Triose phosphate export from chloroplasts and cellular sugar content regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis during high light acclimation

Uracil phosphoribosyltransferase is required to establish a functional cytochrome b6f complex

Arabidopsis uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPP) is an essential enzyme and plants lacking this enzyme are strongly compromised in chloroplast function. Our analysis of UPP amiRNA mutants has confirmed that this vital function is crucial to establish a fully functional photosynthesis as the RIESKE iron sulfur protein (PetC) is almost absent, leading to a block in photosynthetic electron transport. Interestingly, this function appears to be unrelated to nucleotide homeostasis since nucleotide levels were not altered in the studied mutants. Transcriptomics and proteomic analysis showed that protein homeostasis but not gene expression is most likely responsible for this observation and high light provoked an upregulation of protease levels, including thylakoid filamentation temperature-sensitive 1, 5 (FtsH), caseinolytic protease proteolytic subunit 1 (ClpP1), and processing peptidases, as well as components of the chloroplast protein import machinery in UPP amiRNA lines. Strongly reduced PetC amounts were not only detected by immunoblot from mature plants but in addition in a de-etiolation experiment with young seedlings and are causing reduced high light-induced non-photochemical quenching Φ(NPQ) but increased unregulated energy dissipation Φ(NO). This impaired photosynthesis results in an inability to induce flavonoid biosynthesis. In addition, the levels of the osmoprotectants raffinose, proline, and fumarate were found to be reduced. In sum, our work suggests that UPP assists in stabilization PetC during import, processing or targeting to the thylakoid membrane, or protects it against proteolytic degradation.

Insights into physiological roles of flavonoids in plant cold acclimation

Flavonoids represent a diverse group of plant specialised metabolites which are also discussed in the context of dietary health and inflammatory response. Numerous studies have revealed that flavonoids play a central role in plant acclimation to abiotic factors like low temperature or high light, but their structural and functional diversity frequently prevents a detailed mechanistic understanding. Further complexity in analysing flavonoid metabolism arises from the different subcellular compartments which are involved in biosynthesis and storage. In the present study, non-aqueous fractionation of Arabidopsis leaf tissue was combined with metabolomics and proteomics analysis to reveal the effects of flavonoid deficiencies on subcellular metabolism during cold acclimation. During the first 3 days of a 2-week cold acclimation period, flavonoid deficiency was observed to affect pyruvate, citrate and glutamate metabolism which indicated a role in stabilising C/N metabolism and photosynthesis. Also, tetrahydrofolate metabolism was found to be affected, which had significant effects on the proteome of the photorespiratory pathway. In the late stage of cold acclimation, flavonoid deficiency was found to affect protein stability, folding and proteasomal degradation, which resulted in a significant decrease in total protein amounts in both mutants. In summary, these findings suggest that flavonoid metabolism plays different roles in the early and late stages of plant cold acclimation and significantly contributes to establishing a new protein homeostasis in a changing environment.

Spliceosomal complex components are critical for adjusting the C:N balance during high-light acclimation

Plant acclimation to an ever-changing environment is decisive for growth, reproduction, and survival. Light availability limits biomass production on both ends of the intensity spectrum. Therefore, the adjustment of plant metabolism is central to high-light (HL) acclimation, and the accumulation of photoprotective anthocyanins is commonly observed. However, mechanisms and factors regulating the HL acclimation response are less clear. Two Arabidopsis mutants of spliceosome components exhibiting a pronounced anthocyanin overaccumulation in HL were isolated from a forward genetic screen for new factors crucial for plant acclimation. Time-resolved physiological, transcriptome, and metabolome analysis revealed a vital function of the spliceosome components for rapidly adjusting gene expression and metabolism. Deficiency of INCREASED LEVEL OF POLYPLOIDY1 (ILP1), NTC-RELATED PROTEIN1 (NTR1), and PLEIOTROPIC REGULATORY LOCUS1 (PRL1) resulted in a marked overaccumulation of carbohydrates and strongly diminished amino acid biosynthesis in HL. While not generally limited in N-assimilation, ilp1, ntr1, and prl1 showed higher glutamate levels and reduced amino acid biosynthesis in HL. The comprehensive analysis reveals a function of the spliceosome components in the conditional regulation of the carbon:nitrogen balance and the accumulation of anthocyanins during HL acclimation. The importance of gene expression, metabolic regulation, and re-direction of carbon towards anthocyanin biosynthesis for HL acclimation are discussed.

The critical roles of three sugar-related proteins (HXK, SnRK1, TOR) in regulating plant growth and stress responses

Sugar signaling is one of the most critical regulatory signals in plants, and its metabolic network contains multiple regulatory factors. Sugar signal molecules regulate cellular activities and organism development by combining with other intrinsic regulatory factors and environmental inputs. HXK, SnRK1, and TOR are three fundamental proteins that have a pivotal role in the metabolism of sugars in plants. HXK, being the initial glucose sensor discovered in plants, is renowned for its multifaceted characteristics. Recent investigations have unveiled that HXK additionally assumes a significant role in plant hormonal signaling and abiotic stress. SnRK1 serves as a vital regulator of growth under energy-depleted circumstances, whereas TOR, a large protein, acts as a central integrator of signaling pathways that govern cell metabolism, organ development, and transcriptome reprogramming in response to diverse stimuli. Together, these two proteins work to sense upstream signals and modulate downstream signals to regulate cell growth and proliferation. In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of research on these three proteins, particularly on TOR and SnRK1. Furthermore, studies have found that these three proteins not only regulate sugar signaling but also exhibit certain signal crosstalk in regulating plant growth and development. This review provides a comprehensive overview and summary of the basic functions and regulatory networks of these three proteins. It aims to serve as a reference for further exploration of the interactions between these three proteins and their involvement in co-regulatory networks.

RHA2b-mediated MYB30 degradation facilitates MYB75-regulated, sucrose-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seedlings

Anthocyanins play diverse roles in plant physiology and stress adaptation. In Arabidopsis, the MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) complex has a crucial role in the regulation of anthocyanin synthesis. Here, we report that the R2R3-MYB transcription factor MYB30 and the ubiquitin E3 ligase RHA2b participate in anthocyanin biosynthesis through regulation of the MBW complex. MYB30 was found to negatively regulate sucrose-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seedlings. Expression of multiple genes involved in flavonoid or anthocyanin biosynthesis was affected in the myb30 mutant, and MYB30 directly repressed the expression of MYB75, which encodes a core component of the MBW complex, by binding to its promoter. Moreover, MYB30 physically interacted with MYB75 to inhibit its activity by repressing MBW complex assembly. In addition, sucrose treatment significantly promoted MYB30 degradation via the action of RHA2b. The ubiquitination and degradation of MYB30 were significantly attenuated in the rha2b mutant under high-sucrose treatment, and further analysis showed that MYB75 directly promoted RHA2b expression in response to high sucrose. Our work thus reveals an anthocyanin biosynthetic regulatory module, RHA2b-MYB30, that controls the function of the MBW complex via MYB75. The repression of MYB75 by MYB30 is released by MYB75-induced RHA2b expression, thus ensuring the self-activation of MYB75 when anthocyanin synthesis is needed.

Genome-wide association study unveils ascorbate regulation by PAS/LOV PROTEIN during high light acclimation

Varying light conditions elicit metabolic responses as part of acclimation with changes in ascorbate levels being an important component. Here, we adopted a genome-wide association-based approach to characterize the response in ascorbate levels on high light (HL) acclimation in a panel of 315 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accessions. These studies revealed statistically significant SNPs for total and reduced ascorbate under HL conditions at a locus in chromosome 2. Ascorbate levels under HL and the region upstream and within PAS/LOV PROTEIN (PLP) were strongly associated. Intriguingly, subcellular localization analyses revealed that the PLPA and PLPB splice variants co-localized with VITAMIN C DEFECTIVE2 (VTC2) and VTC5 in both the cytosol and nucleus. Yeast 2-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation analyses revealed that PLPA and PLPB interact with VTC2 and that blue light diminishes this interaction. Furthermore, PLPB knockout mutants were characterized by 1.5- to 1.7-fold elevations in their ascorbate levels, whereas knockout mutants of the cry2 cryptochromes displayed 1.2- to 1.3-fold elevations compared to WT. Our results collectively indicate that PLP plays a critical role in the elevation of ascorbate levels, which is a signature response of HL acclimation. The results strongly suggest that this is achieved via the release of the inhibitory effect of PLP on VTC2 upon blue light illumination, as the VTC2-PLPB interaction is stronger under darkness. The conditional importance of the cryptochrome receptors under different environmental conditions suggests a complex hierarchy underpinning the environmental control of ascorbate levels. However, the data we present here clearly demonstrate that PLP dominates during HL acclimation.

Artificial warming affects sugar signals and flavonoid accumulation to improve female willows' growth faster than males

Increasing global warming is severely affecting tree growth and development. However, research on the sex-specific responses of dioecious trees to warming is scarce. Here, male and female Salix paraplesia were selected for artificial warming (an increase of 4 °C relative to ambient temperature) to investigate the effects on morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular responses. The results showed that warming significantly promoted the growth of female and male S. paraplesia, but females grew faster than males. Warming affected photosynthesis, chloroplast structures, peroxidase activity, proline, flavonoids, nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) and phenolic contents in both sexes. Interestingly, warming increased flavonoid accumulation in female roots and male leaves but inhibited it in female leaves and male roots. The transcriptome and proteome results indicated that differentially expressed genes and proteins were significantly enriched in sucrose and starch metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. The integrative analysis of transcriptomic, proteomic, biochemical and physiological data revealed that warming changed the expression of SpAMY, SpBGL, SpEGLC and SpAGPase genes, resulting in the reduction of NSCs and starch and the activation of sugar signaling, particularly SpSnRK1s, in female roots and male leaves. These sugar signals subsequently altered the expression of SpHCTs, SpLAR and SpDFR in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, ultimately leading to the differential accumulation of flavonoids in female and male S. paraplesia. Therefore, warming causes sexually differential responses of S. paraplesia, with females performing better than males.

SnRK1 inhibits anthocyanin biosynthesis through both transcriptional regulation and direct phosphorylation and dissociation of the MYB/bHLH/TTG1 MBW complex

Plants have evolved an extensive specialized secondary metabolism. The colorful flavonoid anthocyanins, for example, not only stimulate flower pollination and seed dispersal, but also protect different tissues against high light, UV and oxidative stress. Their biosynthesis is highly regulated by environmental and developmental cues and induced by high sucrose levels. Expression of the biosynthetic enzymes involved is controlled by a transcriptional MBW complex, comprising (R2R3) MYB- and bHLH-type transcription factors and the WD40 repeat protein TTG1. Anthocyanin biosynthesis is not only useful, but also carbon- and energy-intensive and non-vital. Consistently, the SnRK1 protein kinase, a metabolic sensor activated in carbon- and energy-depleting stress conditions, represses anthocyanin biosynthesis. Here we show that Arabidopsis SnRK1 represses MBW complex activity both at the transcriptional and post-translational level. In addition to repressing expression of the key transcription factor MYB75/PAP1, SnRK1 activity triggers MBW complex dissociation, associated with loss of target promoter binding, MYB75 protein degradation and nuclear export of TTG1. We also provide evidence for direct interaction with and phosphorylation of multiple MBW complex proteins. These results indicate that repression of expensive anthocyanin biosynthesis is an important strategy to save energy and redirect carbon flow to more essential processes for survival in metabolic stress conditions.

Hormonal regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis for improved stress tolerance in plants

Due to unprecedented climate change, rapid industrialization and increasing use of agrochemicals, abiotic stress, such as drought, low temperature, high salinity and heavy metal pollution, has become an increasingly serious problem in global agriculture. Anthocyanins, an important plant pigment, are synthesized through the phenylpropanoid pathway and have a variety of physiological and ecological functions, providing multifunctional and effective protection for plants under stress. Foliar anthocyanin accumulation often occurs under abiotic stress including high light, cold, drought, salinity, nutrient deficiency and heavy metal stress, causing leaf reddening or purpling in many plant species. Anthocyanins are used as sunscreens and antioxidants to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), as metal(loid) chelators to mitigate heavy metal stress, and as crucial molecules with a role in delaying leaf senescence. In addition to environmental factors, anthocyanin synthesis is affected by various endogenous factors. Plant hormones such as abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene and gibberellin have been shown to be involved in regulating anthocyanin synthesis either positively or negatively. Particularly when plants are under abiotic stress, several plant hormones can induce foliar anthocyanin synthesis to enhance plant stress resistance. In this review, we revisit the role of plant hormones in anthocyanin biosynthesis and the mechanism of plant hormone-mediated anthocyanin accumulation and abiotic stress tolerance. We conclude that enhancing anthocyanin content with plant hormones could be a prospective management strategy for improving plant stress resistance, but extensive further research is essentially needed to provide future guidance for practical crop production.

From Nature to Lab: A Review of Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Pathways, Environmental Influences, and In Vitro Approaches

Secondary metabolites are gaining an increasing importance in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, dyes, and food, as is the need for reliable and efficient methods of procuring these compounds. To develop sustainable and cost-effective approaches, a comprehensive understanding of the biosynthetic pathways and the factors influencing secondary metabolite production is essential. These compounds are a unique type of natural product which recognizes the oxidative damage caused by stresses, thereby activating the defence mechanism in plants. Various methods have been developed to enhance the production of secondary metabolites in plants. The elicitor-induced in vitro culture technique is considered an efficient tool for studying and improving the production of secondary metabolites in plants. In the present review, we have documented various biosynthetic pathways and the role of secondary metabolites under diverse environmental stresses. Furthermore, a practical strategy for obtaining consistent and abundant secondary metabolite production via various elicitation agents used in culturing techniques is also mentioned. By elucidating the intricate interplay of regulatory factors, this review paves the way for future advancements in sustainable and efficient production methods for high-value secondary metabolites.

Why do plants blush when they are hungry?

Foliar anthocyanins, as well as other secondary metabolites, accumulate transiently under nutritional stress. A misconception that only nitrogen or phosphorus deficiency induces leaf purpling/reddening has led to overuse of fertilizers that burden the environment. Here, we emphasize that several other nutritional imbalances induce anthocyanin accumulation, and nutrient-specific differences in this response have been reported for some deficiencies. A range of ecophysiological functions have been attributed to anthocyanins. We discuss the proposed functions and signalling pathways that elicit anthocyanin synthesis in nutrient-stressed leaves. Knowledge from the fields of genetics, molecular biology, ecophysiology and plant nutrition is combined to deduce how and why anthocyanins accumulate under nutritional stress. Future research to fully understand the mechanisms and nuances of foliar anthocyanin accumulation in nutrient-stressed crops could be utilized to allow these leaf pigments to act as bioindicators for demand-oriented application of fertilizers. This would benefit the environment, being timely due to the increasing impact of the climate crisis on crop performance.

Chlamydomonas mutants lacking chloroplast TRIOSE PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER3 are metabolically compromised and light-sensitive

Modulation of photoassimilate export from the chloroplast is essential for controlling the distribution of fixed carbon in the cell and maintaining optimum photosynthetic rates. In this study we identified chloroplast TRIOSE PHOSPHATE/PHOSPHATE TRANSLOCATOR2 (CreTPT2) and CreTPT3 in the green alga Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii), which exhibit similar substrate specificities but whose encoding genes are differentially expressed over the diurnal cycle. We focused mostly on CreTPT3 because of its high level of expression and the severe phenotype exhibited by tpt3 relative to tpt2 mutants. Null mutants for CreTPT3 had a pleiotropic phenotype that affected growth, photosynthetic activities, metabolite profiles, carbon partitioning, and organelle-specific accumulation of H2O2. These analyses demonstrated that CreTPT3 is a dominant conduit on the chloroplast envelope for the transport of photoassimilates. In addition, CreTPT3 can serve as a safety valve that moves excess reductant out of the chloroplast and appears to be essential for preventing cells from experiencing oxidative stress and accumulating reactive oxygen species, even under low/moderate light intensities. Finally, our studies indicate subfunctionalization of the CreTPT transporters and suggest that there are differences in managing the export of photoassimilates from the chloroplasts of Chlamydomonas and vascular plants.

Nucleotide Imbalance, Provoked by Downregulation of Aspartate Transcarbamoylase Impairs Cold Acclimation in Arabidopsis

Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATC) catalyzes the first committed step in pyrimidine de novo synthesis. As shown before, mutants with 80% reduced transcript and protein levels exhibit reduced levels of pyrimidine metabolites and thus nucleotide limitation and imbalance. Consequently, reduced photosynthetic capacity and growth, accompanied by massive transcriptional changes, were observed. Here, we show that nucleotide de novo synthesis was upregulated during cold acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana (ecotype Columbia, Col-0) plants, but ATC knockdown mutants failed to acclimate to this condition as they did not accumulate neutral sugars and anthocyanins. A global transcriptome analysis revealed that most of the transcriptional changes observed in Col-0 plants upon cold exposure were also evident in ATC knockdown plants. However, several responses observed in cold-treated Col-0 plants could already be detected in knockdown plants when grown under standard conditions, suggesting that these mutants exhibited typical cold responses without prior cold stimulation. We believe that nucleotide signaling is involved in "cold-like priming" and "cold acclimation" in general. The observed transcript levels of genes involved in central carbon metabolism and respiration were an exception to these findings. These were upregulated in the cold but downregulated in warm-grown ATC mutants.

Retrograde signaling in plants: A critical review focusing on the GUN pathway and beyond

Plastids communicate their developmental and physiological status to the nucleus via retrograde signaling, allowing nuclear gene expression to be adjusted appropriately. Signaling during plastid biogenesis and responses of mature chloroplasts to environmental changes are designated "biogenic" and "operational" controls, respectively. A prominent example of the investigation of biogenic signaling is the screen for gun (genomes uncoupled) mutants. Although the first five gun mutants were identified 30 years ago, the functions of GUN proteins in retrograde signaling remain controversial, and that of GUN1 is hotly disputed. Here, we provide background information and critically discuss recently proposed concepts that address GUN-related signaling and some novel gun mutants. Moreover, considering heme as a candidate in retrograde signaling, we revisit the spatial organization of heme biosynthesis and export from plastids. Although this review focuses on GUN pathways, we also highlight recent progress in the identification and elucidation of chloroplast-derived signals that regulate the acclimation response in green algae and plants. Here, stress-induced accumulation of unfolded/misassembled chloroplast proteins evokes a chloroplast-specific unfolded protein response, which leads to changes in the expression levels of nucleus-encoded chaperones and proteases to restore plastid protein homeostasis. We also address the importance of chloroplast-derived signals for activation of flavonoid biosynthesis leading to production of anthocyanins during stress acclimation through sucrose non-fermenting 1-related protein kinase 1. Finally, a framework for identification and quantification of intercompartmental signaling cascades at the proteomic and metabolomic levels is provided, and we discuss future directions of dissection of organelle-nucleus communication.