Anthocyanins in photoprotection: knowing the actors in play to solve this complex ecophysiological issue

Though there is compelling evidence for the suite of molecular events regulating the flavonoid branch pathway that leads to anthocyanin biosynthesis (Chen et al., 2019; Naing and Kim, 2018; Saigo et al., 2020), there is still no consensus about the functional significance of anthocyanins in plant-environment interactions (Steyn et al., 2002; Manetas, 2006; Hughes, 2011; Landi et al., 2015; Gould et al., 2018; Landi et al., 2021). This is also the case of colorless flavonoids, hereafter referred to as flavonoids, which accumulate in separate leaf tissues and subcellular organelles than anthocyanins do (Pollastri & Tattini, 2011; Agati et al., 2012; Brunetti et al., 2018).