Dephosphorylation of photosystem II proteins and phosphorylation of CP29 in barley photosynthetic membranes as a response to water stress

Water-Deficit Stress in the Epiphytic Elkhorn Fern: Insight into Photosynthetic Response

Progressive climate changes cause disturbance of water relations in tropical rainforests, where epiphytic ferns are an important element of biodiversity. In these plants, the efficiency of photosynthesis is closely related to the efficiency of water transport. In addition, due to the lack of contact with the soil, epiphytes are extremely susceptible to water-deficit stress. The aim of this experiment was to determine the response of the photosynthetic apparatus of Platycerium bifurcatum to a 6-week water deficit. The hydration and pigment composition of leaves were determined using reflectance spectroscopy and epifluorescence microscopy. Chlorophyll a fluorescence kinetics parameters, fluorescence induction curves (OJIP), low-temperature fluorescence curves at 77 K and proline concentration were analyzed at seven time points. After a decrease in leaf hydration by 10-15%, there were disturbances in the oxidation-reduction balance, especially in the initial photochemical reactions, a rapid decrease in plant vitality (PI) and significant fluctuations in chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters. The relative size of PSI antenna structures compared to PSII decreased in the following weeks of water deficit. Changes in photochemical reactions were accompanied by a decrease in gross photosynthesis and an increase in proline concentration. Changes in the functioning of photosynthesis light phase and the pigment composition of leaves are related to the resistance of elkhorn fern to long-term water deficit.

Structure of Dunaliella photosystem II reveals conformational flexibility of stacked and unstacked supercomplexes

Photosystem II (PSII) generates an oxidant whose redox potential is high enough to enable water oxidation , a substrate so abundant that it assures a practically unlimited electron source for life on earth . Our knowledge on the mechanism of water photooxidation was greatly advanced by high-resolution structures of prokaryotic PSII . Here, we show high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of eukaryotic PSII from the green alga Dunaliella salina at two distinct conformations. The conformers are also present in stacked PSII, exhibiting flexibility that may be relevant to the grana formation in chloroplasts of the green lineage. CP29, one of PSII associated light-harvesting antennae, plays a major role in distinguishing the two conformations of the supercomplex. We also show that the stacked PSII dimer, a form suggested to support the organisation of thylakoid membranes , can appear in many different orientations providing a flexible stacking mechanism for the arrangement of grana stacks in thylakoids. Our findings provide a structural basis for the heterogenous nature of the eukaryotic PSII on multiple levels.

The origin of pigment-binding differences in CP29 and LHCII: the role of protein structure and dynamics

The first step of photosynthesis in plants is performed by the light-harvesting complexes (LHC), a large family of pigment-binding proteins embedded in the photosynthetic membranes. These complexes are conserved across species, suggesting that each has a distinct role. However, they display a high degree of sequence homology and their static structures are almost identical. What are then the structural features that determine their different properties? In this work, we compared the two best-characterized LHCs of plants: LHCII and CP29. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we could rationalize the difference between them in terms of pigment-binding properties. The data also show that while the loops between the helices are very flexible, the structure of the transmembrane regions remains very similar in the crystal and the membranes. However, the small structural differences significantly affect the excitonic coupling between some pigment pairs. Finally, we analyzed in detail the structure of the long N-terminus of CP29, showing that it is structurally stable and it remains on top of the membrane even in the absence of other proteins. Although the structural changes upon phosphorylation are minor, they can explain the differences in the absorption properties of the pigments observed experimentally.

Light harvesting regulation: A versatile network of key components operating under various stress conditions in higher plants

Light harvesting is finetuned through two main strategies controlling energy transfer to the reaction centers of photosystems: i) regulating the amount of light energy at the absorption level, ii) regulating the amount of the absorbed energy at the utilization level. The first strategy is ensured by changes in the cross-section, i.e., the size of the photosynthetic antenna. These changes can occur in a short-term (state transitions) or long-term way (changes in antenna protein biosynthesis) depending on the light conditions. The interrelation of these two ways is still underexplored. Regulating light absorption through the long-term modulation of photosystem II antenna size has been mostly considered as an acclimatory mechanism to light conditions. The present review highlights that this mechanism represents one of the most versatile mechanisms of higher plant acclimation to various conditions including drought, salinity, temperature changes, and even biotic factors. We suggest that H₂O₂ is the universal signaling agent providing the switch from the short-term to long-term modulation of photosystem II antenna size under these factors. The second strategy of light harvesting is represented by redirecting energy to waste mainly via thermal energy dissipation in the photosystem II antenna in high light through PsbS protein and xanthophyll cycle. In the latter case, H₂O₂ also plays a considerable role. This circumstance may explain the maintenance of the appropriate level of zeaxanthin not only upon high light but also upon other stress factors. Thus, the review emphasizes the significance of both strategies for ensuring plant sustainability under various environmental conditions.

Regulation of photosynthetic light reaction proteins via reversible phosphorylation

The regulation of photosynthesis occurs at different levels including the control of nuclear and plastid genes transcription, RNA processing and translation, protein translocation, assemblies and their post translational modifications. Out of all these, post translational modification enables rapid response of plants towards changing environmental conditions. Among all post-translational modifications, reversible phosphorylation is known to play a crucial role in the regulation of light reaction of photosynthesis. Although, phosphorylation of PS II subunits has been extensively studied but not much attention is given to other photosynthetic complexes such as PS I, Cytochrome b6f complex and ATP synthase. Phosphorylation reaction is known to protect photosynthetic apparatus in challenging environment conditions such as high light, elevated temperature, high salinity and drought. Recent studies have explored the role of photosynthetic protein phosphorylation in conferring plant immunity against the rice blast disease. The evolution of phosphorylation of different subunits of photosynthetic proteins occurred along with the evolution of plant lineage for their better adaptation to the changing environment conditions. In this review, we summarize the progress made in the research field of phosphorylation of photosynthetic proteins and highlights the missing links that need immediate attention.

Cloning and function analysis of a Saussurea involucrata LEA4 gene

Late embryogenesis abundant proteins (LEA) help adapt to adverse low-temperature environments. The Saussurea involucrate SiLEA4, which encodes a membrane protein, was significantly up-regulated in response to low temperature stress. Escherichia coli expressing SiLEA4 showed enhanced low-temperature tolerance, as evident from the significantly higher survival numbers and growth rates at low temperatures. Moreover, tomato strains expressing SiLEA4 had significantly greater freezing resistance, due to a significant increase in the antioxidase activities and proline content. Furthermore, they had higher yields due to higher water utilization and photosynthetic efficiency under the same water and fertilizer conditions. Thus, expressing SiLEA4 has multiple advantages: (1) mitigating chilling injury, (2) increasing yields, and (3) water-saving, which also indicates the great potential of the SiLEA4 for breeding applications.

Chloroplastic photoprotective strategies differ between bundle sheath and mesophyll cells in maize (Zea mays L.) Under drought

Bundle sheath cells play a crucial role in photosynthesis in C4 plants, but the structure and function of photosystem II (PSII) in these cells is still controversial. Photoprotective roles of bundle sheath chloroplasts at the occurrence of environmental stresses have not been investigated so far. Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll a fluorescence is the photoprotective mechanism that responds to a changing energy balance in chloroplasts. In the present study, we found a much higher NPQ in bundle sheath chloroplasts than in mesophyll chloroplasts under a drought stress. This change was accompanied by a more rapid dephosphorylation of light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) subunits and a greater increase in PSII subunit S (PsbS) protein abundance than in mesophyll cell chloroplasts. Histochemical staining of reactive oxygen species (ROS) suggested that the high NPQ may be one of the main reasons for the lower accumulation of ROS in bundle sheath chloroplasts. This may maintain the stable functioning of bundle sheath cells under drought condition. These results indicate that the superior capacity for dissipation of excitation energy in bundle sheath chloroplasts may be an environmental adaptation unique to C4 plants.

Roles of Si and SiNPs in Improving Thermotolerance of Wheat Photosynthetic Machinery via Upregulation of PsbH, PsbB and PsbD Genes Encoding PSII Core Proteins

Photosystem II is extremely susceptible to environmental alterations, particularly high temperatures. The maintenance of an efficient photosynthetic system under stress conditions is one of the main issues for plants to attain their required energy. Nowadays, searching for stress alleviators is the main goal for maintaining photosynthetic system productivity and, thereby, crop yield under global climate change. Potassium silicate (K2SiO3, 1.5 mM) and silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2NPs, 1.66 mM) were used to mitigate the negative impacts of heat stress (45 °C, 5 h) on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. (Shandawelly) seedlings. The results showed that K2SiO3 and SiO2NPs diminished leaf rolling symptoms and electrolyte leakage (EL) of heat-stressed wheat leaves. Furthermore, the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and the performance index (PIabs), as well as the photosynthetic pigments and organic solutes including soluble sugars, sucrose, and proline accumulation, were increased in K2SiO3 and SiO2NPs stressed leaves. At the molecular level, RT-PCR analysis showed that K2SiO3 and SiO2NPs treatments stimulated the overexpression of PsbH, PsbB, and PsbD genes. Notably, this investigation indicated that K2SiO3 was more effective in improving wheat thermotolerance compared to SiO2NPs. The application of K2SiO3 and SiO2NPs may be one of the proposed approaches to improve crop growth and productivity to tolerate climatic change.

Regulation of the size of photosystem II light harvesting antenna represents a universal mechanism of higher plant acclimation to stress conditions

We investigated acclimatory responses of Arabidopsis plants to drought and salinity conditions before the appearance of obvious signs of damage caused by these factors. We detected changes indicating an increase in the reduction level of the chloroplast plastoquinone pool (PQ pool) 5-7 days after introduction of the stress factors. After 10-14 days, a decrease in the size of PSII light harvesting antenna was observed in plants under conditions of drought and salinity. This was confirmed by a decrease in content of PSII antenna proteins and by downregulation of gene expression levels of these proteins under the stress conditions. No changes in values of performance index and maximum quantum yield of PSII were detected. Under drought and salinity, the content of hydrogen peroxide in leaves was higher than in control leaves. Thus, we propose that reduction of the size of PSII antenna represents one of the universal mechanisms of acclimation of higher plants to stress factors and the downsizing already begins to manifest under mild stress conditions. Both the PQ pool reduction state and the hydrogen peroxide content are important factors needed for the observed rearrangement.

Adjustment of photosynthetic activity to drought and fluctuating light in wheat

Drought is a major cause of losses in crop yield. Under field conditions, plants exposed to drought are usually also experiencing rapid changes in light intensity. Accordingly, plants need to acclimate to both, drought and light stress. Two crucial mechanisms in plant acclimation to changes in light conditions comprise thylakoid protein phosphorylation and dissipation of light energy as heat by non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). Here, we analyzed the acclimation efficacy of two different wheat varieties, by applying fluctuating light for analysis of plants, which had been subjected to a slowly developing drought stress as it usually occurs in the field. This novel approach allowed us to distinguish four drought phases, which are critical for grain yield, and to discover acclimatory responses which are independent of photodamage. In short-term, under fluctuating light, the slowdown of NPQ relaxation adjusts the photosynthetic activity to the reduced metabolic capacity. In long-term, the photosynthetic machinery acquires a drought-specific configuration by changing the PSII-LHCII phosphorylation pattern together with protein stoichiometry. Therefore, the fine-tuning of NPQ relaxation and PSII-LHCII phosphorylation pattern represent promising traits for future crop breeding strategies.

Phosphorylation/dephosphorylation response to light stimuli of Symbiodinium proteins: specific light-induced dephosphorylation of an HSP-like 75 kDa protein from S. microadriaticum

Background

Some genera of the family Symbiodiniaceae establish mutualistic endosymbioses with various marine invertebrates, with coral being the most important ecologically. Little is known about the biochemical communication of this association and the perception and translation of signals from the environment in the symbiont. However, specific phosphorylation/dephosphorylation processes are fundamental for the transmission of external signals to activate physiological responses. In this work, we searched phosphorylatable proteins in amino acids of Ser, Thr and Tyr from three species of the family Symbiodiniaceae, Symbiodinium kawagutii, Symbiodinium sp. Mf11 and Symbiodinium microadriaticum.

Methods

We used specific antibodies to the phosphorylated aminoacids pSer, pThr and pTyr to identify proteins harboring them in total extracts from three species of Symbiodinium in culture. Extractions were carried out on logarithmic phase growing cultures under a 12 h light/dark photoperiod. Various light/dark, nutritional and other stimuli were applied to the cultures prior to the extractions, and proteins were subjected to SDS-PAGE and western immunoblotting. Partial peptide sequencing was carried out by MALDI-TOF on specific protein spots separated by 2D electrophoresis.

Results

At 4 h of the light cycle, several Thr-phosphorylated proteins were consistently detected in the three species suggesting a genus-dependent expression; however, most Ser- and Tyr-phosphorylated proteins were species-specific. Analysis of protein extracts of S. microadriaticum cultures demonstrated that the level of phosphorylation of two Thr-phosphorylated proteins with molecular weights of 43 and 75 kDa, responded inversely to a light stimulus. The 43 kDa protein, originally weakly Thr-phosphorylated when the cells were previously adapted to their 12 h dark cycle, underwent an increase in Thr phosphorylation when stimulated for 30 min with light. On the other hand, the 75 kDa protein, which was significantly Thr-phosphorylated in the dark, underwent dephosphorylation in Thr after 30 min of the light stimulus. The phosphorylation response of the 43 kDa protein only occurred in S. microadriaticum, whereas the dephosphorylation of the 75 kDa protein occurred in the three species studied suggesting a general response. The 75 kDa protein was separated on 2D gels as two isoforms and the sequenced spots corresponded to a BiP-like protein of the HSP70 protein family. The presence of differential phosphorylations on these proteins after a light stimulus imply important light-regulated physiological processes in these organisms.

Physiological and structural adjustments of two ecotypes of Platanus orientalis L. from different habitats in response to drought and re-watering

Platanus orientalis covers a very fragmented area in Europe and, at the edge of its natural distribution, is considered a relic endangered species near extinction. In our study, it was hypothesized that individuals from the edge of the habitat, with stronger climate constrains (drier and warmer environment, Italy, IT ecotype), developed different mechanisms of adaptation than those growing under optimal conditions at the center of the habitat (more humid and colder environment, Bulgaria, BG ecotype). Indeed, the two P. orientalis ecotypes displayed physiological, structural and functional differences already under control (unstressed) conditions. Adaptation to a dry environment stimulated constitutive isoprene emission, determined active stomatal behavior, and modified chloroplast ultrastructure, ultimately allowing more effective use of absorbed light energy for photochemistry. When exposed to short-term acute drought stress, IT plants showed active stomatal control that enhanced instantaneous water use efficiency, and stimulation of isoprene emission that sustained photochemistry and reduced oxidative damages to membranes, as compared to BG plants. None of the P. orientalis ecotypes recovered completely from drought stress after re-watering, confirming the sensitivity of this mesophyte to drought. Nevertheless, the IT ecotype showed less damage and better stability at the level of chloroplast membrane parameters when compared to the BG ecotype, which we interpret as possible adaptation to hostile environments and improved capacity to cope with future, likely more recurrent, drought stress.

Exogenous melatonin enhances salt stress tolerance in maize seedlings by improving antioxidant and photosynthetic capacity

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is an important biological hormone in many abiotic stress responses and developmental processes. In this study, the protective roles of melatonin were investigated by measuring the antioxidant defense system and photosynthetic characteristics in maize under salt stress. The results indicated that NaCl treatment led to the decrease in plant growth, chlorophyll contents and photochemical activity of photosystem II (PSII). However, the levels of reactive oxygen species increased significantly under salt stress. Meanwhile, we found that application of exogenous melatonin alleviated reactive oxygen species burst and protected the photosynthetic activity in maize seedlings under salt stress through the activation of antioxidant enzymes. In addition, 100 μM melatonin-treated plants showed high photosynthetic efficiency and salinity. Immunoblotting analysis of PSII proteins showed that melatonin application alleviated the decline of 34 kDa PSII reaction center protein (D1) and the increase of PSII subunit S protein. Taken together, our study promotes more comprehensive understanding in the protective effects of exogenous melatonin in maize under salt stress, and it may be involved in activation of antioxidant enzymes and regulation of PSII proteins.

Terrestrial Plants Evolve Highly Assembled Photosystem Complexes in Adaptation to Light Shifts

It has been known that PSI and PSII supercomplexes are involved in the linear and cyclic electron transfer, dynamics of light capture, and the repair cycle of PSII under environmental stresses. However, evolutions of photosystem (PS) complexes from evolutionarily divergent species are largely unknown. Here, we improved the blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) separation method and successfully separated PS complexes from all terrestrial plants. It is well known that reversible D1 protein phosphorylation is an important protective mechanism against oxidative damages to chloroplasts through the PSII photoinhibition-repair cycle. The results indicate that antibody-detectable phosphorylation of D1 protein is the latest event in the evolution of PS protein phosphorylation and occurs exclusively in seed plants. Compared to angiosperms, other terrestrial plant species presented much lower contents of PS supercomplexes. The amount of light-harvesting complexes II (LHCII) trimers was higher than that of LHCII monomers in angiosperms, whereas it was opposite in gymnosperms, pteridophytes, and bryophytes. LHCII assembly may be one of the evolutionary characteristics of vascular plants. In vivo chloroplast fluorescence measurements indicated that lower plants (bryophytes especially) showed slower changes in state transition and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) in response to light shifts. Therefore, the evolution of PS supercomplexes may be correlated with their acclimations to environments.

Comparison of phosphorylation and assembly of photosystem complexes and redox homeostasis in two wheat cultivars with different drought resistance

Reversible phosphorylation of proteins and the assembly of thylakoid complexes are the important protective mechanism against environmental stresses in plants. This research was aimed to investigate the different responses of the antioxidant defense system and photosystem II (PSII) to osmotic stress between drought-resistant and drought-susceptible wheat cultivars. Results showed that the decrease in PSII photochemistry and six enzyme activities was observed in drought-susceptible wheat compared with drought-resistant wheat under osmotic stress. In addition, a lower accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell death were found in the resistant wheat compared with the susceptible wheat under osmotic stress. Western blot analysis revealed that osmotic stress led to a remarkable decline in the steady state level of D1 protein in drought-susceptible wheat. However, the CP29 protein was strongly phosphorylated in drought-resistant wheat compared with the susceptible wheat under osmotic stress. Our results also showed that drought-resistant wheat presented higher phosphorylated levels of the light-harvesting complex II (LHCII), D1, and D2 proteins and a more rapid dephosphorylated rate than drought-susceptible wheat under osmotic stress. Furthermore, the PSII-LHCII supercomplexes and LHCII trimers were more rapidly disassembled in drought-susceptible wheat than the drought-resistant wheat under osmotic stress. These findings provide that reversible phosphorylation of thylakoid membrane proteins and assembly of thylakoid membrane complexes play important roles in plant adaptation to environmental stresses.

The STN8 kinase-PBCP phosphatase system is responsible for high-light-induced reversible phosphorylation of the PSII inner antenna subunit CP29 in rice

Reversible phosphorylation of thylakoid light-harvesting proteins is a mechanism to compensate for unbalanced excitation of photosystem I (PSI) versus photosystem II (PSII) under limiting light. In monocots, an additional phosphorylation event on the PSII antenna CP29 occurs upon exposure to excess light, enhancing resistance to light stress. Different from the case of the major LHCII antenna complex, the STN7 kinase and its related PPH1 phosphatase were proven not to be involved in CP29 phosphorylation, indicating that a different set of enzymes act in the high-light (HL) response. Here, we analyze a rice stn8 mutant in which both PSII core proteins and CP29 phosphorylation are suppressed in HL, implying that STN8 is the kinase catalyzing this reaction. In order to identify the phosphatase involved, we produced a recombinant enzyme encoded by the rice ortholog of AtPBCP, antagonist of AtSTN8, which catalyzes the dephosphorylation of PSII core proteins. The recombinant protein was active in dephosphorylating P-CP29. Based on these data, we propose that the activities of the OsSTN8 kinase and the antagonistic OsPBCP phosphatase, in addition to being involved in the repair of photo-damaged PSII, are also responsible for the HL-dependent reversible phosphorylation of the inner antenna CP29.

Mg-Protoporphyrin IX Signals Enhance Plant's Tolerance to Cold Stress

The relationship between Mg-protoporphyrin IX (Mg-Proto IX) signals and plant's tolerance to cold stress is investigated. Arabidopsis seedlings grown for 3 weeks were pretreated with 2 mM glutamate (Glu) and 2 mM MgCl₂ for 48 h at room temperature to induce Mg-Proto IX accumulation. Then cold stress was performed at 4°C for additional 72 h. Glu + MgCl₂ pre-treatments alleviated the subsequent cold stress significantly by rising the leaf temperature through inducing Mg-Proto IX signals. The protective role of Glu + MgCl₂ treatment was greatly compromised in the mutants of Mg-Proto IX synthesis, Mg-Proto IX signaling, and cyanide-resistant respiration. And the enhancement of cold-responsive gene expression was greatly compromised in the mutants of Mg-Proto IX synthesis, Mg-Proto IX signaling and ABA signaling, but not in the mutant of cyanide-resistant respiration. Cold stress promoted cyanide-resistant respiration and leaf total respiration exponentially, which could be further induced by the Glu + MgCl₂ treatment. Mg-Proto IX signals also activate antioxidant enzymes and increase non-enzymatic antioxidants [glutathione but not ascorbic acid (AsA)] to maintain redox equilibrium during the cold stress.

Different response of photosystem II to short and long-term drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana

Short- and long-term drought stress on photosystem II (PSII) and oxidative stress were studied in Arabidopsis thaliana. Under drought stress, chlorophyll (Chl) content, Chl fluorescence, relative water content and oxygen evolution capacity gradually decreased, and the thylakoid structure was gradually damaged. Short-term drought stress caused a rapid disassembly of the light-harvesting complex II (LHCII). However, PSII dimers kept stable under the short-term drought stress and significantly decreased only after 15 days of drought stress. Immunoblotting analysis of the thylakoid membrane proteins showed that most of the photosystem proteins decreased after the stress, especially for Lhcb5, Lhcb6 and PsbQ proteins. However, surprisingly, PsbS significantly increased after the long-term drought stress, which is consistent with the substantially increased non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) after the stress. Our results suggest that the PSII-LHCII supercomplexes and LHCII assemblies play an important role in preventing photo-damages to PSII under drought stress.

An evolutionary view on thylakoid protein phosphorylation uncovers novel phosphorylation hotspots with potential functional implications

The regulation of photosynthetic light reactions by reversible protein phosphorylation is well established today, but functional studies have so far mostly been restricted to processes affecting light-harvesting complex II and the core proteins of photosystem II. Virtually no functional data are available on regulatory effects at the other photosynthetic complexes despite the identification of multiple phosphorylation sites. Therefore we summarize the available data from 50 published phospho-proteomics studies covering the main complexes involved in photosynthetic light reactions in the 'green lineage' (i.e. green algae and land plants) as well as its cyanobacterial counterparts. In addition, we performed an extensive orthologue search for the major photosynthetic thylakoid proteins in 41 sequenced genomes and generated sequence alignments to survey the phylogenetic distribution of phosphorylation sites and their evolutionary conservation from green algae to higher plants. We observed a number of uncharacterized phosphorylation hotspots at photosystem I and the ATP synthase with potential functional relevance as well as an unexpected divergence of phosphosites. Although technical limitations might account for a number of those differences, we think that many of these phosphosites have important functions. This is particularly important for mono- and dicot plants, where these sites might be involved in regulatory processes such as stress acclimation.

Comparison of methods for extracting thylakoid membranes of Arabidopsis plants

Robust and reproducible methods for extracting thylakoid membranes are required for the analysis of photosynthetic processes in higher plants such as Arabidopsis. Here, we compare three methods for thylakoid extraction using two different buffers. Method I involves homogenizing the plant material with a metal/glass blender; method II involves manually grinding the plant material in ice-cold grinding buffer with a mortar and method III entails snap-freezing followed by manual grinding with a mortar, after which the frozen powder is thawed in isolation buffer. Thylakoid membrane samples extracted using each method were analyzed with respect to protein and chlorophyll content, yields relative to starting material, oxygen-evolving activity, protein complex content and phosphorylation. We also examined how the use of fresh and frozen thylakoid material affected the extracts' contents of protein complexes. The use of different extraction buffers did not significantly alter the protein content of the extracts in any case. Method I yielded thylakoid membranes with the highest purity and oxygen-evolving activity. Method III used low amounts of starting material and was capable of capturing rapid phosphorylation changes in the sample at the cost of higher levels of contamination. Method II yielded thylakoid membrane extracts with properties intermediate between those obtained with the other two methods. Finally, frozen and freshly isolated thylakoid membranes performed identically in blue native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis experiments conducted in order to separate multimeric protein supracomplexes.

Light intensity affects chlorophyll synthesis during greening process by metabolite signal from mitochondrial alternative oxidase in Arabidopsis

Although mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) has been proposed to play essential roles in high light stress tolerance, the effects of AOX on chlorophyll synthesis are unclear. Previous studies indicated that during greening, chlorophyll accumulation was largely delayed in plants whose mitochondrial cyanide-resistant respiration was inhibited by knocking out nuclear encoded AOX gene. Here, we showed that this delay of chlorophyll accumulation was more significant under high light condition. Inhibition of cyanide-resistant respiration was also accompanied by the increase of plastid NADPH/NADP(+) ratio, especially under high light treatment which subsequently blocked the import of multiple plastidial proteins, such as some components of the photosynthetic electron transport chain, the Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes and malate/oxaloacetate shuttle components. Overexpression of AOX1a rescued the aox1a mutant phenotype, including the chlorophyll accumulation during greening and plastidial protein import. It thus suggests that light intensity affects chlorophyll synthesis during greening process by a metabolic signal, the AOX-derived plastidial NADPH/NADP(+) ratio change. Further, our results thus revealed a molecular mechanism of chloroplast-mitochondria interactions.

Ethylene is Involved in Brassinosteroids Induced Alternative Respiratory Pathway in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Response to Abiotic Stress

Effects of brassinosteroids (BRs) on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) abiotic stresses resistance to salt, polyethylene glycol (PEG), cold and the potential mechanisms were investigated in this work. Previous reports have indicated that BRs can induce ethylene production and enhance alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway. The mechanisms whether ethylene is involved as a signal molecule which connected BR with AOX in regulating stress tolerance are still unknown. Here, we found that pretreatment with 1 μM brassinolide (BL, the most active BRs) relieved stress-caused oxidative damage in cucumber seedlings and clearly enhanced the capacity of AOX and the ethylene biosynthesis. Furthermore, transcription level of ethylene signaling biosynthesis genes including ripening-related ACC synthase1 (C S ACS1), ripening-related ACC synthase2 (C S ACS2), ripening-related ACC synthase3 (C S ACS3), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase1 (C S ACO1), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase2 (C S ACO2), and C S AOX were increased after BL treatment. Importantly, the application of the salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM, AOX inhibitor) and ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor aminooxyacetic acid (AOA) decreased plant resistance to environmental stress by blocking BRs-induced alternative respiration. Taken together, our results demonstrated that ethylene was involved in BRs-induced AOX activity which played important roles in abiotic stresses tolerance in cucumber seedlings.

Biomonitoring heavy metal contaminations by moss visible parameters

Traditional sampling for heavy metal monitoring is a time-consuming and inconvenient method, which also does not indicate contaminants non-invasively and instantaneously. Moss is sensitive to heavy metals and is therefore considered a pollution indicator. However, it is unknown what kind physiological parameters can indicate metal contaminations quickly and non-invasively. Here, we systematically examined the effects of six heavy metals on physiological parameters and photosynthetic activities of two moss species grown in aquatic media or moist soil surface. We suggest that a phenotype with anthocyanin accumulation pattern and chlorosis pattern and two chlorophyll fluorescence parameters with their images can roughly reflect metal species groups, concentrations and differences between the two moss species. In other words, metal contaminations could be roughly estimated visually using the naked eye. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic anti-oxidative abilities and photosynthetic protein contents of Eurhynchium eustegium were higher than those of Taxiphyllum taxirameum, indicating their differential metal tolerance. Neither anti-oxidative abilities nor photosynthetic proteins were found to be ideal indicators. This study provides new ideas to monitor heavy metals rapidly and non-invasively in water or on wetland and moist soil surface.

The alternative respiratory pathway is involved in brassinosteroid-induced environmental stress tolerance in Nicotiana benthamiana

Brassinosteroids (BRs), plant steroid hormones, play essential roles in modulating cell elongation, vascular differentiation, senescence, and stress responses. However, the mechanisms by which BRs regulate plant mitochondria and resistance to abiotic stress remain largely unclear. Mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) is involved in the plant response to a variety of environmental stresses. In this report, the role of AOX in BR-induced tolerance against cold, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and high-light stresses was investigated. Exogenous applied brassinolide (BL, the most active BR) induced, while brassinazole (BRZ, a BR biosynthesis inhibitor) reduced alternative respiration and AOX1 expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. Chemical scavenging of H2O2 and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of NbRBOHB compromised the BR-induced alternative respiratory pathway, and this result was further confirmed by NbAOX1 promoter analysis. Furthermore, inhibition of AOX activity by chemical treatment or a VIGS-based approach decreased plant resistance to environmental stresses and compromised BR-induced stress tolerance. Taken together, our results indicate that BR-induced AOX capability might contribute to the avoidance of superfluous reactive oxygen species accumulation and the protection of photosystems under stress conditions in N. benthamiana.

Influence of stripe rust infection on the photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system of susceptible and resistant wheat cultivars at the adult plant stage

Wheat stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, Pst), is one of the most serious diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. To gain a better understanding of the protective mechanism against stripe rust at the adult plant stage, the differences in photosystem II and antioxidant enzymatic systems between susceptible and resistant wheat in response to stripe rust disease (P. striiformis) were investigated. We found that chlorophyll fluorescence and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes were higher in resistant wheat than in susceptible wheat after stripe rust infection. Compared with the susceptible wheat, the resistant wheat accumulated a higher level of D1 protein and a lower level of reactive oxygen species after infection. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that D1 and light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) phosphorylation are involved in the resistance to stripe rust in wheat. The CP29 protein was phosphorylated under stripe rust infection, like its phosphorylation in other monocots under environmental stresses. More extensive damages occur on the thylakoid membranes in the susceptible wheat compared with the resistant wheat. The findings provide evidence that thylakoid protein phosphorylation and antioxidant enzyme systems play important roles in plant responses and defense to biotic stress.

Characterisation of the dark green islands of cucumber mosaic virus infected Nicotiana tabacum

KEY MESSAGE

There are significant differences between the DGIs and LGTs. Additionally, most of the characteristics indicate that the DGIs are more similar to recovered tissue and can resist viral attacks. Dark green islands (DGIs) surrounded by light green tissues (LGTs) are common leaf symptoms of plants that are systemically infected by various mosaic viruses. We performed cytological, physiological and molecular biological analyses of the DGIs and LGTs in cucumber mosaic virus-infected Nicotiana tabacum leaves. Our results indicated that the DGIs contained less virus than did the LGTs. Compared to the LGTs, the DGIs contained higher levels of the metabolites involved in plant defence. The contents of reduced glutathione and ascorbic acid were increased in the DGIs to reach levels that were even higher than those of control plants. Moreover, hormone measurements and quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that the endogenous salicylic acid, ethylene and defence genes mediated these elevations by playing positive roles in the regulation of the DGIs responses to viral infection. The accumulation of cytokinin was also much greater in the DGIs than in the LGTs. Finally, northern blotting analysis indicated that the accumulation of viral small interfering RNAs was decreased in the DGIs compared to the LGTs. Taken together, these results suggest that DGIs might represent leaf areas that have recovered from viral infection due to locally enhanced defence responses.

High light-dependent phosphorylation of photosystem II inner antenna CP29 in monocots is STN7 independent and enhances nonphotochemical quenching

Phosphorylation of the photosystem II antenna protein CP29 has been reported to be induced by excess light and further enhanced by low temperature, increasing resistance to these stressing factors. Moreover, high light-induced CP29 phosphorylation was specifically found in monocots, both C3 and C4, which include the large majority of food crops. Recently, knockout collections have become available in rice (Oryza sativa), a model organism for monocots. In this work, we have used reverse genetics coupled to biochemical and physiological analysis to elucidate the molecular basis of high light-induced phosphorylation of CP29 and the mechanisms by which it exerts a photoprotective effect. We found that kinases and phosphatases involved in CP29 phosphorylation are distinct from those reported to act in State 1-State 2 transitions. In addition, we elucidated the photoprotective role of CP29 phosphorylation in reducing singlet oxygen production and enhancing excess energy dissipation. We thus established, in monocots, a mechanistic connection between phosphorylation of CP29 and nonphotochemical quenching, two processes so far considered independent from one another.

Comparison of thylakoid structure and organization in sun and shade Haberlea rhodopensis populations under desiccation and rehydration

The resurrection plant, Haberlea rhodopensis can survive nearly total desiccation only in its usual low irradiation environment. However, populations with similar capacity to recover were discovered recently in several sunny habitats. To reveal what kind of morphological, structural and thylakoid-level alterations play a role in the acclimation of this low-light adapted species to high-light environment and how do they contribute to the desiccation tolerance mechanisms, the structure of the photosynthetic apparatus, the most sensitive component of the chlorophyll-retaining resurrection plants, was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, steady state low-temperature fluorescence and two-dimensional Blue-Native/SDS PAGE under desiccation and rehydration. In contrast to the great differences in the morphology of plants, the ultrastructure and the organization of thylakoids were surprisingly similar in well-hydrated shade and sun populations. A high ratio of photosystem (PS)I binding light harvesting complex (LHC)II, important in low- and fluctuating light environment, was characteristic to both shade and sun plant, and the ratios of the main chlorophyll-protein complexes were also similar. The intensive protective mechanisms, such as shading by steep leaf angle and accumulation of protective substances, probably reduced the light intensity at the chloroplast level. The significantly increased ratio of monomer to oligomer antennae in well-hydrated sun plants may be connected with the temporary high light exposure of chloroplasts. During desiccation, LHCII was removed from PSI and part of PSII supercomplexes disassembled with some loss of PSII core and LHCII. The different reorganization of antennae, possibly connected with different quenching mechanisms, involved an increased amount of monomers in shade plants but unchanged proportion of oligomers in sun plants. Desiccation-induced responses were more pronounced in sun plants which also had a greater capacity to recover due to their stress-acclimated attitude.

Characterization of three Arabidopsis thaliana immunophilin genes involved in the plant defense response against Pseudomonas syringae

Plant immunophilins are a broadly conserved family of proteins, which carry out a variety of cellular functions. In this study, we investigated three immunophilin genes involved in the Arabidopsis thaliana response to Pseudomonas syringae infection: a cytoplasmic localized AtCYP19, a cytoplasmic and nuclear localized AtCYP57, and one nucleus directed FKBP known as AtFKBP65. Arabidopsis knock-out mutations in these immunophilins result in an increased susceptibility to P. syringae, whereas overexpression of these genes alters the transcription profile of pathogen-related defense genes and led to enhanced resistance. Histochemical analysis revealed local gene expression of AtCYP19, AtCYP57, and AtFKBP65 in response to pathogen infection. AtCYP19 was shown to be involved in reactive oxygen species production, and both AtCYP57 and AtFKBP65 provided callose accumulation in plant cell wall. Identification of the involvement of these genes in biotic stress response brings a new set of data that will advance plant immune system research and can be widely used for further investigation in this area.

Photosynthetic electron transport and specific photoprotective responses in wheat leaves under drought stress

The photosynthetic responses of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) leaves to different levels of drought stress were analyzed in potted plants cultivated in growth chamber under moderate light. Low-to-medium drought stress was induced by limiting irrigation, maintaining 20 % of soil water holding capacity for 14 days followed by 3 days without water supply to induce severe stress. Measurements of CO2 exchange and photosystem II (PSII) yield (by chlorophyll fluorescence) were followed by simultaneous measurements of yield of PSI (by P700 absorbance changes) and that of PSII. Drought stress gradually decreased PSII electron transport, but the capacity for nonphotochemical quenching increased more slowly until there was a large decrease in leaf relative water content (where the photosynthetic rate had decreased by half or more). We identified a substantial part of PSII electron transport, which was not used by carbon assimilation or by photorespiration, which clearly indicates activities of alternative electron sinks. Decreasing the fraction of light absorbed by PSII and increasing the fraction absorbed by PSI with increasing drought stress (rather than assuming equal absorption by the two photosystems) support a proposed function of PSI cyclic electron flow to generate a proton-motive force to activate nonphotochemical dissipation of energy, and it is consistent with the observed accumulation of oxidized P700 which causes a decrease in PSI electron acceptors. Our results support the roles of alternative electron sinks (either from PSII or PSI) and cyclic electron flow in photoprotection of PSII and PSI in drought stress conditions. In future studies on plant stress, analyses of the partitioning of absorbed energy between photosystems are needed for interpreting flux through linear electron flow, PSI cyclic electron flow, along with alternative electron sinks.

The roles of two transcription factors, ABI4 and CBFA, in ABA and plastid signalling and stress responses

Genetic and physiological studies have revealed evidences for multiple signaling pathways by which the plastid exerts retrograde control over photosynthesis-associated-nuclear-genes. In this study we have examined the mechanisms of control of transcription by plastid signals, focusing on transcription factors. We have also further addressed the physical nature of plastid signals and the physiological role, in stress acclimation of this regulatory pathway. ABI4, a master Apetala 2 (AP2)-type transcription factor (TF), is targeted by multiple signalling pathways in plant cells, such as abscisic acid (ABA) signals, sugar signals and plastid signals derived from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and chlorophyll intermediates. ABI4 binds the promoter of target genes to prevent their transcription by competing with other competitive TFs. However, we found that once ABI4 bound the element (CCACGT), it may not be bound by other TFs, therefore making the signalling long-lasting. Downstream of ABI4, CBFA (CCAAT binding factor A) is a subunit of the HAP2/HAP3/HAP5 (Heme activator protein) trimeric transcription complex. CBFA however is a redundant HAP3 subunit. When emergency occurs (such as herbicide treatments or environmental stresses followed by ABA and ROS accumulation), the master transcription factor ABI4 down-regulates some TFs, like CBFA, and then some other TF subunits enter the transcription complex and transcriptional efficiency of stress-responsive genes (including the transcription co-factor CBP) is improved instantaneously. abi4, cbfA and cbp mutants showed weaker drought-tolerance after a herbicide norflurazon treatment, which indicated the physiological role of these key transcription factors.

Loss-of-function of OsSTN8 suppresses the photosystem II core protein phosphorylation and interferes with the photosystem II repair mechanism in rice (Oryza sativa)

STN8 kinase is involved in photosystem II (PSII) core protein phosphorylation (PCPP). To examine the role of PCPP in PSII repair during high light (HL) illumination, we characterized a T-DNA insertional knockout mutant of the rice (Oryza sativa) STN8 gene. In this osstn8 mutant, PCPP was significantly suppressed, and the grana were thin and elongated. Upon HL illumination, PSII was strongly inactivated in the mutants, but the D1 protein was degraded more slowly than in wild-type, and mobilization of the PSII supercomplexes from the grana to the stromal lamellae for repair was also suppressed. In addition, higher accumulation of reactive oxygen species and preferential oxidation of PSII reaction center core proteins in thylakoid membranes were observed in the mutants during HL illumination. Taken together, our current data show that the absence of STN8 is sufficient to abolish PCPP in osstn8 mutants and to produce all of the phenotypes observed in the double mutant of Arabidopsis, indicating the essential role of STN8-mediated PCPP in PSII repair.

The significance of CP29 reversible phosphorylation in thylakoids of higher plants under environmental stresses

Reversible phosphorylation of proteins is a key event in many fundamental cellular processes. Under stressful conditions, many thylakoid membrane proteins in photosynthetic apparatus of higher plants undergo rapid phosphorylation and dephosphorylation in response to environmental changes. CP29 is the most frequently phosphorylated protein among three minor antennae complexes in higher plants. CP29 phosphorylation in dicotyledons has been known for several decades and is well characterized. However, CP29 phosphorylation in monocotyledons is less studied and appears to have a different phosphorylation pattern. In this review, we discuss recent advancements in CP29 phosphorylation and dephosphorylation studies and its physiological significance under environmental stresses in higher plants, especially in the monocotyledonous crops. Physiologically, the phosphorylation of CP29 is likely to be a prerequisite for state transitions and the disassembly of photosystem II supercomplexes, but not involved in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). CP29 is phosphorylated in monocots exposed to environmental cues, with its subsequent lateral migration from grana stacks to stroma lamellae. However, neither CP29 phosphorylation nor its lateral migration occurs in dicotyledonous plants after drought, cold, or salt stress. Since the molecular mechanisms of differential CP29 phosphorylation under stresses are not fully understood, this review provides insights for future studies regarding the physiological function of CP29 reversible phosphorylation.

A novel role for cyanide in the control of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings response to environmental stress

The effects of potassium cyanide (KCN) pretreatment on the response of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants to salt, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and cold stress were investigated in the present study. Here, we found that KCN pretreatment improved cucumber seedlings tolerance to stress conditions with maximum efficiency at a concentration of 20 µM. The results showed that pretreatment with 20 µM KCN alleviated stress-induced oxidative damage in plant cells and clearly induced the activity of alternative oxidase (AOX) and the ethylene production. Furthermore, the structures of thylakoids and mitochondria in the KCN-pretreated seedlings were less damaged by the stress conditions, which maintained higher total chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate and photosystem II (PSII) proteins levels than the control. Importantly, the addition of the AOX inhibitor salicylhydroxamic acid (1 mm; SHAM) decreased plant resistance to environmental stress and even compromised the cyanide (CN)-enhanced stress tolerance. Therefore, our findings provide a novel role of CN in plant against environmental stress and indicate that the CN-enhanced AOX might contribute to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and the protection of photosystem by maintaining energy charge homoeostasis from chloroplast to mitochondria.

A single leaf of Camellia oleifera has two types of carbon assimilation pathway, C(3) and crassulacean acid metabolism

The C(4) plants, whose first product of photosynthetic CO(2) fixation is a four-carbon acid, have evolved independently many times. Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is a biological mechanism known to exhibit some C(4) characteristics such as the C(3) cycle during daylight and demonstrates the C(4) cycle at night. There are also various C(3)-CAM intermediates, whose CAM pathway can be induced by environmental changes. However, neither fungus-induced CAM nor Theaceae CAM have been reported previously. Here, we show that CAM could be generated by fungus infection in Camellia oleifera Abel. young leaves, even at a location of a single leaf where the upper part had been transformed into a succulent one, while the lower part remained unchanged. The early photosynthetic products of dark-grown C. oleifera succulent leaves were malate, whereas C. oleifera normal leaves and light-grown succulent leaves incorporated most of (14)C into the primary photosynthetic product 3-phosphoglycerate. Camellia oleifera succulent leaves have a lower absolute δ(13)C value, much lower photorespiration rates and lower transpiration rates during the day than those of C. oleifera normal leaves. Like a typical CAM plant, stomata of C. oleifera succulent leaves closed during the daylight, but opened at night, and therefore had a detectable CO(2) compensation point in darkness. Net photosynthetic rates (P(n)) fluctuated diurnally and similarly with stomatal aperture. No light intensity saturation could be defined for C. oleifera succulent leaves. C(4) key enzymes in C. oleifera succulent leaves were increased at both the transcriptional/translational levels as well as at the enzyme activity level.

High light induced disassembly of photosystem II supercomplexes in Arabidopsis requires STN7-dependent phosphorylation of CP29

Photosynthetic oxidation of water and production of oxygen by photosystem II (PSII) in thylakoid membranes of plant chloroplasts is highly affected by changes in light intensities. To minimize damage imposed by excessive sunlight and sustain the photosynthetic activity PSII, organized in supercomplexes with its light harvesting antenna, undergoes conformational changes, disassembly and repair via not clearly understood mechanisms. We characterized the phosphoproteome of the thylakoid membranes from Arabidopsis thaliana wild type, stn7, stn8 and stn7stn8 mutant plants exposed to high light. The high light treatment of the wild type and stn8 caused specific increase in phosphorylation of Lhcb4.1 and Lhcb4.2 isoforms of the PSII linker protein CP29 at five different threonine residues. Phosphorylation of CP29 at four of these residues was not found in stn7 and stn7stn8 plants lacking the STN7 protein kinase. Blue native gel electrophoresis followed by immunological and mass spectrometric analyses of the membrane protein complexes revealed that the high light treatment of the wild type caused redistribution of CP29 from PSII supercomplexes to PSII dimers and monomers. A similar high-light-induced disassembly of the PSII supercomplexes occurred in stn8, but not in stn7 and stn7stn8. Transfer of the high-light-treated wild type plants to normal light relocated CP29 back to PSII supercomplexes. We postulate that disassembly of PSII supercomplexes in plants exposed to high light involves STN7-kinase-dependent phosphorylation of the linker protein CP29. Disruption of this adaptive mechanism can explain dramatically retarded growth of the stn7 and stn7stn8 mutants under fluctuating normal/high light conditions, as previously reported.

The roles of ascorbic acid and glutathione in symptom alleviation to SA-deficient plants infected with RNA viruses

Salicylic acid (SA) is required for plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR) to viruses. However, SA-deficient plants adapt to RNA virus infections better, which show a lighter symptom and have less reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. The virus replication levels are higher in the SA-deficient plants during the first 10 days, but lower than the wild-type seedlings after 20 dpi. The higher level of glutathione and ascorbic acid (AsA) in SA-deficient plants may contribute to their alleviated symptoms. Solo virus-control method for mortal viruses results in necrosis and chlorosis, no matter what level of virus RNAs would accumulate. Contrastingly, early and high-dose AsA treatment alleviates the symptom, and eventually inhibits virus replication after 20 days. ROS eliminators could not imitate the effect of AsA, and could neither alleviate symptom nor inhibit virus replication. It suggests that both symptom alleviation and virus replication control should be considered for plant virus cures.

Mg-protoporphyrin, haem and sugar signals double cellular total RNA against herbicide and high-light-derived oxidative stress

Cellular total RNA level is usually stable, although it may increase gradually during growth or seed germination, or decrease gradually under environmental stresses. However, we found that plant cell RNA could be doubled within 48 h in response to herbicide-induced Mg-protoporphyrin and heme accumulation or a high level of sugar treatment. This rapid RNA multiplication is important for effective cellular resistance to oxidative stress, such as high-light and herbicide co-stress conditions, where the plastid-signalling defective mutant gun1 shows an apparent phenotype (more severe photobleaching). Hexokinase is required for sugar-induced RNA multiplication. While both sugar and Mg-protoporphyrin IX require plastid protein GUN1 and a nuclear transcription factor ABI4, haem appears to function through an independent pathway to control RNA multiplication. The transcription co-factor CAAT binding protein mediates the rapid RNA multiplication in plant cells in all the cases.

Transient accumulation of Mg-protoporphyrin IX regulates expression of PhANGs - New evidence for the signaling role of tetrapyrroles in mature Arabidopsis plants

Genetic and physiological studies have revealed evidence for multiple signaling pathways by which the plastid exerts retrograde control over photosynthesis associated nuclear genes (PhANGs). It has been proposed that the tetrapyrrole pathway intermediate Mg-protoporphyrin IX (Mg-proto IX) acts as the signaling molecule in the pathways and accumulates in the chloroplasts and cytosol of the cell after treatment with the herbicide Norflurazon (NF). However, the role of Mg-Proto IX in plastid signaling has been challenged by two recent reports. In this paper, new evidence is presented supporting Mg-Proto IX as a plastid-signaling molecule in mature Arabidopsis seedlings. Fluorescence HPLC and confocal microscope observation verified that a short-term (<96h) NF treatment resulted in a large accumulation of Mg-Proto IX accompanying with Lhcb repression, whereas the long-term NF treatments caused marked changes of tetrapyrrole pools, while Lhcb expression was continuously repressed. These results may explain the discrepancies among different reports. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) eliminator treatments only partly reversed the NF-induced repression of Lhcb. Therefore, the NF generates both ROS signals and Mg-Proto IX signals. Furthermore, our data suggested that plastid signal transduction through plastid GUN1 protein is independent of tetrapyrrole export from the plastid.

Effects of light on cyanide-resistant respiration and alternative oxidase function in Arabidopsis seedlings

Mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX), the unique respiratory terminal oxidase in plants, catalyzes the energy wasteful cyanide (CN)-resistant respiration and plays a role in optimizing photosynthesis. Although it has been demonstrated that leaf AOX is upregulated after illumination, the in vivo mechanism of AOX upregulation by light and its physiological significance are still unknown. In this report, red light and blue light-induced AOX (especially AOX1a) expressions were characterized. Phytochromes, phototropins and cryptochromes, all these photoreceptors mediate the light-response of AOX1a gene. When aox1a mutant seedlings were grown under a high-light (HL) condition, photobleaching was more evident in the mutant than the wild-type plants. More reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and inefficient dissipation of chloroplast reducing-equivalents in aox1a mutant may account for its worse adaptation to HL stress. When etiolated seedlings were exposed to illumination for 4 h, chlorophyll accumulation was largely delayed in aox1a plants. We first suggest that more reduction of the photosynthetic electron transport chain and more accumulation of reducing-equivalents in the mutant during de-etiolation might be the main reasons.

Dynamics of reversible protein phosphorylation in thylakoids of flowering plants: the roles of STN7, STN8 and TAP38

Phosphorylation is the most common post-translational modification found in thylakoid membrane proteins of flowering plants, targeting more than two dozen subunits of all multiprotein complexes, including some light-harvesting proteins. Recent progress in mass spectrometry-based technologies has led to the detection of novel low-abundance thylakoid phosphoproteins and localised their phosphorylation sites. Three of the enzymes involved in phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycles in thylakoids, the protein kinases STN7 and STN8 and the phosphatase TAP38/PPH1, have been characterised in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. Differential protein phosphorylation is associated with changes in illumination and various other environmental parameters, and has been implicated in several acclimation responses, the molecular mechanisms of which are only partly understood. The phenomenon of State Transitions, which enables rapid adaptation to short-term changes in illumination, has recently been shown to depend on reversible phosphorylation of LHCII by STN7-TAP38/PPH1. STN7 is also necessary for long-term acclimation responses that counteract imbalances in energy distribution between PSII and PSI by changing the rates of accumulation of their reaction-centre and light-harvesting proteins. Another aspect of photosynthetic acclimation, the modulation of thylakoid ultrastructure, depends on phosphorylation of PSII core proteins, mainly executed by STN8. Here we review recent advances in the characterisation of STN7, STN8 and TAP38/PPH1, and discuss their physiological significance within the overall network of thylakoid protein phosphorylation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Regulation of Electron Transport in Chloroplasts.

Phosphorylation of photosynthetic antenna protein CP29 and photosystem II structure changes in monocotyledonous plants under environmental stresses

Kinetic studies of protein dephosphorylation in thylakoid membranes showed that the minor light-harvesting antenna protein CP29 could be phosphorylated in barley (C3) and maize (C4) seedlings, but not in spinach under water [Liu, W. J., et al. (2009) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1787, 1238-1245], salt, or cold stress [Pursiheimo, S., et al. (2003) Plant Cell Environ. 26, 1995-2003], suggesting that phosphorylation of CP29 is a general phenomenon in monocots, but not in dicots under environmental stresses. Abscisic acid (ABA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene (ET), NO, and the scavenger of H(2)O(2) had weak effects on CP29 phosphorylation. However, three protein kinase inhibitors, U0126, W7, and K252a (for mitogen-activated protein kinase, Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase, and Ser/Thr protein kinases, respectively), decrease the level of CP29 phosphorylation in barley apparently under environmental stresses. Therefore, these three protein kinases are involved in CP29 phosphorylation. We also found that most CP29 phosphorylation was accompanied by its lateral migration from granum membranes to stroma-exposed thylakoid regions, and the instability of PSII supercomplexes and LHCII trimers under environmental stresses.