Biological Studies, United States

C4 photosynthesisC3 photosynthesisbundle sheath cellscell-identity networkscis-regulatory elementsDOF transcription factorsDNA binding with one finger motifssingle-nucleus gene-expression atlaseschromatin-accessibility atlasesphotosynthesis gene rewiringCO2 compartmentalizationricesorghumancestral cis-codetranscription factor patterningexaptationC4 engineering in C3 crops

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#4 of 5,875

5818m citations

Effects of abiotic stress on chlorophyll metabolism

Xu Li et al.Plant Science202410.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112030

Xiaomin LiuBeijing Forestry University, China

Abiotic stresschlorophyll metabolismchlorophyll biosynthesischlorophyll degradationDrought stresssalt stresstemperature stressheavy metal stressphotosynthesischlorophyllasemagnesium chelatasepheophorbide a oxygenasestay-green phenotypesenescenceReactive oxygen species

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#5 of 5,875

5718m citations

Oxygen-evolving photosystem II structures during S1–S2–S3 transitions

Hongjie Li, Yoshiki Nakajima et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-023-06987-5

Michihiro Suga, Jian‐Ren ShenOkayama University, Japan

Photosystem IIKok cycleMn4CaO5 clusterWater oxidationOxygen evolutionSerial femtosecond crystallographyYZ tyrosineP680 reaction centerD1-E189Ca2+ ionO6 oxygen intermediateO1 channelO4 channelCl-1 channelsubstrate water deliveryProton-coupled electron transfernanosecond to millisecond dynamicsflash illumination

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#6 of 5,875

5318m citations

Light-induced remodeling of phytochrome B enables signal transduction by phytochrome-interacting factor

Zhengdong Wang et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.09.005

Xing Wang Deng, Jizong WangPeking University, China

PhytochromePhytochrome-interacting factorsPIF6Cryo-electron microscopyPhotoprotectionchromophore configuration switchPHY domaintongue signaturehead-to-tail dimerhead-to-head dimerinduced-fit recognitionN-terminal extension domainasymmetric dimerlight-induced conformational transitionDark-adapted state

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#7 of 5,875

5018m citations

Emergence of a distinct mechanism of C–N bond formation in photoenzymes

Felix C Raps et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-08138-w

Todd K. HysterPrinceton University, United States

C–N bond formationphotoenzymesphotocatalytic mechanismenzyme catalysislight-driven chemistrynitrogen incorporationphotobiocatalysis

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#8 of 5,875

4818m citations

The primary carbon metabolism in cyanobacteria and its regulation

Stefan Lucius et al.Frontiers in Plant Science202410.3389/fpls.2024.1417680

Martin HagemannUniversity of Rostock, Germany

cyanobacteriaoxygenic photosynthesisCalvin cycleEntner-Doudoroff pathwayglycogen breakdownCp12 proteinphosphoribulokinaseglyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenasePirC proteinphosphoglycerate mutasecarbon-nitrogen homeostasisMetabolic fluxAutotrophic growthmixotrophic growthRedox conditionsmetabolomicsdiurnal regulationnitrogen deficiencycarbon allocationgreen cell factory

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#9 of 5,875

4718m citations

Effects of Nitrogen Deficiency on the Photosynthesis, Chlorophyll a Fluorescence, Antioxidant System, and Sulfur Compounds in Oryza sativa

Ling-Hua Chen et al.International Journal of Molecular Sciences202410.3390/ijms251910409

Lin-Tong YangFujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China

nitrogen deficiencyricephotosynthesisChlorophyll fluorescenceJIP testPhotosystem IIPhotosystem IAntioxidant enzymesascorbate peroxidaseglutathione reductaseO-acetylserine (thiol) lyaseGlutathioneASC-GSH cyclesulfur metabolismoxidative stressquantitative real-time PCRStomatal conductanceFv/Fmgene expression pattern

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#10 of 5,875

4518m citations

Cryo–electron microscopy reveals hydrogen positions and water networks in photosystem II

Rana Hussein, André Graça et al.Science202410.1126/science.adn6541

Rana Hussein, André T. Graça, Johannes Messinger, Athina Zouni, Wolfgang P. SchröderHumboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany

Photosystem IICryo-electron microscopyhydrogen positionswater networksWater oxidationplastoquinone reductionElectron transferproton transferThermosynechococcus vestitus1.71 angstrom resolutionwater binding sitessubstrate water bindingplastoquinone B protonationPhotosynthetic electron transport chainOxygen evolution

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#11 of 5,875

4318m citations

Stomatal opening under high temperatures is controlled by the OST1-regulated TOT3–AHA1 module

Hongyan Liu, Myrthe Praat et al.Nature Plants202410.1038/s41477-024-01859-w

Ive De SmetGhent University, Belgium

Stomatal movementhigh temperatureOST1TOT3AHA1TOT3–AHA1 moduleHeat stressprotein kinase signalingplasma membrane H+-ATPaseguard cellsHeat tolerance

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#12 of 5,875

4118m citations

A family of NADPH/NADP+ biosensors reveals in vivo dynamics of central redox metabolism across eukaryotes

Marie Scherschel, Jan-Ole Niemeier et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-55302-x

Markus Schwarzländer, Bruce MorganSaarland University, Germany

NADPHNAPstars biosensorsgenetically encoded fluorescent protein biosensorsNADP redox homeostasisglutathione antioxidative pathwaythioredoxin antioxidative pathwayacute oxidative challengeantioxidative electron fluxyeast modelplant leaf modelmammalian cell modelSubcellular localizationreal-time NADP measurements

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#13 of 5,875

4118m citations

Increasing Rubisco as a simple means to enhance photosynthesis and productivity now without lowering nitrogen use efficiency

Coralie E Salesse-Smith et al.New Phytologist202410.1111/nph.20298

Coralie E. Salesse‐SmithUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States

Rubiscophotosynthetic productivitynitrogen use efficiencyC3 cropsC4 cropsCO2 concentrating mechanismRubisco oxygenationleaf Rubisco contentcanopy photosynthesisthree-dimensional leaf canopiesmetabolic modelssugarcanesoybeanricemaizesorghumgene editinggain of function mutationstransgene-free crops

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#14 of 5,875

3418m citations

The methylerythritol phosphate pathway as an oxidative stress sense and response system

Jordi Perez-Gil et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-49483-8

Claudia E. VickersQueensland University of Technology, Australia

methylerythritol phosphate pathwayisoprenoid biosynthesismethylerythritol cyclodiphosphateoxidative stress signallingiron-sulfur cluster enzymesIspGoxygen sensitivitymevalonate pathwayPlastideubacteriaantioxidant activitymetabolic signalling moleculeDifferential regulationstress detection mechanism

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#15 of 5,875

3218m citations

Unlocking the adaptation mechanisms of the oleaginous microalga Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 under elevated salt stress: a physiochemical, lipidomics and transcriptomics approach

Rahul Prasad Singh et al.Frontiers in Microbiology202410.3389/fmicb.2024.1475410

Ajay Kumar, Rajan Kumar GuptaBanaras Hindu University, India

Scenedesmus sp. BHU1salt stressPhotosystem IIPhotosystem Ilinear electron flow (LEF)cyclic electron flownon-regulated photochemical quenchingexcitation energy flux per reaction centerflow cytometry viability assayreactive oxygen species (ROS)Antioxidant enzymesOsmotic adjustmentintracellular cations (Na+, Ca2+, K+)UHPLC-HRMS lipidomicsLipid accumulationTranscriptomicsglycolysisstarch metabolismC3 carbon fixation

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#16 of 5,875

3118m citations

Plants distinguish different photoperiods to independently control seasonal flowering and growth

Qingqing Wang et al.Science202410.1126/science.adg9196

Joshua M. GendronYale University, United States

PhotoperiodDaylength measurementseasonal growth regulation pathwaylight intensity durationPhotosynthetic periodflowering pathwaygrowth pathwayseasonal coordinationflowering gene expressiongrowth gene expressiondissociable seasonal processes

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#17 of 5,875

2918m citations

Rubisco is evolving for improved catalytic efficiency and CO <sub>2</sub> assimilation in plants

Jacques W Bouvier et al.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences202410.1073/pnas.2321050121

Steven KellyUniversity of Oxford, United Kingdom

RubiscorbcLCO2/O2 specificitycarboxylase turnoverRubisco carboxylation efficiencyphylogenetic analysiskinetic evolutionangiospermsnucleotide substitution rateamino acid mutation ratecatalytic efficiencyNet photosynthetic rateCarbon fixationmolecular evolutionenzyme adaptation

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#18 of 5,875

2918m citations

The microRNA408–plantacyanin module balances plant growth and drought resistance by regulating reactive oxygen species homeostasis in guard cells

Yanzhi Yang et al.The Plant Cell202410.1093/plcell/koae144

Lei Xu, Lei LiPeking University, China

miR408PLANTACYANINblue copper proteinguard cellsReactive oxygen speciesROS levelsStomatal movementabscisic acid signalingABA-responsive transcription factorsMYB44Net photosynthetic ratedrought resistanceendomembraneChloroplastArabidopsis thaliana

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#19 of 5,875

2918m citations

Dynamic responses of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters to drought across diverse plant families

Yotam Zait et al.Physiologia Plantarum202410.1111/ppl.14527

Amnon CochaviThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Chlorophyll fluorescencePulse amplitude modulation (PAM)Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ)quantum yield of non-photochemical quenching Y(NPQ)qNPSII functionalityFv/Fmlight-response curvesC3 photosynthesisC4 photosynthesisDrought stressFo minimum fluorescencephotosystem responselight intensity effectsmulti-parameter stress monitoring

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#20 of 5,875

2818m citations

Quantum phase synchronization via exciton-vibrational energy dissipation sustains long-lived coherence in photosynthetic antennas

Ruidan Zhu, Wenjun Li, Zhanghe Zhen et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-47560-6

Song Qin, Yuxiang WengChinese Academy of Sciences, China

quantum phase synchronizationexciton-vibrational coherenceLight-harvesting complexallophycocyanin trimerexcitonic dimerstwo-dimensional electronic spectroscopyresonant vibrational collective modesanti-symmetric modessymmetric modesEnergy transferdephasingEnergy dissipationdynamical Stokes shift spectrumelectronic coherenceschromophoresvibrational amplitudes

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Topic trends

Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 for Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms is defined by structural biology and core reaction centers. Photosystem II and Photosystem I are the most frequently discussed topics, alongside high mentions of Cryo-electron microscopy. This underscores a strong trend toward resolving the high-resolution atomic structures of these massive protein complexes in different functional states. Carbon fixation and Rubisco remain highly prominent, reflecting ongoing efforts to understand and potentially optimize the dark reactions of photosynthesis for improved crop yields. Additionally, research heavily anchors on light-harvesting complexes and established model organisms like Arabidopsis thaliana to uncover the foundational mechanisms of how plants capture and safely process solar energy.

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

The shift from 2025 to 2026 highlights an emerging focus on regulatory and specialized photosynthetic pathways. Stomatal movement, C4 photosynthesis, and the Calvin cycle saw the largest relative increases, indicating a move toward understanding physiological responses and efficient carbon assimilation strategies. Photosystem I also experienced a massive 2.7-fold increase in focus, reflecting renewed interest in its structural dynamics alongside cyclic electron flow, which also rose significantly. Conversely, topics related to environmental stress responses—such as CO2 concentrating mechanisms, light stress, photoprotection, and chlorophyll fluorescence—declined in prominence. This suggests a subtle transition in the field's top-cited literature, moving away from studying general stress adaptation and toward optimizing the core structural and biochemical machinery of photosynthesis.

Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodology GitHub bioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/photosynthetic-processes-and-mechanisms/2026. Accessed 2026-07-19.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459