George C. Papageorgiou and the protective role of glycine betaine in activation and stabilization of the oxygen-evolving photosystem II complex

Abstract

We present here our adventures in research in photosynthesis with George C. Papageorgiou (1933-2020) focusing on George's initiative in the discovery of the protective effects of glycine betaine on the oxygen-evolving photosystem II complex. We end with a brief description of research on glycine betaine-synthesizing transgenic cyanobacteria. Two of us, Norio Murata (in Japan) and Kostas Stamatakis (in Greece), and all our collaborators, have the highest respect for George, and we miss him and our intense discussions with him on various topics of photosynthesis research.

Keywords

• glycine betaine
• glycine betaine-synthesizing cyanobacteria
• oxygen-evolving photosystem ii complex