1
|
Morelli L, Cartaxana P, Cruz S. Food shaped photosynthesis: Photophysiology of the sea slug Elysia viridis fed with two alternative chloroplast donors. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2024; 3:107. [PMID: 38725452 PMCID: PMC11079582 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.16162.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Background Some Sacoglossa sea slugs steal and integrate chloroplasts derived from the algae they feed on into their cells where they continue to function photosynthetically, a process termed kleptoplasty. The stolen chloroplasts - kleptoplasts - can maintain their functionality up to several months and support animal metabolism. However, chloroplast longevity can vary depending on sea slug species and algal donor. In this study, we focused on Elysia viridis, a polyphagous species that is mostly found associated with the macroalga Codium tomentosum, but that was reported to eat other macroalgae, including Chaetomorpha sp. Methods We have investigated the changes in E. viridis physiology when provided with the two different food sources to evaluate to which extent the photosynthetic and photoprotective mechanisms of the algae chloroplasts matched those of the plastids once in the animal cells. To perform the study, we rely on the evaluation of chlorophyll a variable fluorescence to study the photophysiological state of the integrated kleptoplasts and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to study variations in the photosynthetic pigments. Results We observed that the photosynthetic efficiency of E. viridis is lower when fed with Chaetomorpha. Also, significant differences were observed in the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) abilities of the sea slugs. While sea slugs fed with C. tomentosum react similarly to high-light stress as the alga, E. viridis hosting Chaetomorpha chloroplasts were unable to properly recover from photoinhibition or perform a functional xanthophyll cycle (XC). Conclusions Our results showed that, even if the sea slugs fed with the two algae show photosynthetic activities like the respective algal donors, not all the photoprotective mechanisms present in Chaetomorpha can be maintained in E. viridis. This indicates that the functionality of the kleptoplasts does not depend solely on their origin but also on the degree of compatibility with the animal species integrating them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Morelli
- CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Aveiro District, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Paulo Cartaxana
- CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Aveiro District, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Sónia Cruz
- CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Aveiro District, 3810-193, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhao Y, Hu J, Zhou Z, Li L, Zhang X, He Y, Zhang C, Wang J, Hong G. Biofortified Rice Provides Rich Sakuranetin in Endosperm. RICE (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 17:19. [PMID: 38430431 PMCID: PMC10908774 DOI: 10.1186/s12284-024-00697-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Sakuranetin plays a key role as a phytoalexin in plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and possesses diverse health-promoting benefits. However, mature rice seeds do not contain detectable levels of sakuranetin. In the present study, a transgenic rice plant was developed in which the promoter of an endosperm-specific glutelin gene OsGluD-1 drives the expression of a specific enzyme naringenin 7-O-methyltransferase (NOMT) for sakuranetin biosynthesis. The presence of naringenin, which serves as the biosynthetic precursor of sakuranetin made this modification feasible in theory. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) validated that the seeds of transgenic rice accumulated remarkable sakuranetin at the mature stage, and higher at the filling stage. In addition, the panicle blast resistance of transgenic rice was significantly higher than that of the wild type. Specially, the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging was performed to detect the content and spatial distribution of sakuranetin and other nutritional metabolites in transgenic rice seeds. Notably, this genetic modification also did not change the nutritional and quality indicators such as soluble sugars, total amino acids, total flavonoids, amylose, total protein, and free amino acid content in rice. Meanwhile, the phenotypes of the transgenic plant during the whole growth and developmental periods and agricultural traits such as grain width, grain length, and 1000-grain weight exhibited no significant differences from the wild type. Collectively, the study provides a conceptual advance on cultivating sakuranetin-rich biofortified rice by metabolic engineering. This new breeding idea may not only enhance the disease resistance of cereal crop seeds but also improve the nutritional value of grains for human health benefits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jitao Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhongjing Zhou
- Central Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Linying Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xueying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuqing He
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junmin Wang
- Institute of Crops and Nuclear Technology Utilization, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Gaojie Hong
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Breniere T, Fanciullino AL, Dumont D, Le Bourvellec C, Riva C, Borel P, Landrier JF, Bertin N. Effect of long-term deficit irrigation on tomato and goji berry quality: from fruit composition to in vitro bioaccessibility of carotenoids. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1339536. [PMID: 38328704 PMCID: PMC10847359 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1339536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Drought is a persistent challenge for horticulture, affecting various aspects of fruit development and ultimately fruit quality, but the effect on nutritional value has been under-investigated. Here, fruit quality was studied on six tomato genotypes and one goji cultivar under deficit irrigation (DI), from fruit composition to in vitro bioaccessibility of carotenoids. For both species, DI concentrated most health-related metabolites in fresh fruit. On a dry mass basis, DI increased total phenolic and sugar concentration, but had a negative or insignificant impact on fruit ascorbic acid, organic acid, and alcohol-insoluble matter contents. DI also reduced total carotenoids content in tomato (-18.7% on average), especially β-carotene (-32%), but not in goji berry DW (+15.5% and +19.6%, respectively). DI reduced the overall in vitro bioaccessibility of carotenoids to varying degrees depending on the compound and plant species. Consequently, mixed micelles produced by digestion of fruits subjected to DI contained either the same or lesser quantities of carotenoids, even though fresh fruits could contain similar or higher quantities. Thus, DI effects on fruit composition were species and genotype dependent, but an increase in the metabolite concentration did not necessarily translate into greater bioaccessibility potentially due to interactions with the fruit matrix.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Breniere
- INRAE, PSH UR1115, Avignon, France
- Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM, INRAE, C2VN, Marseille, France
- Avignon Université, UPR4278 LaPEC, Avignon, France
| | - Anne-Laure Fanciullino
- INRAE, PSH UR1115, Avignon, France
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, Angers, France
| | | | | | | | - Patrick Borel
- Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM, INRAE, C2VN, Marseille, France
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Morelli L, Torres-Montilla S, Glauser G, Shanmugabalaji V, Kessler F, Rodriguez-Concepcion M. Novel insights into the contribution of plastoglobules and reactive oxygen species to chromoplast differentiation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:1696-1710. [PMID: 36307969 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant tissues can be enriched in phytonutrients not only by stimulating their biosynthesis but also by providing appropriate sink structures for their sequestering and storage. In the case of carotenoids, they accumulate at high levels in chromoplasts naturally found in flowers and fruit. Chromoplasts can also be artificially differentiated from leaf chloroplasts by boosting carotenoid production with the bacterial protein crtB. Here we used electron and confocal microscopy together with subplastidial fractionation and transcript, protein and metabolite analyses to analyze the structural and biochemical changes occurring in crtB-induced artificial chromoplasts and their impact on the accumulation of health-related isoprenoids. We show that leaf chromoplasts develop plastoglobules (PG) harboring high levels of carotenoids (mainly phytoene and pro-vitamin A β-carotene) but also other nutritionally relevant isoprenoids, such as tocopherols (vitamin E) and phylloquinone (vitamin K1). Further promoting PG proliferation by exposure to intense (high) light resulted in a higher accumulation of these health-related metabolites but also an acceleration of the chloroplast-to-chromoplast conversion. We further show that the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulates chromoplastogenesis. Our data suggest that carotenoid accumulation and ROS production are not just consequences but promoters of the chromoplast differentiation process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Morelli
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Torres-Montilla
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Neuchâtel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - Felix Kessler
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Neuchâtel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Rodriguez-Concepcion
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Morelli L, García Romañach L, Glauser G, Shanmugabalaji V, Kessler F, Rodriguez-Concepcion M. Nutritional Enrichment of Plant Leaves by Combining Genes Promoting Tocopherol Biosynthesis and Storage. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13020193. [PMID: 36837812 PMCID: PMC9965820 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13020193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The enrichment of plant tissues in tocochromanols (tocopherols and tocotrienols) is an important biotechnological goal due to their vitamin E and antioxidant properties. Improvements based on stimulating tocochromanol biosynthesis have repeatedly been achieved, however, enhancing sequestering and storage in plant plastids remains virtually unexplored. We previously showed that leaf chloroplasts can be converted into artificial chromoplasts with a proliferation of plastoglobules by overexpression of the bacterial crtB gene. Here we combined coexpression of crtB with genes involved in tocopherol biosynthesis to investigate the potential of artificial leaf chromoplasts for vitamin E accumulation in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. We show that this combination improves tocopherol levels compared to controls without crtB and confirm that VTE1, VTE5, VTE6 and tyrA genes are useful to increase the total tocopherol levels, while VTE4 further leads to enrichment in α-tocopherol (the tocochromanol showing highest vitamin E activity). Additionally, we show that treatments that further promote plastoglobule formation (e.g., exposure to intense light or dark-induced senescence) result in even higher improvements in the tocopherol content of the leaves. An added advantage of our strategy is that it also results in increased levels of other related plastidial isoprenoids such as carotenoids (provitamin A) and phylloquinones (vitamin K1).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Morelli
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: (L.M.); (M.R.-C.)
| | - Laura García Romañach
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gaetan Glauser
- Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - Felix Kessler
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Rodriguez-Concepcion
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
- Correspondence: (L.M.); (M.R.-C.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Stra A, Almarwaey LO, Alagoz Y, Moreno JC, Al-Babili S. Carotenoid metabolism: New insights and synthetic approaches. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1072061. [PMID: 36743580 PMCID: PMC9891708 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1072061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Carotenoids are well-known isoprenoid pigments naturally produced by plants, algae, photosynthetic bacteria as well as by several heterotrophic microorganisms. In plants, they are synthesized in plastids where they play essential roles in light-harvesting and in protecting the photosynthetic apparatus from reactive oxygen species (ROS). Carotenoids are also precursors of bioactive metabolites called apocarotenoids, including vitamin A and the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactones (SLs). Genetic engineering of carotenogenesis made possible the enhancement of the nutritional value of many crops. New metabolic engineering approaches have recently been developed to modulate carotenoid content, including the employment of CRISPR technologies for single-base editing and the integration of exogenous genes into specific "safe harbors" in the genome. In addition, recent studies revealed the option of synthetic conversion of leaf chloroplasts into chromoplasts, thus increasing carotenoid storage capacity and boosting the nutritional value of green plant tissues. Moreover, transient gene expression through viral vectors allowed the accumulation of carotenoids outside the plastid. Furthermore, the utilization of engineered microorganisms allowed efficient mass production of carotenoids, making it convenient for industrial practices. Interestingly, manipulation of carotenoid biosynthesis can also influence plant architecture, and positively impact growth and yield, making it an important target for crop improvements beyond biofortification. Here, we briefly describe carotenoid biosynthesis and highlight the latest advances and discoveries related to synthetic carotenoid metabolism in plants and microorganisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Stra
- The Bioactives Laboratory, Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lamyaa O. Almarwaey
- The Bioactives Laboratory, Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yagiz Alagoz
- The Bioactives Laboratory, Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Juan C. Moreno
- The Bioactives Laboratory, Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salim Al-Babili
- The Bioactives Laboratory, Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|