Chlorophyll degradation during senescence

Participation of chlorophyll b reductase in the initial step of the degradation of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein complexes in Arabidopsis

The light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein complex of photosystem II (LHCII) is the most abundant membrane protein in green plants, and its degradation is a crucial process for the acclimation to high light conditions and for the recovery of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) during senescence. However, the molecular mechanism of LHCII degradation is largely unknown. Here, we report that chlorophyll b reductase, which catalyzes the first step of chlorophyll b degradation, plays a central role in LHCII degradation. When the genes for chlorophyll b reductases NOL and NYC1 were disrupted in Arabidopsis thaliana, chlorophyll b and LHCII were not degraded during senescence, whereas other pigment complexes completely disappeared. When purified trimeric LHCII was incubated with recombinant chlorophyll b reductase (NOL), expressed in Escherichia coli, the chlorophyll b in LHCII was converted to 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a. Accompanying this conversion, chlorophylls were released from LHCII apoproteins until all the chlorophyll molecules in LHCII dissociated from the complexes. Chlorophyll-depleted LHCII apoproteins did not dissociate into monomeric forms but remained in the trimeric form. Based on these results, we propose the novel hypothesis that chlorophyll b reductase catalyzes the initial step of LHCII degradation, and that trimeric LHCII is a substrate of LHCII degradation.

Light-independent cell death induced by accumulation of pheophorbide a in Arabidopsis thaliana

Tetrapyrroles are well-known photosensitizers. In plants, various intermediate molecules of tetrapyrrole metabolism have been reported to induce cell death in a light-dependent manner. In contrast to these reports, we found that pheophorbide a, a key intermediate of chlorophyll catabolism, causes cell death in complete darkness in a transgenic Arabidopsis plant, As-ACD1. In this plant, expression of mRNA for pheophorbide a oxygenase was suppressed by expression of Acd1 antisense RNA; thus, As-ACD1 accumulated an excessive amount of pheophorbide a when chlorophyll breakdown occurred. We observed that when senescence was induced by a continuous dark period, leaves of As-ACD1 plants became dehydrated. By measuring electrolyte leakage, we estimated that >50% of the leaf cells underwent cell death within a 5 d period of darkness. Light and electron microscopic observations indicated that the cellular structure had collapsed in a large population of cells. Partially covering a leaf with aluminum foil resulted in light-independent cell death in the covered region and induced bleaching in the uncovered regions. These results indicate that accumulation of pheophorbide a induces cell death under both darkness and illumination, but the mechanisms of cell death under these conditions may differ. We discuss the possible mechanism of light-independent cell death and the involvement of pheophorbide a in the signaling pathway for programmed cell death.

The control of autumn senescence in European aspen

The initiation, progression, and natural variation of autumn senescence in European aspen (Populus tremula) was investigated by monitoring chlorophyll degradation in (1) trees growing in natural stands and (2) cloned trees growing in a greenhouse under various light regimes. The main trigger for the initiation of autumn senescence in aspen is the shortening photoperiod, but there was a large degree of variation in the onset of senescence, both within local populations and among trees originating from different populations, where it correlated with the latitude of their respective origins. The variation for onset of senescence with a population was much larger than the variation of bud set. Once started, autumn senescence was accelerated by low temperature and longer nights, and clones that started to senescence late had a faster senescence. Bud set and autumn senescence appeared to be under the control of two independent critical photoperiods, but senescence could not be initiated until a certain time after bud set, suggesting that bud set and growth arrest are important for the trees to acquire competence to respond to the photoperiodic trigger to undergo autumn senescence. A timetable of events related to bud set and autumn senescence is presented.

Stay-green regulates chlorophyll and chlorophyll-binding protein degradation during senescence

Stay-green mutants are delayed in leaf senescence and have been identified from different plant species, including many crops. Functional stay-greens have the potential to increase plant productivity. In cosmetic stay-greens, however, retention of chlorophyll during senescence is uncoupled from a decline of photosynthetic capacity in these mutants. For many cosmetic stay-green mutants, including Gregor Mendel's famous green cotyledon pea variety, molecular defects were recently identified in orthologous stay-green genes. Stay-green genes encode members of a new family of chloroplast-located proteins, which are likely to function in dismantling of photosynthetic chlorophyll-apoprotein complexes. Their activity is considered as a prerequisite for both chlorophyll and apoprotein degradation during senescence.

Pheophytin pheophorbide hydrolase (pheophytinase) is involved in chlorophyll breakdown during leaf senescence in Arabidopsis

During leaf senescence, chlorophyll is removed from thylakoid membranes and converted in a multistep pathway to colorless breakdown products that are stored in vacuoles. Dephytylation, an early step of this pathway, increases water solubility of the breakdown products. It is widely accepted that chlorophyll is converted into pheophorbide via chlorophyllide. However, chlorophyllase, which converts chlorophyll to chlorophyllide, was found not to be essential for dephytylation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we identify pheophytinase (PPH), a chloroplast-located and senescence-induced hydrolase widely distributed in algae and land plants. In vitro, Arabidopsis PPH specifically dephytylates the Mg-free chlorophyll pigment, pheophytin (phein), yielding pheophorbide. An Arabidopsis mutant deficient in PPH (pph-1) is unable to degrade chlorophyll during senescence and therefore exhibits a stay-green phenotype. Furthermore, pph-1 accumulates phein during senescence. Therefore, PPH is an important component of the chlorophyll breakdown machinery of senescent leaves, and we propose that the sequence of early chlorophyll catabolic reactions be revised. Removal of Mg most likely precedes dephytylation, resulting in the following order of early breakdown intermediates: chlorophyll --> pheophytin --> pheophorbide. Chlorophyllide, the last precursor of chlorophyll biosynthesis, is most likely not an intermediate of breakdown. Thus, chlorophyll anabolic and catabolic reactions are metabolically separated.

A putative ABC transporter confers durable resistance to multiple fungal pathogens in wheat

Agricultural crops benefit from resistance to pathogens that endures over years and generations of both pest and crop. Durable disease resistance, which may be partial or complete, can be controlled by several genes. Some of the most devastating fungal pathogens in wheat are leaf rust, stripe rust, and powdery mildew. The wheat gene Lr34 has supported resistance to these pathogens for more than 50 years. Lr34 is now shared by wheat cultivars around the world. Here, we show that the LR34 protein resembles adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporters of the pleiotropic drug resistance subfamily. Alleles of Lr34 conferring resistance or susceptibility differ by three genetic polymorphisms. The Lr34 gene, which functions in the adult plant, stimulates senescence-like processes in the flag leaf tips and edges.

Two short-chain dehydrogenase/reductases, NON-YELLOW COLORING 1 and NYC1-LIKE, are required for chlorophyll b and light-harvesting complex II degradation during senescence in rice

Yellowing, which is related to the degradation of chlorophyll and chlorophyll-protein complexes, is a notable phenomenon during leaf senescence. NON-YELLOW COLORING 1 (NYC1) in rice encodes a membrane-localized short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) that is thought to represent a chlorophyll b reductase necessary for catalyzing the first step of chlorophyll b degradation. Analysis of the nyc1 mutant, which shows the stay-green phenotype, revealed that chlorophyll b degradation is required for the degradation of light-harvesting complex II and thylakoid grana in leaf senescence. Phylogenetic analysis further revealed the existence of NYC1-LIKE (NOL) as the most closely related protein to NYC1. In the present paper, the nol mutant in rice was also found to show a stay-green phenotype very similar to that of the nyc1 mutant, i.e. the degradation of chlorophyll b was severely inhibited and light-harvesting complex II was selectively retained during senescence, resulting in the retention of thylakoid grana even at a late stage of senescence. The nyc1 nol double mutant did not show prominent enhancement of inhibition of chlorophyll degradation. NOL was localized on the stromal side of the thylakoid membrane despite the lack of a transmembrane domain. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that NOL and NYC1 interact physically in vitro. These observations suggest that NOL and NYC1 are co-localized in the thylakoid membrane and act in the form of a complex as a chlorophyll b reductase in rice.

Protective effect of melatonin against chlorophyll degradation during the senescence of barley leaves

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a highly conserved molecule whose presence is not exclusive to the animal kingdom. Indeed, numerous studies have demonstrated its presence in plants, where the possible role(s) of this indoleamine is (are) under active investigation. The present work aims to further our knowledge in this respect and presents the results of a study of the effect that melatonin has on foliar senescence. Barley leaves treated with melatonin solutions clearly slowed down the senescence process, as estimated from the chlorophyll lost in leaves. This effect of melatonin was concentration dependent, with an optimal response being obtained at 1 mm melatonin, after 48 hr of incubation in darkness. The already known effects of the phytohormones, kinetin, and abscisic acid, were also assayed. Of the phytohormone and melatonin combinations assayed, 1 mm melatonin presented the best protection against senescence. The levels of endogenous melatonin in control leaves were measured by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and in leaves treated with different exogenous melatonin concentrations (to demonstrate the absorption capacity of leaves). The possible physiological implications of this newly revealed action of melatonin in foliar senescence are discussed.

Chlorophyll Catabolites - Chemical and Structural Footprints of a Fascinating Biological Phenomenon

Twenty years ago, the molecular basis for the seasonal disappearance of chlorophyll was still enigmatic. In the meantime, our knowledge on chlorophyll breakdown has grown considerably. As outlined here, it has been possible to decipher the basic transformations involved in natural chlorophyll breakdown by identification of chlorophyll catabolites in higher plants, and with the help of the synthesis of (putative) catabolic intermediates. In vascular plants, chlorophyll breakdown typically converts the green plant pigments efficiently into colorless and non-fluorescent tetrapyrroles. It involves colored intermediates only fleetingly and in an (elusive) enzyme-bound form. The non-fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites accumulate in the vacuoles of degreened leaves and are considered the products, primarily, of a detoxification process. However, they are effective antioxidants, and may thus also have physiologically beneficial chemical properties.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)

A yellow chlorophyll catabolite is a pigment of the fall colours

Here we describe the detection and identification of a yellow chlorophyll catabolite (Cj-YCC) in fresh extracts of senescent leaves of Cercidiphyllum japonicum. In addition, we report its partial synthesis by oxidation of Cj-NCC-1, the major (colourless) "nonfluorescent" chlorophyll catabolite (NCC) found in degreened leaves of C. japonicum. The spectroscopic analysis and structural characterization indicated Cj-YCC to be a simple dehydrogenation product of Cj-NCC-1 (by formal removal of a hydrogen atom at the C(20)- and C(1)-positions). Indeed, NCCs are easily oxidized and were first called "rusty pigments", as they had a tendency to turn brown upon storage on a dry silica gel plate. The yellow tetrapyrrole Cj-YCC may thus come about by oxidation of Cj-NCC-1 in the leaves. Its presence in the yellow leaves of a deciduous tree provides the first evidence for the contribution of a coloured chlorophyll catabolite to the fall colours.

Chlorophyll breakdown and chlorophyll catabolites in leaves and fruit

Chlorophyll metabolism probably is the most visible manifestation of life. Total annual turnover of chlorophyll has been estimated to involve more than 1000 million tons. Surprisingly, chlorophyll catabolism has remained an enigma until less than twenty years ago, when a colorless chlorophyll catabolite from senescent plant leaves was identified and its structure was elucidated. In the meantime, chlorophyll breakdown products have been identified in a variety of plant leaves and their structural features have been elucidated. Most recently, chlorophyll breakdown products have also been identified in some ripening fruit. Chlorophyll breakdown in vascular plants only fleetingly involves enzyme-bound colored intermediates. The stage of fluorescent catabolites is also passed rapidly, as these isomerize further to colorless nonfluorescent tetrapyrrolic catabolites. The latter accumulate in the vacuoles of de-greened leaves and are considered the final products of controlled chlorophyll breakdown. The same tetrapyrroles are also found in ripening fruit and are effective antioxidants. Chlorophyll breakdown leads to tetrapyrroles that appear to have physiologically beneficial chemical properties, and it may thus not merely be a detoxification process.

'Senescence-associated vacuoles' are involved in the degradation of chloroplast proteins in tobacco leaves

Massive degradation of photosynthetic proteins is the hallmark of leaf senescence; however the mechanism involved in chloroplast protein breakdown is not completely understood. As small 'senescence-associated vacuoles' (SAVs) with intense proteolytic activity accumulate in senescing leaves of soybean and Arabidopsis, the main goal of this work was to determine whether SAVs are involved in the degradation of chloroplastic components. SAVs with protease activity were readily detected through confocal microscopy of naturally senescing leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). In detached leaves incubated in darkness, acceleration of the chloroplast degradation rate by ethylene treatment correlated with a twofold increase in the number of SAVs per cell, compared to untreated leaves. In a tobacco line expressing GFP targeted to plastids, GFP was re-located to SAVs in senescing leaves. SAVs were isolated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Isolated SAVs contained chloroplast-targeted GFP and the chloroplast stromal proteins Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) and glutamine synthetase, but lacked the thylakoid proteins D1 and light-harvesting complex II of the photosystem II reaction center and photosystem II antenna, respectively. In SAVs incubated at 30 degrees C, there was a steady decrease in Rubisco levels, which was completely abolished by addition of protease inhibitors. These results indicate that SAVs are involved in degradation of the soluble photosynthetic proteins of the chloroplast stroma during senescence of leaves.

Light absorption by anthocyanins in juvenile, stressed, and senescing leaves

The optical properties of leaves from five species, Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.), cotoneaster (Cotoneaster alaunica Golite), hazel (Corylus avellana L.), Siberian dogwood (Cornus alba L.), and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch.), differing in pigment composition and at different stages of ontogenesis, were studied. Anthocyanin absorption maxima in vivo, as estimated with spectrophotometry of intact anthocyanic versus acyanic leaves and microspectrophotometry of vacuoles in the leaf cross-sections, were found between 537 nm and 542 nm, showing a red shift of 5-20 nm compared with the corresponding maxima in acidic water-methanol extracts. In non-senescent leaves, strong anthocyanin absorption was found between 500 nm and 600 nm (with a 70-80 nm apparent bandwidth). By and large, absorption by anthocyanin in leaves followed a modified form of the Lambert-Beer law, showing a linear trend up to a content of nearly 50 nmol cm(-2), and permitting thereby a non-invasive determination of anthocyanin content. The apparent specific absorption coefficients of anthocyanins at 550 nm showed no substantial dependence on the species. Anthocyanin contribution to total light absorption at 550 nm was followed in maple leaves in the course of autumn senescence. Photoprotection by vacuolar anthocyanins is discussed with special regard to their distribution within a leaf; radiation screening by anthocyanins predominantly localized in the epidermal cells in A. platanoides and C. avellana leaves was also evaluated.

Leaf senescence and nutrient remobilisation in barley and wheat

Extensive studies have been undertaken on senescence processes in barley and wheat and their importance for the nitrogen use efficiency of these crop plants. During the senescence processes, proteins are degraded and nutrients are re-mobilised from senescing leaves to other organs, especially the developing grain. Most of the proteins degraded reside in the chloroplasts, with Rubisco constituting the most dominant protein fraction. Despite intensive studies, the proteases responsible for Rubisco degradation have not yet been identified. Evidence for degradation of stromal proteins outside of chloroplasts is summarised. Rubisco is thought to be released from chloroplasts into vesicles containing stroma material (RCB = Rubisco-containing bodies). These vesicles may then take different routes for their degradation. Transcriptome analyses on barley and wheat senescence have identified genes involved in degradative, metabolic and regulatory processes that could be used in future strategies aimed at modifying the senescence process. The breeding of crops for characters related to senescence processes, e.g. higher yields and better nutrient use efficiency, is complex. Such breeding has to cope with the dilemma that delayed senescence, which could lead to higher yields, is correlated with a decrease in nutrient use efficiency. Pinpointing regulatory genes involved in senescence might lead to tools that could effectively overcome this dilemma.

The control of chlorophyll catabolism and the status of yellowing as a biomarker of leaf senescence

The pathway of chlorophyll catabolism during leaf senescence is known in a fair amount of biochemical and cell biological detail. In the last few years, genes encoding a number of the catabolic enzymes have been characterized, including the key ring-opening activities, phaeophorbide a oxygenase (PaO) and red chlorophyll catabolite reductase (RCCR). Recently, a gene that modulates disassembly of chlorophyll-protein complexes and activation of pigment ring-opening has been isolated by comparative mapping in monocot species, positional cloning exploiting rice genomics resources and functional testing in Arabidopsis. The corresponding gene in pea has been identified as Mendel's I locus (green/yellow cotyledons). Mutations in this and other chlorophyll catabolic genes have significant consequences, both for the course of leaf senescence and senescence-like stress responses, notably hypersensitivity to pathogen challenge. Loss of chlorophyll can occur via routes other than the PaO/RCCR pathway, resulting in changes that superficially resemble senescence. Such 'pseudosenescence' responses tend to be pathological rather than physiological and may differ from senescence in fundamental aspects of biochemistry and regulation.

Senescence-associated degradation of chloroplast proteins inside and outside the organelle

Leaf proteins, and in particular the photosynthetic proteins of plastids, are extensively degraded during senescence. Although this involves massive amounts of protein, the mechanisms responsible for chloroplast protein degradation are largely unknown. Degradation within the plastid itself is supported by the observation that chloroplasts contain active proteases, and that chloroplasts isolated from senescing leaves can cleave Rubisco to release partially digested fragments. It is less clear whether chloroplasts can complete Rubisco degradation. Chloroplastic proteases are likely involved in the breakdown of the D1 and LHCII proteins of photosystem II. Small senescence-associated vacuoles (SAVs) with high-proteolytic activity develop in senescing leaf cells, and there is evidence that SAVs contain chloroplast proteins. Thus, an extra-plastidic pathway involving SAVs might participate in the degradation of some chloroplast proteins. Plastidic and extra-plastidic pathways might cooperate in the degradation of chloroplast proteins, or they might represent alternative, redundant pathways for photosynthetic protein degradation.

Natural developmental variations in leaf and plant senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana

Leaf senescence is a developmentally regulated process that contributes to nutrient redistribution during reproductive growth and finally leads to tissue death. Manipulating leaf senescence through breeding or genetic engineering may help to improve important agronomic traits, such as crop yield and the storage life of harvested organs. Here, we studied natural variations in the regulation of plant senescence among 16 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. Chlorophyll content and the proportion of yellow leaves were used as indicator parameters to determine leaf and plant senescence respectively. Our study indicated significant genotype effects on the onset and development of senescence. We selected three late- and five early-senescence accessions for further physiological studies. The relationship between leaf and plant senescence was accession-dependent. There was a significant correlation between plant senescence and the total number of leaves, siliques and plant bolting age. We monitored expression of two senescence marker genes, SAG12 and WRKY53, to evaluate progression of senescence. Our data revealed that chlorophyll content does not fully reflect leaf age, because even fully green leaves had already commenced senescence at the molecular level. Integrating senescence parameters, such as the proportion of senescent leaves, at the whole plant level provided a better indication of the molecular status of the plant than single leaf senescence parameters.

Analysis of expressed sequence tags from Actinidia: applications of a cross species EST database for gene discovery in the areas of flavor, health, color and ripening

Background

Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) are a relatively new, but economically important crop grown in many different parts of the world. Commercial success is driven by the development of new cultivars with novel consumer traits including flavor, appearance, healthful components and convenience. To increase our understanding of the genetic diversity and gene-based control of these key traits in Actinidia, we have produced a collection of 132,577 expressed sequence tags (ESTs).

Results

The ESTs were derived mainly from four Actinidia species (A. chinensis, A. deliciosa, A. arguta and A. eriantha) and fell into 41,858 non redundant clusters (18,070 tentative consensus sequences and 23,788 EST singletons). Analysis of flavor and fragrance-related gene families (acyltransferases and carboxylesterases) and pathways (terpenoid biosynthesis) is presented in comparison with a chemical analysis of the compounds present in Actinidia including esters, acids, alcohols and terpenes. ESTs are identified for most genes in color pathways controlling chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid biosynthesis. In the health area, data are presented on the ESTs involved in ascorbic acid and quinic acid biosynthesis showing not only that genes for many of the steps in these pathways are represented in the database, but that genes encoding some critical steps are absent. In the convenience area, genes related to different stages of fruit softening are identified.

Conclusion

This large EST resource will allow researchers to undertake the tremendous challenge of understanding the molecular basis of genetic diversity in the Actinidia genus as well as provide an EST resource for comparative fruit genomics. The various bioinformatics analyses we have undertaken demonstrates the extent of coverage of ESTs for genes encoding different biochemical pathways in Actinidia.

Regulation and evolution of chlorophyll metabolism

Chlorophylls are the most abundant tetrapyrrole molecules essential for photosynthesis in photosynthetic organisms. After many years of intensive research, most of the genes encoding the enzymes for the pathway have been identified, and recently the underlying molecular mechanisms have been elucidated. These studies revealed that the regulation of chlorophyll metabolism includes all levels of control to allow a balanced metabolic flow in response to external and endogenous factors and to ensure adaptation to varying needs of chlorophyll during plant development. Furthermore, identification of biosynthetic genes from various organisms and genetic analysis of functions of identified genes enables us to predict the evolutionary scenario of chlorophyll metabolism. In this review, based on recent findings, we discuss the regulation and evolution of chlorophyll metabolism.

Binding and glutathione conjugation of porphyrinogens by plant glutathione transferases

Overexpression in Escherichia coli of a tau (U) class glutathione transferase (GST) from maize (Zea mays L.), termed ZmGSTU1, caused a reduction in heme levels and an accumulation of porphyrin precursors. This disruption was highly specific, with the expression of the closely related ZmGSTU2 or other maize GSTs having little effect. Expression in E. coli of a series of chimeric ZmGSTU1/ZmGSTU2 proteins identified domains responsible for disrupting porphyrin metabolism. In addition to known heme precursors, expression of ZmGSTU1 led to the accumulation of a novel glutathione conjugate of harderoporphyrin(ogen) (2,7,12,18-tetramethyl-3-vinylporphyrin-8,13,17-tripropionic acid). Using the related protoporphyrinogen as a substrate, conjugation could be shown to occur on one vinyl group and was actively catalyzed by the ZmGSTU. In plant transgenesis studies, the ZmGSTUs did not perturb porphyrin metabolism when expressed in the cytosol of Arabidopsis or tobacco. However, expression of a ZmGSTU1-ZmGSTU2 chimera in the chloroplasts of tobacco resulted in the accumulation of the harderoporphyrin(ogen)-glutathione conjugate observed in the expression studies in bacteria. Our results show that the well known ability of GSTs to act as ligand binding (ligandin) proteins of porphyrins in vitro results in highly specific interactions with porphyrinogen intermediates, which can be demonstrated in both plants and bacteria in vivo.

Function and distribution of bilin biosynthesis enzymes in photosynthetic organisms

Bilins are open-chain tetrapyrrole molecules essential for light-harvesting and/or sensing in many photosynthetic organisms. While they serve as chromophores in phytochrome-mediated light-sensing in plants, they additionally function in light-harvesting in cyanobacteria, red algae and cryptomonads. Associated to phycobiliproteins a variety of bile pigments is responsible for the specific light-absorbance properties of the organisms enabling efficient photosynthesis under different light conditions. The initial step of bilin biosynthesis is the cleavage of heme by heme oxygenases (HO) to afford the first linear molecule biliverdin. This reaction is ubiquitously found also in non-photosynthetic organisms. Biliverdin is then further reduced by site specific reductases most of them belonging to the interesting family of ferredoxin-dependent bilin reductases (FDBRs)-a new family of radical oxidoreductases. In recent years much progress has been made in the field of heme oxygenases but even more in the widespread family of FDBRs, revealing novel biochemical FDBR activities, new crystal structures and new ecological aspects, including the discovery of bilin biosynthesis genes in wild marine phage populations. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the recent progress in this field and to highlight the new and remaining questions.

Expression analysis of the BFN1 nuclease gene promoter during senescence, abscission, and programmed cell death-related processes

Little is known about the biological role of nucleases induced during plant senescence and programmed cell death (PCD). Arabidopsis BFN1 has been identified as a senescence-associated type I nuclease, whose protein sequence shares high homology with some other senescence- or PCD-associated plant nucleases. To learn about BFN1 regulation, its expression pattern was analysed. A 2.3 kb portion of the 5' promoter sequence of BFN1 was cloned and its ability to activate the GUS reporter gene was examined. Transgenic Arabidopsis and tomato plants harbouring this chimeric construct were analysed for GUS expression. In both, the BFN1 promoter was able specifically to direct GUS expression in senescent leaves, differentiating xylem and the abscission zone of flowers. Thus, at least part of the regulation of BFN1 is mediated at the transcriptional level, and the regulatory elements are recognized in the two different plants. In tomato, specific expression was observed in the leaf and the fruit abscission zones. The BFN1 promoter was also active in other tissues, including developing anthers and seeds, and in floral organs after fertilization. PCD has been implicated in all of these processes, suggesting that in addition to senescence, BFN1 is involved in PCD associated with different development processes in Arabidopsis.

Chlorophyll breakdown during pepper fruit ripening in the chlorophyll retainer mutation is impaired at the homolog of the senescence-inducible stay-green gene

The pepper chlorophyll retainer (cl) mutation is characterized by inhibition of chlorophyll degradation during fruit ripening. Ripe fruit of cl pepper containing chlorophyll and red carotenoids is brown, while ripe fruit containing chlorophyll and yellow carotenoids is green. In addition to the inhibitory effect during fruit ripening caused by cl, we show that chlorophyll degradation is inhibited during natural and dark-induced leaf senescence. Therefore, the cl mutation has the characteristics of the stay-green (sgr) mutants described in many other species. Upon the recent discovery of the SGR gene in various plant species, we isolated pepper SGR (CaSGR) and found that it genetically cosegregates with cl in a BC1 mapping population. Furthermore, sequencing the wild-type and mutant alleles revealed an amino-acid substitution of tryptophan (aromatic amino acid) to arginine (basic amino acid) at position 114 in the protein sequence. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that differentiates the wild-type and mutant alleles was exploited to develop a PCR marker useful for marker-assisted selection. Expression of CaSGR as measured by semiquantitative RT-PCR was mostly induced upon fruit ripening and to a lesser extent upon leaf senescence. Taking together, our genetic, sequence and expression data all indicate that CaSGR is a candidate for controlling the cl mutation in pepper.

An evaluation of the basis and consequences of a stay-green mutation in the navel negra citrus mutant using transcriptomic and proteomic profiling and metabolite analysis

A Citrus sinensis spontaneous mutant, navel negra (nan), produces fruit with an abnormal brown-colored flavedo during ripening. Analysis of pigment composition in the wild-type and nan flavedo suggested that typical ripening-related chlorophyll (Chl) degradation, but not carotenoid biosynthesis, was impaired in the mutant, identifying nan as a type C stay-green mutant. nan exhibited normal expression of Chl biosynthetic and catabolic genes and chlorophyllase activity but no accumulation of dephytylated Chl compounds during ripening, suggesting that the mutation is not related to a lesion in any of the principal enzymatic steps in Chl catabolism. Transcript profiling using a citrus microarray indicated that a citrus ortholog of a number of SGR (for STAY-GREEN) genes was expressed at substantially lower levels in nan, both prior to and during ripening. However, the pattern of catabolite accumulation and SGR sequence analysis suggested that the nan mutation is distinct from those in previously described stay-green mutants and is associated with an upstream regulatory step, rather than directly influencing a specific component of Chl catabolism. Transcriptomic and comparative proteomic profiling further indicated that the nan mutation resulted in the suppressed expression of numerous photosynthesis-related genes and in the induction of genes that are associated with oxidative stress. These data, along with metabolite analyses, suggest that nan fruit employ a number of molecular mechanisms to compensate for the elevated Chl levels and associated photooxidative stress.

Toxic tetrapyrrole accumulation in protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase-overexpressing transgenic rice plants

We generated transgenic rice plants (Oryza sativa cv. Dongjin) over-expressing human protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO) with the aim to increase mitochondrial PPO activity and confer herbicide resistance (Lee et al., Pestic Biochem Physiol 80:65-74, 2004). The transgenic plants showed during further leaf development the formation of severe necrotic spots and growth retardation. Several experiments were performed to examine the reasons for the formation of necrotic leaf lesions. Human PPO is normally located in mitochondria. An in vitro organellar import experiment revealed translocation of human PPO into pea chloroplasts, but not into mitochondria. Using a specific antibody raised against human PPO confirmed its plastidic localisation. The heme and chlorophyll contents were lower in necrotic leaves than wild-type leaves. Interestingly, mature and necrotic leaves of 12-week-old transgenic plants contained up to 14- and 24-fold more protoporphyrin IX, respectively, than mature wild-type leaves. Enhanced levels of Mg-Protoporphyrin IX, Mg-Protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester and protochlorophyllide were concurrently observed in transgenic plants relative to wild type. Accumulated porphyrins and Mg-porphyrins likely act as photosensitizers and cause high formation of the reactive oxygen species. These high levels of tetrapyrrole intermediates correlated with increased rates of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthesis in transgenic plants. Tetrapyrrole-induced photooxidation was confirmed by increased lipid peroxidation and subsequent cell death. The transgenic phenotype is the consequence of a highly modified tetrapyrrole metabolism due to additional expression of human PPO. A possible regulatory role of PPO in graminaceous seedlings is discussed.

Characterization of cytosolic tetrapyrrole-binding proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana

In plant cells, tetrapyrroles are synthesized in plastids and distributed to numerous organelles to function in various vital activities. However, molecular mechanisms of tetrapyrroles trafficking in plant cells are poorly understood. In animal cells, experimental evidence suggests that the p22HBP/SOUL family are cytosolic heme carrier proteins functioning in heme trafficking. In this study, we characterized Arabidopsis cytosolic heme-binding proteins (cHBPs) homologous to the p22HBP/SOUL family. Six homologous genes were identified in the complete genome of Arabidopsis. Deduced amino acid sequences of two genes contained N-terminal amino acid extensions, presumably functioning as signal peptides to organelles. No such extension was observed in the other four genes, but one gene contained a ten-base deletion in its open reading frame, suggesting it maybe a pseudogene. The remaining three genes encoding putative cHBPs, designated cHBP1, cHBP2 and cHBP3, were further analyzed. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that cHBP1 was preferentially expressed in leaves, while cHBP2 was predominantly expressed in roots. A tetrapyrrole binding assay using recombinant proteins of cHBP1 and cHBP2 revealed that both cHBPs bind to heme, protoporphyrin IX, and Mg-protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester with distinct dissociation constants (Kd) of approximately submicro molar concentrations. Low temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra showed that both cHBP1 and cHBP2 bind high-spin type heme. When mixed with apo-horse radish peroxidase (HRP), heme-bound cHBP1 and cHBP2 showed comparable abilities for reconstitution of HRP activity, showing that both cHBPs bind heme reversibly. These results suggest that both cHBP1 and cHBP2 have properties suitable for tetrapyrrole carrier proteins and function in distinct organs in plant cells.

Stay-green protein, defective in Mendel's green cotyledon mutant, acts independent and upstream of pheophorbide a oxygenase in the chlorophyll catabolic pathway

Type C stay-green mutants are defined as being defective in the pathway of chlorophyll breakdown, which involves pheophorbide a oxygenase (PAO), required for loss of green color. By analyzing senescence parameters, such as protein degradation, expression of senescence-associated genes and loss of photosynthetic capacity, we demonstrate that JI2775, the green cotyledon (i) pea line used by Gregor Mendel to establish the law of genetics, is a true type C stay-green mutant. STAY-GREEN (SGR) had earlier been shown to map to the I locus. The defect in JI2775 is due to both reduced expression of SGR and loss of SGR protein function. Regulation of PAO through SGR had been proposed. By determining PAO protein abundance and activity, we show that PAO is unaffected in JI2775. Furthermore we show that pheophorbide a accumulation in the mutant is independent of PAO. When silencing SGR expression in Arabidopsis pao1 mutant, both pheophorbide a accumulation and cell death phenotype, typical features of pao1, are lost. These results confirm that SGR function within the chlorophyll catabolic pathway is independent and upstream of PAO.

Amino acid substitutions in homologs of the STAY-GREEN protein are responsible for the green-flesh and chlorophyll retainer mutations of tomato and pepper

Color changes often accompany the onset of ripening, leading to brightly colored fruits that serve as attractants to seed-dispersing organisms. In many fruits, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum), there is a sharp decrease in chlorophyll content and a concomitant increase in the synthesis of carotenoids as a result of the conversion of chloroplasts into chromoplasts. The green-flesh (gf) and chlorophyll retainer (cl) mutations of tomato and pepper, respectively, are inhibited in their ability to degrade chlorophyll during ripening, leading to the production of ripe fruits characterized by both chlorophyll and carotenoid accumulation and are thus brown in color. Using a positional cloning approach, we have identified a point mutation at the gf locus that causes an amino acid substitution in an invariant residue of a tomato homolog of the STAY-GREEN (SGR) protein of rice (Oryza sativa). Similarly, the cl mutation also carries an amino acid substitution at an invariant residue in a pepper homolog of SGR. Both GF and CL expression are highly induced at the onset of fruit ripening, coincident with the ripening-associated decline in chlorophyll. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that there are two distinct groups of SGR proteins in plants. The SGR subfamily is required for chlorophyll degradation and operates through an unknown mechanism. A second subfamily, which we have termed SGR-like, has an as-yet undefined function.

Heterologous overexpression of the birch FRUITFULL-like MADS-box gene BpMADS4 prevents normal senescence and winter dormancy in Populus tremula L

MADS-box genes have been shown to be important to flower and vegetative tissue development, senescence and winter dormancy in many plant species. Heterologous overexpression of known MADS-box genes has also been used for unravelling gene regulation mechanisms in forest tree species. The constitutive expression of the BpMADS4 gene from birch in poplar, known to induce early flowering in birch and apple, induced broad changes in senescence and winter dormancy but no early flowering. Other analyses revealed that 35S::BpMADS4 poplars maintained photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll and proteins in leaves under winter conditions. BpMADS4 may be influencing transcription factors regulating the senescence and dormancy process due to homology with poplar proteins related to both traits. Little is known of the regulatory genes that co-ordinate senescence, dormancy, chlorophyll/protein degradation, and photosynthesis at the molecular level. Dissecting the molecular characteristics of senescence regulation will probably involve the understanding of multiple and novel regulatory pathways. The results presented here open new horizons for the identification of regulatory mechanisms related to dormancy and senescence in poplar and other temperate tree species. They confirm recent reports of common signalling intermediates between flowering time and growth cessation in trees (Böhlenius et al. in Science 312:1040-1043, 2006) and additionally indicate similar connections between flowering time signals and senescence.

Abscisic acid deficiency in the tomato mutant high-pigment 3 leading to increased plastid number and higher fruit lycopene content

Carotenoids are present in most tissues of higher plants where they play a variety of essential roles. To study the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis, we have isolated novel mutations in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) with altered pigmentation of fruit or flowers. Here we describe the isolation and analysis of a tomato mutant, high-pigment 3 (hp3), that accumulates 30% more carotenoids in the mature fruit. Higher concentrations of carotenoids and chlorophyll were also measured in leaves and the pericarp of green fruit. The mutation in hp3 had occurred in the gene for zeaxanthin epoxidase (Zep), which converts zeaxanthin to violaxanthin. Consequently, leaves of the mutant lack violaxanthin and neoxanthin, and flowers contain only minute quantities of these xanthophylls. The concentration in the hp3 mutant of abscisic acid (ABA), which is derived from xanthophylls, is 75% lower than the normal level, making hp3 an ABA-deficient mutant. The plastid compartment size in fruit cells is at least twofold larger in hp3 plants compared with the wild-type. The transcript level in the green fruit of FtsZ, which encodes a tubulin-like protein involved in plastid division, is 60% higher in hp3 than in the wild-type, suggesting that increased plastid division is responsible for this phenomenon. Elevated fruit pigmentation and plastid compartment size were also observed in the ABA-deficient mutants flacca and sitiens. Taken together, these results suggest that ABA deficiency in the tomato mutant hp3 leads to enlargement of the plastid compartment size, probably by increasing plastid division, thus enabling greater biosynthesis and a higher storage capacity of the pigments.

An integrated protein chemistry laboratory: Chlorophyll and chlorophyllase

Chlorophyll, the most abundant pigment in nature, is degraded during normal plant growth, when leaves change color, and at specific developmental stages. Chlorophyllase catalyzes the first chemical reaction in this process, that is, the hydrolysis of chlorophyll into chlorophyllide. Here, we describe a series of laboratory sessions designed to illustrate a sequence of experiments used as part of the scientific research process and to convey key biochemical concepts. The format guides students through the process of biochemical protein analysis, starting from a recombinant protein expression vector and working through a kinetic analysis of the purified protein. Over the course of these experiments, students learn protocols in basic protein chemistry that allow them to design and conduct a related experiment of their own interest. The described set of laboratories can be tailored to fit either a 4- or an 8-week series of experiments for use in either introductory or advanced biochemistry laboratory courses, respectively.

Chilling and freezing stress in live oaks (Quercus section Virentes): intra- and inter-specific variation in PS II sensitivity corresponds to latitude of origin

Sensitivity to cold and freezing differs between populations within two species of live oaks (Quercus section Virentes Nixon) corresponding to the climates from which they originate. Two populations of Quercus virginiana (originating from North Carolina and north central Florida) and two populations of the sister species, Q. oleoides, (originating from Belize and Costa Rica) were grown under controlled climate regimes simulating tropical and temperate conditions. Three experiments were conducted in order to test for differentiation in cold and freezing tolerance between the two species and between the two populations within each species. In the first experiment, divergences in response to cold were tested for by examining photosystem II (PS II) photosynthetic yield (delta F/F m') and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) of plants in both growing conditions after short-term exposure to three temperatures (6, 15 and 30 degrees C) under moderate light (400 micromol m(-2 )s(-1)). Without cold acclimation (tropical treatment), the North Carolina population showed the highest photosynthetic yield in response to chilling temperatures (6 degrees C). Both ecotypes of both species showed maximum delta F/F m' and minimum NPQ at their daytime growth temperatures (30 degrees C and 15 degrees C for the tropical and temperate treatments, respectively). Under the temperate treatment where plants were allowed to acclimate to cold, the Q. virginiana populations showed greater NPQ under chilling temperatures than Q. oleoides populations, suggesting enhanced mechanisms of photoprotective energy dissipation in the more temperate species. In the second and third experiments, inter- and intra-specific differentiation in response to freezing was tested for by examining dark-adapted F v/F m before and after overnight freezing cycles. Without cold acclimation, the extent of post-freezing declines in F v/F m were dependent on the minimum freezing temperature (0, -2, -5 or -10 degrees C) for both populations in both species. The most marked declines in F v/F m occurred after freezing at -10 degrees C, measured 24 h after freezing. These declines were continuous and irreversible over the time period. The North Carolina population, however, which represents the northern range limit of Q. virginiana, showed significantly less decline in F v/F m than the north central Florida population, which in turn showed a lower decline in Fv/F m than the two Q. oleoides populations from Belize and Costa Rica. In contrast, after exposure to three months of chilling temperatures (temperate treatment), the two Q. virginiana populations showed no decline in F v/F m after freezing at -10 degrees C, while the two Q. oleoides populations showed declines in F v/F m reaching 0.2 and 0.1 for Costa Rica and Belize, respectively. Under warm growth conditions, the two species showed different F 0 dynamics directly after freezing. The two Q. oleoides populations showed an initial rise in F 0 30 min after freezing, followed by a subsequent decrease, while the Q. virginiana populations showed a continuous decrease in F 0 after freezing. The North Carolina population of Q. virginiana showed a tendency toward deciduousness in response to winter temperatures, dropping 58% of its leaves over the three month winter period compared to only 6% in the tropical treatment. In contrast, the Florida population dropped 38% of its leaves during winter. The two populations of the tropical Q. oleoides showed no change in leaf drop during the 3-months winter (10% and 12%) relative to their leaf drop over the same timecourse in the tropical treatment. These results indicate important ecotypic differences in sensitivity to freezing and cold stress between the two populations of Q. virginiana as well as between the two species, corresponding to their climates of origin.

Recovery of Nicotiana benthamiana plants from a necrotic response induced by a nepovirus is associated with RNA silencing but not with reduced virus titer

Recovery of plants from virus-induced symptoms is often described as a consequence of RNA silencing, an antiviral defense mechanism. For example, recovery of Nicotiana clevelandii from a nepovirus (tomato black ring virus) is associated with a decreased viral RNA concentration and sequence-specific resistance to further virus infection. In this study, we have characterized the interaction of another nepovirus, tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV), with host defense responses during symptom induction and subsequent recovery. Early in infection, ToRSV induced a necrotic phenotype in Nicotiana benthamiana that showed characteristics typical of a hypersensitive response. RNA silencing was also activated during ToRSV infection, as evidenced by the presence of ToRSV-derived small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that could direct degradation of ToRSV sequences introduced into sensor constructs. Surprisingly, disappearance of symptoms was not accompanied by a commensurate reduction in viral RNA levels. The stability of ToRSV RNA after recovery was also observed in N. clevelandii and Cucumis sativus and in N. benthamiana plants carrying a functional RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 1 ortholog from Medicago truncatula. In experiments with a reporter transgene (green fluorescent protein), ToRSV did not suppress the initiation or maintenance of transgene silencing, although the movement of the silencing signal was partially hindered. Our results demonstrate that although RNA silencing is active during recovery, reduction of virus titer is not required for the initiation of this phenotype. This scenario adds an unforeseen layer of complexity to the interaction of nepoviruses with the host RNA silencing machinery. The possibility that viral proteins, viral RNAs, and/or virus-derived siRNAs inactivate host defense responses is discussed.

Molecular cloning and function analysis of the stay green gene in rice

Chloroplasts undergo drastic morphological and physiological changes during senescence with a visible symptom of chlorophyll (Chl) degradation. A stay green mutant was identified and then isolated from the japonica rice (Oryza sativa) cv. Huazhiwu by gamma-ray irradiation. The stay green mutant was characterized by Chl retention, stable Chl-protein complexes, and stable thylakoid membrane structures, but lost its photosynthetic competence during senescence. The gene, designated Stay Green Rice (SGR), was cloned by a positional cloning strategy encoding an ancient protein containing a putative chloroplast transit peptide. SGR protein was found in both soluble and thylakoid membranes in rice. SGR, like the gene for pheophorbide a oxygenase (PaO), was constitutively expressed, but was upregulated by dark-induced senescence in rice leaves. Senescence-induced expression of SGR and PaO was enhanced by ABA, but inhibited by cytokinin. Overexpression of SGR reduced the number of lamellae in the grana thylakoids and reduced the Chl content of normally growing leaves. This indicates that upregulation of SGR increases Chl breakdown during senescence in rice. A small quantity of chlorophyllide a accumulated in sgr leaves, but this also accumulated in wild-type rice leaves during senescence. Some pheophorbide a was detected in sgr leaves in the dark. According to these observations, we propose that SGR may be involved in regulating or taking part in the activity of PaO, and then may influence Chl breakdown and degradation of pigment-protein complex.

Mendel's green cotyledon gene encodes a positive regulator of the chlorophyll-degrading pathway

Mutants that retain greenness of leaves during senescence are known as "stay-green" mutants. The most famous stay-green mutant is Mendel's green cotyledon pea, one of the mutants used in determining the law of genetics. Pea plants homozygous for this recessive mutation (known as i at present) retain greenness of the cotyledon during seed maturation and of leaves during senescence. We found tight linkage between the I locus and stay-green gene originally found in rice, SGR. Molecular analysis of three i alleles including one with no SGR expression confirmed that the I gene encodes SGR in pea. Functional analysis of sgr mutants in pea and rice further revealed that leaf functionality is lowered despite a high chlorophyll a (Chl a) and chlorophyll b (Chl b) content in the late stage of senescence, suggesting that SGR is primarily involved in Chl degradation. Consistent with this observation, a wide range of Chl-protein complexes, but not the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) large subunit, were shown to be more stable in sgr than wild-type plants. The expression of OsCHL and NYC1, which encode the first enzymes in the degrading pathways of Chl a and Chl b, respectively, was not affected by sgr in rice. The results suggest that SGR might be involved in activation of the Chl-degrading pathway during leaf senescence through translational or posttranslational regulation of Chl-degrading enzymes.

Identification of a novel chloroplast protein AtNYE1 regulating chlorophyll degradation during leaf senescence in Arabidopsis

A dramatic increase of chlorophyll (Chl) degradation occurs during senescence of vegetative plant organs and fruit ripening. Although the biochemical pathway of Chl degradation has long been proposed, little is known about its regulatory mechanism. Identification of Chl degradation-disturbed mutants and subsequently isolation of responsible genes would greatly facilitate the elucidation of the regulation of Chl degradation. Here, we describe a nonyellowing mutant of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), nye1-1, in which 50% Chl was retained, compared to less than 10% in the wild type (Columbia-0), at the end of a 6-d dark incubation. Nevertheless, neither photosynthesis- nor senescence-associated process was significantly affected in nye1-1. Characteristically, a significant reduction in pheophorbide a oxygenase activity was detected in nye1-1. However, no detectable accumulation of either chlorophyllide a or pheophorbide a was observed. Reciprocal crossings revealed that the mutant phenotype was caused by a monogenic semidominant nuclear mutation. We have identified AtNYE1 by positional cloning. Dozens of its putative orthologs, predominantly appearing in higher plant species, were identified, some of which have been associated with Chl degradation in a few crop species. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that AtNYE1 was drastically induced by senescence signals. Constitutive overexpression of AtNYE1 could result in either pale-yellow true leaves or even albino seedlings. These results collectively indicate that NYE1 plays an important regulatory role in Chl degradation during senescence by modulating pheophorbide a oxygenase activity.

The senescence-induced staygreen protein regulates chlorophyll degradation

Loss of green color in leaves results from chlorophyll (Chl) degradation in chloroplasts, but little is known about how Chl catabolism is regulated throughout leaf development. Using the staygreen (sgr) mutant in rice (Oryza sativa), which maintains greenness during leaf senescence, we identified Sgr, a senescence-associated gene encoding a novel chloroplast protein. Transgenic rice overexpressing Sgr produces yellowish-brown leaves, and Arabidopsis thaliana pheophorbide a oxygenase-impaired mutants exhibiting a stay-green phenotype during dark-induced senescence have reduced expression of Sgr homologs, indicating that Sgr regulates Chl degradation at the transcriptional level. We show that the leaf stay-greenness of the sgr mutant is associated with a failure in the destabilization of the light-harvesting chlorophyll binding protein (LHCP) complexes of the thylakoid membranes, which is a prerequisite event for the degradation of Chls and LHCPs during senescence. Transient overexpression of Sgr in Nicotiana benthamiana and an in vivo pull-down assay show that Sgr interacts with LHCPII, indicating that the Sgr-LHCPII complexes are formed in the thylakoid membranes. Thus, we propose that in senescing leaves, Sgr regulates Chl degradation by inducing LHCPII disassembly through direct interaction, leading to the degradation of Chls and Chl-free LHCPII by catabolic enzymes and proteases, respectively.

Rice NON-YELLOW COLORING1 is involved in light-harvesting complex II and grana degradation during leaf senescence

Chlorophyll degradation is an aspect of leaf senescence, which is an active process to salvage nutrients from old tissues. non-yellow coloring1 (nyc1) is a rice (Oryza sativa) stay-green mutant in which chlorophyll degradation during senescence is impaired. Pigment analysis revealed that degradation of not only chlorophylls but also light-harvesting complex II (LHCII)-bound carotenoids was repressed in nyc1, in which most LHCII isoforms were selectively retained during senescence. Ultrastructural analysis of nyc1 chloroplasts revealed that large and thick grana were present even in the late stage of senescence, suggesting that degradation of LHCII is required for the proper degeneration of thylakoid membranes. Map-based cloning of NYC1 revealed that it encodes a chloroplast-localized short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) with three transmembrane domains. The predicted structure of the NYC1 protein and the phenotype of the nyc1 mutant suggest the possibility that NYC1 is a chlorophyll b reductase. Although we were unable to detect the chlorophyll b reductase activity of NYC1, NOL (for NYC1-like), a protein closely related to NYC1 in rice, showed chlorophyll b reductase activity in vitro. We suggest that NYC1 and NOL encode chlorophyll b reductases with divergent functions. Our data collectively suggest that the identified SDR protein NYC1 plays essential roles in the regulation of LHCII and thylakoid membrane degradation during senescence.

Enhancing vitamin E in oilseeds: unraveling tocopherol and tocotrienol biosynthesis

Naturally occurring vitamin E, comprised of four forms each of tocopherols and tocotrienols, are synthesized solely by photosynthetic organisms and function primarily as antioxidants. These different forms vary in their biological availability and in their physiological and chemical activities. Tocopherols and tocotrienols play important roles in the oxidative stability of vegetable oils and in the nutritional quality of crop plants for human and livestock diets. The isolation of genes for nearly all the steps in tocopherol and tocotrienol biosynthesis has facilitated efforts to alter metabolic flux through these pathways in plant cells. Herein we review the recent work done in the field, focusing on branch points and metabolic engineering to enhance and alter vitamin E content and composition in oilseed crops.

Cross-species identification of Mendel's I locus

A key gene involved in plant senescence, mutations of which partially disable chlorophyll catabolism and confer stay-green leaf and cotyledon phenotypes, has been identified in Pisum sativum, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Festuca pratensis by using classical and molecular genetics and comparative genomics. A stay-green locus in F. pratensis is syntenically equivalent to a similar stay-green locus on rice chromosome 9. Functional testing in Arabidopsis of a homolog of the rice candidate gene revealed (i) senescence-associated gene expression and (ii) a stay-green phenotype after RNA interference silencing. Genetic mapping in pea demonstrated cosegregation with the yellow/green cotyledon polymorphism (I/i) first reported by Gregor Mendel in 1866.

In vivo participation of red chlorophyll catabolite reductase in chlorophyll breakdown

A central reaction of chlorophyll breakdown, porphyrin ring opening of pheophorbide a to the primary fluorescent chlorophyll catabolite (pFCC), requires pheophorbide a oxygenase (PAO) and red chlorophyll catabolite reductase (RCCR), with red chlorophyll catabolite (RCC) as a presumably PAO-bound intermediate. In subsequent steps, pFCC is converted to different fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (FCCs) and nonfluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs). Here, we show that RCCR-deficient Arabidopsis thaliana accumulates RCC and three RCC-like pigments during senescence, as well as FCCs and NCCs. We also show that the stereospecificity of Arabidopsis RCCR is defined by a small protein domain and can be reversed by a single Phe-to-Val exchange. Exploiting this feature, we prove the in vivo participation of RCCR in chlorophyll breakdown. After complementation of RCCR mutants with RCCRs exhibiting alternative specificities, patterns of chlorophyll catabolites followed the specificity of complementing RCCRs. Light-dependent leaf cell death observed in different RCCR-deficient lines strictly correlated with the accumulation of RCCs and the release of singlet oxygen, and PAO induction preceded lesion formation. These findings suggest that RCCR absence causes leaf cell death as a result of the accumulation of photodynamic RCC. We conclude that RCCR (together with PAO) is required for the detoxification of chlorophyll catabolites and discuss the biochemical role(s) for this enzyme.