Requirement of phosphatidylglycerol for photosynthetic function in thylakoid membranes

Diclofenac Interacts with Photosynthetic Apparatus: Isolated Spinach Chloroplasts and Thylakoids as a Model System

Diclofenac, often detected in environmental samples, poses a potential hazard to the aquatic environment. The present study aimed to understand the effect of this drug on photosynthetic apparatus, which is a little-known aspect of its phytotoxicity. Chloroplasts and thylakoids isolated from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were used for this study and treated with various concentrations of diclofenac (from 125 to 4000 μM). The parameters of chlorophyll a fluorescence (the OJIP test) as measurements for both the intact chloroplasts and the thylakoid membranes revealed that isolated thylakoids showed greater sensitivity to the drug than chloroplasts. The relatively high concentration of diclofenac that is required to inhibit chloroplast and thylakoid functions suggests a narcotic effect of that drug on photosynthetic membranes, rather than a specific interaction with a particular element of the electron transport chain. Using confocal microscopy, we confirmed the degradation of the chloroplast structure after DCF treatment, which has not been previously reported in the literature. In conclusion, it can be assumed that diclofenac's action originated from a non-specific interaction with photosynthetic membranes, leading to the disruption in the function of the electron transport chain. This, in turn, decreases the efficiency of photosynthesis, transforming part of the PSII reaction centers into heat sinks and enhancing non-photochemical energy dissipation.

Disrupted H2 synthesis combined with methyl viologen treatment inhibits photosynthetic electron flow to synergistically enhance glycogen accumulation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Under nitrogen deprivation (-N), cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 exhibits growth arrest, reduced protein content, and remarkably increased glycogen accumulation. However, producing glycogen under this condition requires a two-step process with cell transfer from normal to -N medium. Metabolic engineering and chemical treatment for rapid glycogen accumulation can bypass the need for two-step cultivation. For example, recent studies indicate that individually disrupting hydrogen (H2) or poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthesis, or treatment with methyl viologen (MV), effectively increases glycogen accumulation in Synechocystis. Here we explore the effects of disrupted H2 or poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) synthesis, together with MV treatment to on enhanced glycogen accumulation in Synechocystis grown in normal medium. Wild-type cells without MV treatment exhibited low glycogen content of less than 6% w/w dry weight (DW). Compared with wild type, disrupting PHB synthesis combined with MV treatment did not increase glycogen content. Disrupted H₂ production without MV treatment yielded up to 11% w/w DW glycogen content. Interestingly, when combined, disrupted H2 production with MV treatment synergistically enhanced glycogen accumulation to 51% and 59% w/w DW within 3 and 7 days, respectively. Metabolomic analysis suggests that MV treatment mediated the conversion of proteins into glycogen. Metabolomic and transcriptional-expression analysis suggests that disrupted H2 synthesis under MV treatment positively influenced glycogen synthesis. Disrupted H₂ synthesis under MV treatment significantly increased NADPH levels. This increased NADPH content potentially contributed to the observed enhancements in antioxidant activity against MV-induced oxidants, O2 evolution, and metabolite substrates levels for glycogen synthesis in normal medium, ultimately leading to enhanced glycogen accumulation in Synechocystis. KEY MESSAGE: Combining disrupted hydrogen-gas synthesis and the treatment by photosynthesis electron-transport inhibitor significantly enhance glycogen production in cyanobacteria.

Preferential phosphatidylglycerol synthesis via phosphorus supply through rRNA degradation in the cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, under phosphate-starved conditions

Photosynthetic organisms often encounter phosphorus (P) limitation in natural habitats. When faced with P limitation, seed plants degrade nucleic acids and extra-plastid phospholipids to remobilize P, thereby enhancing their internal-P utilization efficiency. Although prokaryotic and eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms decrease the content of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) under P-limited conditions, it remains unclear whether PG is degraded for P remobilization. Moreover, information is limited on internal-P remobilization in photosynthetic microbes. This study investigates internal-P remobilization under P-starvation (-P) conditions in a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, focusing on PG and nucleic acids. Our results reveal that the PG content increases by more than double in the -P culture, indicating preferential PG synthesis among cellular P compounds. Simultaneously, the faster increases of glycolipids counteract this PG increase, which decreases the PG proportion in total lipids. Two genes, glpD and plsX, contribute to the synthesis of diacylglycerol moieties in glycerolipids, with glpD also responsible for the polar head group synthesis in PG. The mRNA levels of both glpD and plsX are upregulated during -P, which would cause the preferential metabolic flow of their P-containing substrates toward glycerolipid synthesis, particularly PG synthesis. Meanwhile, we find that RNA accounts for 62% of cellular P, and that rRNA species, which makes up the majority of RNA, are degraded under -P conditions to less than 30% of their initial levels. These findings emphasize the importance of PG in -P-acclimating cell growth and the role of rRNA as a significant internal-P source for P remobilization, including preferential PG synthesis.

Biosynthesis of phosphatidylglycerol in photosynthetic organisms

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is a unique phospholipid class with its indispensable role in photosynthesis and growth in land plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. PG is the only major phospholipid in the thylakoid membrane of cyanobacteria and plant chloroplasts and a main lipid component in photosynthetic protein-cofactor complexes such as photosystem I and photosystem II. In plants and algae, PG is also essential as a substrate for the biosynthesis of cardiolipin, which is a unique lipid present only in mitochondrial membranes and crucial for the functions of mitochondria. PG biosynthesis pathways in plants include three membranous organelles, plastids, mitochondria, and the endoplasmic reticulum in a complex manner. While the molecular biology underlying the role of PG in photosynthetic functions is well established, many enzymes responsible for the PG biosynthesis are only recently cloned and functionally characterized in the model plant species including Arabidopsis thaliana and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and cyanobacteria such as Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The characterization of those enzymes helps understand not only the metabolic flow for PG production but also the crosstalk of biosynthesis pathways between PG and other lipids. This review aims to summarize recent advances in the understanding of the PG biosynthesis pathway and functions of involved enzymes.

Phosphatidylglycerol to Treat Chronic Skin Wounds in Diabetes

This review proposes the use of dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG) to enhance diabetic wound healing. Initially, the characteristics of diabetic wounds are examined, focusing on the epidermis. Hyperglycemia accompanying diabetes results in enhanced inflammation and oxidative stress in part through the generation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), in which glucose is conjugated to macromolecules. These AGEs activate inflammatory pathways; oxidative stress results from increased reactive oxygen species generation by mitochondria rendered dysfunctional by hyperglycemia. These factors work together to reduce the ability of keratinocytes to restore epidermal integrity, contributing to chronic diabetic wounds. DOPG has a pro-proliferative action on keratinocytes (through an unclear mechanism) and exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on keratinocytes and the innate immune system by inhibiting the activation of Toll-like receptors. DOPG has also been found to enhance macrophage mitochondrial function. Since these DOPG effects would be expected to counteract the increased oxidative stress (attributable in part to mitochondrial dysfunction), decreased keratinocyte proliferation, and enhanced inflammation that characterize chronic diabetic wounds, DOPG may be useful in stimulating wound healing. To date, efficacious therapies to promote the healing of chronic diabetic wounds are largely lacking; thus, DOPG may be added to the armamentarium of drugs to enhance diabetic wound healing.

Chemical Triggering Cyanobacterial Glycogen Accumulation: Methyl Viologen Treatment Increases Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 Glycogen Storage by Enhancing Levels of Gene Transcript and Substrates in Glycogen Synthesis

Two-stage cultivation is effective for glycogen production by cyanobacteria. Cells were first grown under adequate nitrate supply (BG11) to increase biomass and subsequently transferred to nitrogen deprivation (-N) to stimulate glycogen accumulation. However, the two-stage method is time-consuming and requires extensive energy. Thus, one-stage cultivation that enables both cell growth and glycogen accumulation is advantageous. Such one-stage method could be achieved using a chemical triggering glycogen storage. However, there is a limited study on such chemicals. Here, nine compounds previously reported to affect cyanobacterial cellular functions were examined in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. 2-Phenylethanol, phenoxyethanol, 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea and methyl viologen can stimulate glycogen accumulation. The oxidative stress agent, methyl viologen significantly increased glycogen levels up to 57% and 69% [w/w dry weight (DW)] under BG11 and -N cultivation, respectively. One-stage cultivation where methyl viologen was directly added to the pre-grown culture enhanced glycogen storage to 53% (w/w DW), compared to the 10% (w/w DW) glycogen level of the control cells without methyl viologen. Methyl viologen treatment reduced the contents of total proteins (including phycobiliproteins) but caused increased transcript levels of glycogen synthetic genes and elevated levels of metabolite substrates for glycogen synthesis. Metabolomic results suggested that upon methyl viologen treatment, proteins degraded to amino acids, some of which could be used as a carbon source for glycogen synthesis. Results of oxygen evolution and metabolomic analysis suggested that photosynthesis and carbon fixation were not completely inhibited upon methyl viologen treatment, and these two processes may partially generate upstream metabolites required for glycogen synthesis.

slr2103, a homolog of type-2 diacylglycerol acyltransferase genes, for plastoquinone-related neutral lipid synthesis and NaCl-stress acclimatization in a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

A cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, contains a lipid with triacylglycerol-like TLC mobility but its identity and physiological roles remain unknown. Here, on ESI-positive LC-MS² analysis, it is shown that the triacylglycerol-like lipid (lipid X) is related to plastoquinone and can be grouped into two subclasses, X_a and X_b, the latter of which is esterified by 16:0 and 18:0. This study further shows that a Synechocystis homolog of type-2 diacylglycerol acyltransferase genes, slr2103, is essential for lipid X synthesis: lipid X disappears in a Synechocystis slr2103-disruptant whereas it appears in an slr2103-overexpressing transformant (OE) of Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 that intrinsically lacks lipid X. The slr2103 disruption causes Synechocystis cells to accumulate plastoquinone-C at an abnormally high level whereas slr2103 overexpression in Synechococcus causes the cells to almost completely lose it. It is thus deduced that slr2103 encodes a novel acyltransferase that esterifies 16:0 or 18:0 with plastoquinone-C for the synthesis of lipid X_b. Characterization of the slr2103-disruptant in Synechocystis shows that slr2103 contributes to sedimented-cell growth in a static culture, and to bloom-like structure formation and its expansion by promoting cell aggregation and floatation upon imposition of saline stress (0.3-0.6 M NaCl). These observations provide a basis for elucidation of the molecular mechanism of a novel cyanobacterial strategy to acclimatize to saline stress, and one for development of a system of seawater-utilization and economical harvesting of cyanobacterial cells with high-value added compounds, or blooming control of toxic cyanobacteria.

Chemicals Affecting Cyanobacterial Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Accumulation: 2-Phenylethanol Treatment Combined with Nitrogen Deprivation Synergistically Enhanced Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Storage in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and Anabaena sp. TISTR8076

Various photoautotrophic cyanobacteria increase the accumulation of bioplastic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) under nitrogen deprivation (-N) for energy storage. Several metabolic engineering enhanced cyanobacterial PHB accumulation, but these strategies are not applicable in non-gene-transformable strains. Alternatively, stimulating PHB levels by chemical exposure is desirable because it might be applied to various cyanobacterial strains. However, the study of such chemicals is still limited. Here, 19 compounds previously reported to affect bacterial cellular processes were evaluated for their effect on PHB accumulation in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, where 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, methyl viologen, arsenite, phenoxyethanol and 2-phenylethanol were found to increase PHB accumulation. When cultivated with optimal nitrate supply, Synechocystis contained less than 0.5% [w/w dry weight (DW)] PHB, while cultivation under -N conditions increased the PHB content to 7% (w/w DW). Interestingly, the -N cultivation combined with 2-phenylethanol exposure reduced the Synechocystis protein content by 27% (w/w DW) but significantly increased PHB levels up to 33% (w/w DW), the highest ever reported photoautotrophic cyanobacterial PHB accumulation in a wild-type strain. Results from transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis suggested that under 2-phenylethanol treatment, Synechocystis proteins were degraded to amino acids, which might be subsequently utilized as the source of carbon and energy for PHB biosynthesis. 2-Phenylethanol treatment also increased the levels of metabolites required for Synechocystis PHB synthesis (acetyl-CoA, acetoacetyl-CoA, 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and NADPH). Additionally, under -N, the exposure to phenoxyethanol and 2-phenylethanol increased the PHB levels of Anabaena sp. from 0.4% to 4.1% and 6.6% (w/w DW), respectively. The chemicals identified in this study might be applicable for enhancing PHB accumulation in other cyanobacteria.

SlHSP17.7 Ameliorates Chilling Stress-Induced Damage by Regulating Phosphatidylglycerol Metabolism and Calcium Signal in Tomato Plants

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are sensitive to chilling temperatures between 0 °C and 12 °C owing to their tropical origin. SlHSP17.7, a cytoplasmic heat shock protein, interacts with cation/calcium exchanger 1-like (SlCCX1-like) protein and promotes chilling tolerance in tomato fruits (Zhang, et al., Plant Sci., 2020, 298, 1-12). The overexpression of SlHSP17.7 can also promote cold tolerance in tomato plants, but its specific mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we show that the overexpression of SlHSP17.7 in tomato plants enhances chilling tolerance with better activity of photosystem II (PSII). Metabolic analyses revealed that SlHSP17.7 improved membrane fluidity by raising the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Transcriptome analyses showed that SlHSP17.7 activated Ca2+ signaling and induced the expression of C-repeat binding factor (CBF) genes, which in turn inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The gene coexpression network analysis showed that SlHSP17.7 is coexpressed with SlMED26b. SlMED26b silencing significantly lowered OE-HSP17.7 plants' chilling tolerance. Thus, SlHSP17.7 modulates tolerance to chilling via both membrane fluidity and Ca2+-mediated CBF pathway in tomato plants.

Impacts of phosphatidylglycerol on plastid gene expression and light induction of nuclear photosynthetic genes

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is the only major phospholipid in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts. PG is essential for photosynthesis, and loss of PG in Arabidopsis thaliana results in severe defects of growth and chloroplast development, with decreased chlorophyll accumulation, impaired thylakoid formation, and down-regulation of photosynthesis-associated genes encoded in nuclear and plastid genomes. However, how the absence of PG affects gene expression and plant growth remains unclear. To elucidate this mechanism, we investigated transcriptional profiles of a PG-deficient Arabidopsis mutant pgp1-2 under various light conditions. Microarray analysis demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive genes were up-regulated in pgp1-2. However, ROS production was not enhanced in the mutant even under strong light, indicating limited impacts of photooxidative stress on the defects of pgp1-2. Illumination to dark-adapted pgp1-2 triggered down-regulation of photosynthesis-associated nuclear-encoded genes (PhANGs), while plastid-encoded genes were constantly suppressed. Overexpression of GOLDEN2-LIKE1 (GLK1), a transcription factor gene regulating chloroplast development, in pgp1-2 up-regulated PhANGs but not plastid-encoded genes along with chlorophyll accumulation. Our data suggest a broad impact of PG biosynthesis on nuclear-encoded genes partially via GLK1 and a specific involvement of this lipid in plastid gene expression and plant development.

Crucial importance of length of fatty-acyl chains bound to the sn-2 position of phosphatidylglycerol for growth and photosynthesis of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in thylakoid membrane is essential for growth and photosynthesis of photosynthetic organisms. Although the sn-2 position of PG in thylakoid membrane is exclusively esterified with C₁₆ fatty acids, the functional importance of the C₁₆ fatty-acyl chains at the sn-2 position has not been clarified. In this study, we chemically synthesized non-metabolizable PG molecules: we introduced linoleic acid (18:2, fatty acid containing 18 carbons with 2 double bonds) and one of the saturated fatty acids with different chain length (12:0, 14:0, 16:0, 18:0 and 20:0) by ether linkage to the sn-1 and sn-2 positions, respectively. With the synthesized ether-linked PG molecules, we checked whether they could complement the growth and photosynthesis of pgsA mutant cells of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to understand the importance of length of fatty chains at the sn-2 position of PG. The pgsA mutant is incapable of synthesizing PG, so it requires exogenous PG added to medium for growth. The growth rate and photosynthetic activity of mutant cells depended on the length of fatty chains: the PG molecular species binding 16:0 most effectively complemented the growth and photosynthesis of mutant cells, and other PG molecular species with fatty chains shorter or longer than 16:0 were less effective; especially, those binding 12:0 inhibited the growth and photosynthetic activity of the mutant cells. These data demonstrate that length of fatty chains bound to the sn-2 position of PG is critical for PG performance in growth and photosynthesis.

Differential Membrane Lipid Profiles and Vibrational Spectra of Three Edaphic Algae and One Cyanobacterium

The membrane glycerolipids of four phototrophs that were isolated from an edaphic assemblage were determined by UPLC-MS after cultivation in a laboratory growth chamber. Identification was carried out by 18S and 16S rDNA sequencing. The algal species were Klebsormidium flaccidum (Charophyta), Oocystis sp. (Chlorophyta), and Haslea spicula (Bacillariophyta), and the cyanobacterium was Microcoleus vaginatus (Cyanobacteria). The glycerolipid profile of Oocystis sp. was dominated by monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) species, with MGDG(18:3/16:4) accounting for 68.6%, whereas MGDG(18:3/16:3) was the most abundant glycerolipid in K. flaccidum (50.1%). A ratio of digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) species to MGDG species (DGDG/MGDG) was shown to be higher in K. flaccidum (0.26) than in Oocystis sp. (0.14). This ratio increased under high light (HL) as compared to low light (LL) in all the organisms, with its highest value being shown in cyanobacterium (0.38-0.58, LL-HL). High contents of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5) and hexadecenoic acid were observed in the glycerolipids of H. spicula. Similar Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectra were found for K. flaccidum and Oocystis sp. Specific bands at 1629.06 and 1582.78 cm-1 were shown by M. vaginatus in the Raman spectra. Conversely, specific bands in the FTIR spectrum were observed for H. spicula at 1143 and 1744 cm-1. The results of this study point out differences in the membrane lipid composition between species, which likely reflects their different morphology and evolutionary patterns.

Requirement of the exopolyphosphatase gene for cellular acclimation to phosphorus starvation in a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Polyphosphate, which is ubiquitous in cells in nature, is involved in a myriad of cellular functions, and has been recently focused on its metabolism related with microbial acclimation to phosphorus-source fluctuation. In view of the ecological importance of cyanobacteria as the primary producers, this study investigated the responsibility of polyphosphate metabolism for cellular acclimation to phosphorus starvation in a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, with the use of a disruptant (Δppx) as to the gene of exopolyphosphatase that is responsible for polyphosphate degradation. Δppx was similar to the wild type in the cellular content of polyphosphate to show no defect in cell growth under phosphorus-replete conditions. However, under phosphorus-starved conditions, Δppx cells were defective in a phosphorus-starvation dependent decrease of polyphosphate to show deleterious phenotypes as to their survival and the stabilization of the photosystem complexes. These results demonstrated some crucial role of exopolyphosphatase to degrade polyP in the acclimation of cyanobacterial cells to phosphorus-starved conditions. Besides, it was found that ppx expression is induced in Synechocystis cells in response to phosphorus starvation through the action of the two-component system, SphS and SphR, in the phosphate regulon. The information will be a foundation for a fuller understanding of the process of cyanobacterial acclimation to phosphorus fluctuation.

Membrane lipid remodeling is required for photosystem II function under low CO2

Membrane lipid remodeling in plants and microalgae has a crucial role in their survival under nutrient-deficient conditions. Aquatic microalgae have low access to CO₂ , an essential carbon source for photosynthetic assimilates; however, 70-90 mol% of their membrane lipids are sugar-derived lipids (glycolipids) such as monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG). In this study, we discovered a new system of membrane lipid remodeling responding to CO₂ in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a unicellular, freshwater cyanobacterium. As compared with higher CO₂ (HC; 1% CO₂ ), under ambient air (lower CO₂ : LC), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) content was increased at the expense of MGDG content. To explore the biological significance of this alteration in content, we generated a transformant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 overexpressing sll0545 gene encoding a putative phosphatidic acid phosphate (oxPAP), which produces diacylglycerol that is used for the synthesis of glycolipids, and examined the effect on membrane lipid remodeling and phototrophic growth responding to LC. Photosystem II (PSII) activity and growth rate were inhibited under LC in oxPAP cells. PG content was substantially reduced, and MGDG and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol contents were increased in oxPAP cells as compared with control cells. These phenotypes in oxPAP cells were recovered under the HC condition or PG supplementation. Increased PG content may be required for proper functioning of PSII under LC conditions.

Dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol Accelerates Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing

Purpose

In contact with the external environment, the cornea can easily be injured. Although corneal wounds generally heal rapidly, the pain and increased risk of infection associated with a damaged cornea, as well as the impaired healing observed in some individuals, emphasize the need for novel treatments to accelerate corneal healing. We previously demonstrated in epidermal keratinocytes that the glycerol channel aquaporin-3 (AQP3) interacts with phospholipase D2 (PLD2) to produce the signaling phospholipid phosphatidylglycerol (PG), which has been shown to accelerate skin wound healing in vivo. We hypothesized that the same signaling pathway might be operational in corneal epithelial cells.

Methods

We used co-immunoprecipitation, immunohistochemistry, scratch wound healing assays in vitro, and corneal epithelial wound healing assays in vivo to determine the role of the AQP3/PLD2/PG signaling pathway in corneal epithelium.

Results

AQP3 was present in human corneas in situ, and AQP3 and PLD2 were co-immunoprecipitated from corneal epithelial cell lysates. The two proteins could also be co-immunoprecipitated from insect cells simultaneously infected with AQP3- and PLD2-expressing baculoviruses, suggesting a likely direct interaction. A particular PG, dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG), enhanced scratch wound healing of a corneal epithelial monolayer in vitro. DOPG also accelerated corneal epithelial wound healing in vivo, both in wild-type mice and in a mouse model exhibiting impaired corneal wound healing (AQP3 knockout mice).

Conclusions

These results indicate the importance of the AQP3/PLD2/PG signaling pathway in corneal epithelial cells and suggest the possibility of developing DOPG as a pharmacologic therapy to enhance corneal wound healing in patients.

DnaK3 Is Involved in Biogenesis and/or Maintenance of Thylakoid Membrane Protein Complexes in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

DnaK3, a highly conserved cyanobacterial chaperone of the Hsp70 family, binds to cyanobacterial thylakoid membranes, and an involvement of DnaK3 in the biogenesis of thylakoid membranes has been suggested. As shown here, light triggers synthesis of DnaK3 in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, which links DnaK3 to the biogenesis of thylakoid membranes and to photosynthetic processes. In a DnaK3 depleted strain, the photosystem content is reduced and the photosystem II activity is impaired, whereas photosystem I is regular active. An impact of DnaK3 on the activity of other thylakoid membrane complexes involved in electron transfer is indicated. In conclusion, DnaK3 is a versatile chaperone required for biogenesis and/or maintenance of thylakoid membrane-localized protein complexes involved in electron transfer reactions. As mentioned above, Hsp70 proteins are involved in photoprotection and repair of PS II in chloroplasts.

Analysis of Phospholipids, Lysophospholipids, and Their Linked Fatty Acyl Chains in Yellow Lupin Seeds (Lupinus luteus L.) by Liquid Chromatography and Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled to either Fourier-transform (FT) orbital-trap or linear ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (LIT-MS/MS) was used to characterize the phospholipidome of yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus) seeds. Phosphatidylcholines (PC) were the most abundant species (41 ± 6%), which were followed by lyso-forms LPC (30 ± 11%), phosphatidylethanolamines (PE, 13 ± 4%), phosphatidylglycerols (PG, 5.1 ± 1.7%), phosphatidic acids (PA, 4.9 ± 1.8%), phosphatidylinositols (PI, 4.7 ± 1.1%), and LPE (1.2 ± 0.5%). The occurrence of both isomeric forms of several LPC and LPE was inferred by a well-defined fragmentation pattern observed in negative ion mode. An unprecedented characterization of more than 200 polar lipids including 52 PC, 42 PE, 42 PA, 35 PG, 16 LPC, 13 LPE, and 10 PI, is reported. The most abundant fatty acids (FA) as esterified acyl chains in PL were 18:1 (oleic), 18:2 (linoleic), 16:0 (palmitic), and 18:3 (linolenic) with relatively high contents of long fatty acyl chains such as 22:0 (behenic), 24:0 (lignoceric), 20:1 (gondoic), and 22:1 (erucic). Their occurrence was confirmed by reversed-phase (RP) LC-ESI-FTMS analysis of a chemically hydrolyzed sample extract in acid conditions at 100 °C for 45 min.

CDP-Diacylglycerol Synthases (CDS): Gateway to Phosphatidylinositol and Cardiolipin Synthesis

Cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol (CDP-DAG) is a key intermediate in the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and cardiolipin (CL). Both PI and CL have highly specialized roles in cells. PI can be phosphorylated and these phosphorylated derivatives play major roles in signal transduction, membrane traffic, and maintenance of the actin cytoskeletal network. CL is the signature lipid of mitochondria and has a plethora of functions including maintenance of cristae morphology, mitochondrial fission, and fusion and for electron transport chain super complex formation. Both lipids are synthesized in different organelles although they share the common intermediate, CDP-DAG. CDP-DAG is synthesized from phosphatidic acid (PA) and CTP by enzymes that display CDP-DAG synthase activities. Two families of enzymes, CDS and TAMM41, which bear no sequence or structural relationship, have now been identified. TAMM41 is a peripheral membrane protein localized in the inner mitochondrial membrane required for CL synthesis. CDS enzymes are ancient integral membrane proteins found in all three domains of life. In mammals, they provide CDP-DAG for PI synthesis and for phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and CL synthesis in prokaryotes. CDS enzymes are critical for maintaining phosphoinositide levels during phospholipase C (PLC) signaling. Hydrolysis of PI (4,5) bisphosphate by PLC requires the resynthesis of PI and CDS enzymes catalyze the rate-limiting step in the process. In mammals, the protein products of two CDS genes (CDS1 and CDS2) localize to the ER and it is suggested that CDS2 is the major CDS for this process. Expression of CDS enzymes are regulated by transcription factors and CDS enzymes may also contribute to CL synthesis in mitochondria. Studies of CDS enzymes in protozoa reveal spatial segregation of CDS enzymes from the rest of the machinery required for both PI and CL synthesis identifying a key gap in our understanding of how CDP-DAG can cross the different membrane compartments in protozoa and in mammals.

Contribution of protein synthesis depression to poly-β-hydroxybutyrate accumulation in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under nutrient-starved conditions

Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) in cyanobacteria, which accumulates as energy and carbon sources through the action of photosynthesis, is expected to substitute for petroleum-based plastics. This study first demonstrated that PHB accumulation was induced, with the appearance of lipid droplets, in sulfur (S)-starved cells of a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, however, to a lower level than in nitrogen (N)- or phosphorus (P)-starved cells. Concomitantly found was repression of the accumulation of total cellular proteins in the S-starved cells to a similar level to that in N-starved cells, and a severer level than in P-starved cells. Intriguingly, PHB accumulation was induced in Synechocystis even under nutrient-replete conditions, upon repression of the accumulation of total cellular proteins through treatment of the wild type cells with a protein synthesis inhibitor, chloramphenicol, or through disruption of the argD gene for Arg synthesis. Meanwhile, the expression of the genes for PHB synthesis was hardly induced in S-starved cells, in contrast to their definite up-regulation in N- or P-starved cells. It therefore seemed that PHB accumulation in S-starved cells is achieved through severe repression of protein synthesis, but is smaller than in N- or P-starved cells, owing to little induction of the expression of PHB synthesis genes.

Structural and functional contributions of lipids to the stability and activity of the photosynthetic cytochrome b 6 f lipoprotein complex

The photosynthetic cytochrome b ₆ f complex, a homodimer containing eight distinct subunits and 26 transmembrane helices per monomer, catalyzes proton-coupled electron transfer across the thylakoid membrane. The 2.5-Å-resolution structure of the complex from the cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. revealed the presence of 23 lipid-binding sites per monomer. Although the crystal structure of the cytochrome b ₆ f from a plant source has not yet been solved, the identities of the lipids present in a plant b ₆ f complex have previously been determined, indicating that the predominant lipid species are monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG). Despite the extensive structural analyses of b ₆ f-lipid interactions, the basis of the stabilization by lipids remains poorly understood. In the present study, we report on the effect of individual lipids on the structural and functional integrity of the b ₆ f complex, purified from Spinacea oleracea It was found that (i) galactolipids (MGDG, DGDG, and SQDG) and phospholipids dilinolenoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (DLPG), 1,2-dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG), and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) structurally stabilize the complex to varying degrees; (ii) SQDG has a major role in stabilizing the dimeric complex; (iii) the b ₆ f complex is stabilized by incorporation into nanodiscs or bicelles; (iv) removal of bound phospholipid by phospholipase A₂ inactivates the cytochrome complex; and (v) activity can be restored significantly by the addition of the anionic lipid PG, which is attributed to stabilization of the quinone portal and the hinge region of the iron-sulfur protein.

Chloroplast Lipids and Their Biosynthesis

Chloroplasts contain high amounts of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) and low levels of the anionic lipids sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and glucuronosyldiacylglycerol (GlcADG). The mostly extraplastidial lipid phosphatidylcholine is found only in the outer envelope. Chloroplasts are the major site for fatty acid synthesis. In Arabidopsis, a certain proportion of glycerolipids is entirely synthesized in the chloroplast (prokaryotic lipids). Fatty acids are also exported to the endoplasmic reticulum and incorporated into lipids that are redistributed to the chloroplast (eukaryotic lipids). MGDG, DGDG, SQDG, and PG establish the thylakoid membranes and are integral constituents of the photosynthetic complexes. Phosphate deprivation induces phospholipid degradation accompanied by the increase in DGDG, SQDG, and GlcADG. During freezing and drought stress, envelope membranes are stabilized by the conversion of MGDG into oligogalactolipids. Senescence and chlorotic stress lead to lipid and chlorophyll degradation and the deposition of acyl and phytyl moieties as fatty acid phytyl esters.

Site-directed mutagenesis of two amino acid residues in cytochrome b559 α subunit that interact with a phosphatidylglycerol molecule (PG772) induces quinone-dependent inhibition of photosystem II activity

X-ray crystallographic analysis (1.9-Å resolution) of the cyanobacterial photosystem II (PSII) dimer showed the presence of five phosphatidylglycerol (PG) molecules per reaction center. One of the PG molecules, PG772, is located in the vicinity of the Q_B-binding site. To investigate the role of PG772 in PSII, we performed site-directed mutagenesis in the cytochrome (Cyt) b₅₅₉ α subunit of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to change two amino acids, Thr-5 and Ser-11, which interact with PG772. The photosynthetic activity of intact cells was slightly lower in all mutants than that of cells in the control strain; however, the oxygen-evolving PSII activity was decreased markedly in cells of mutants, as measured using artificial quinones (such as p-benzoquinone). Furthermore, electron transport from Q_A to Q_B was inhibited in mutants incubated with quinones, particularly under high-intensity light conditions. Lipid analysis of purified PSII showed approximately one PG molecule per reaction center, presumably PG772, was lost in the PSII dimer from the T5A and S11A mutants compared with that in the PSII dimer from the control strain. In addition, protein analysis of monomer and dimer showed decreased levels of PsbV and PsbU extrinsic proteins in the PSII monomer purified from T5A and S11A mutants. These results suggest that site-directed mutagenesis of Thr-5 and Ser-11, which presumably causes the loss of PG772, induces quinone-dependent inhibition of PSII activity under high-intensity light conditions and destabilizes the binding of extrinsic proteins to PSII.

Virulence of Agrobacterium tumefaciens requires lipid homeostasis mediated by the lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol hydrolase AcvB

Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfers oncogenic T-DNA via the type IV secretion system (T4SS) into plants causing tumor formation. The acvB gene encodes a virulence factor of unknown function required for plant transformation. Here we specify AcvB as a periplasmic lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol (L-PG) hydrolase, which modulates L-PG homeostasis. Through functional characterization of recombinant AcvB variants, we showed that the C-terminal domain of AcvB (residues 232-456) is sufficient for full enzymatic activity and defined key residues for catalysis. Absence of the hydrolase resulted in ~10-fold increase in L-PG in Agrobacterium membranes and abolished T-DNA transfer and tumor formation. Overproduction of the L-PG synthase gene (lpiA) in wild-type A. tumefaciens resulted in a similar increase in the L-PG content (~7-fold) and a virulence defect even in the presence of intact AcvB. These results suggest that elevated L-PG amounts (either by overproduction of the synthase or absence of the hydrolase) are responsible for the virulence phenotype. Gradually increasing the L-PG content by complementation with different acvB variants revealed that cellular L-PG levels above 3% of total phospholipids interfere with T-DNA transfer. Cumulatively, this study identified AcvB as a novel virulence factor required for membrane lipid homeostasis and T-DNA transfer.

Phycobiliproteins Production Enhancement and Lipidomic Alteration by Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 Culture

This study aimed to improve the production of phycobiliproteins using TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The growth characteristics of Synechocystis cells were not affected by TiO₂ NPs treatment, but this treatment increased the chlorophyll content significantly by 62.2% (14.6 mg/L) compared to that of control (9.0 mg/L) on day 16. Phycocyanin production was increased by 33.8% (29.3 g/L) compared to that of control (21.9 g/L) on day 8. Allophycocyanin production was increased by 55.0% (6.2 g/L) compared to that of control (4.0 g/L) on day 8, and by 22.4% (16.4 g/L) compared to that of control (13.4 g/L) on day 16. Direct infusion mass spectrometry revealed that TiO₂ NPs treatment significantly increased the levels of major thylakoid membranes of monogalactosyldiacylglycerols (18:2/18:3, 18:2/18:2, 18:1/18:2), phosphatidylglycerol (16:0/16:1), and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerols (16:0/16:1, 16:0:18:4) on day 8. These findings indicate that TiO₂ NPs have potential for commercial applications in Synechocystis species or other microalgal strains.

Cytidinediphosphate-diacylglycerol synthase 5 is required for phospholipid homeostasis and is negatively involved in hyperosmotic stress tolerance

Cytidinediphosphate diacylglycerol synthase (CDS) uses phosphatidic acid (PA) and cytidinetriphosphate to produce cytidinediphosphate-diacylglycerol, an intermediate for phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) synthesis. This study shows that CDS5, one of the five CDSs of the Oryza sativa (rice) genome, has multifaceted effects on plant growth and stress responses. The loss of CDS5 resulted in a decrease in PG and PI levels, defective thylakoid membranes, pale leaves in seedlings and growth retardation. In addition, the loss of CDS5 led to an elevated PA level and enhanced hyperosmotic tolerance. The inhibition of phospholipase D (PLD)-derived PA formation in cds5 restored the hyperosmotic stress tolerance of the mutant phenotype to that of the wild type, suggesting that CDS5 functions as a suppressor in PLD-derived PA signaling and negatively affects hyperosmotic stress tolerance.

High myristic acid content in the cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. PCC 8801 results from substrate specificity of lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase

Analysis of fatty acids from the cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. PCC 8801 revealed that this species contained high levels of myristic acid (14:0) and linoleic acid in its glycerolipids, with minor contributions from palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid, and oleic acid. The level of 14:0 relative to total fatty acids reached nearly 50%. This 14:0 fatty acid was esterified primarily to the sn-2 position of the glycerol moiety of glycerolipids. This characteristic is unique because, in most of the cyanobacterial strains, the sn-2 position is esterified exclusively with C16 fatty acids, generally 16:0. Transformation of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 with the PCC8801_1274 gene for lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase) from Cyanothece sp. PCC 8801 increased the level of 14:0 from 2% to 17% in total lipids and the increase in the 14:0 content was observed in all lipid classes. These findings suggest that the high content of 14:0 in Cyanothece sp. PCC 8801 might be a result of the high specificity of this acyltransferase toward the 14:0-acyl-carrier protein.

Phosphatidylglycerol is implicated in divisome formation and metabolic processes of cyanobacteria

Phosphatidylglycerol is an essential phospholipid for photosynthesis and other cellular processes. We investigated the role of phosphatidylglycerol in cell division and metabolism in a phophatidylglycerol-auxotrophic strain of Synechococcus PCC7942. Here we show that phosphatidylglycerol is essential for the photosynthetic electron transfer and for the oligomerisation of the photosynthetic complexes, notably, we revealed that this lipid is important for non-linear electron transport. Furthermore, we demonstrate that phosphatidylglycerol starvation elevated the expressions of proteins of nitrogen and carbon metabolism. Moreover, we show that phosphatidylglycerol-deficient cells changed the morphology, became elongated, the FtsZ ring did not assemble correctly, and subsequently the division was hindered. However, supplementation with phosphatidylglycerol restored the ring-like structure at the mid-cell region and the normal cell size, demonstrating the phosphatidylglycerol is needed for normal septum formation. Taken together, central roles of phosphatidylglycerol were revealed; it is implicated in the photosynthetic activity, the metabolism and the fission of bacteria.

Phosphatidylglycerophosphate phosphatase is required for root growth in Arabidopsis

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is an indispensable lipid class in photosynthetic activity. However, the importance of PG biosynthesis in non-photosynthetic organs remains elusive. We previously identified phosphatidylglycerophosphate phosphatase 1 (PGPP1), which catalyzes the last step of PG biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. In the present report, we noted considerably shorter roots of the pgpp1-1 mutant compared to the wild type. We observed defective order of columella cells in the root apices, which was complemented by introducing the wild-type PGPP1 gene. Although PGPP1 is chloroplast-localized in leaf mesophyll cells, we observed mitochondrial localization of PGPP1 in root cells, suggesting possible dual targeting of PGPP1. Moreover, we identified previously uncharacterized 2 protein tyrosine phosphatase-like proteins as functional PGPPs. These proteins, designated PTPMT1 and PTPMT2, complemented growth and lipid phenotypes of Δgep4, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant of PGPP. The ptpmt1-1 ptpmt2-1 exhibited no visible phenotype; however, the pgpp1-1 ptpmt1-1 ptpmt2-1 significantly enhanced the root phenotype of pgpp1-1 without further affecting the photosynthesis, suggesting that these newly found PGPPs are involved in the root phenotype. Radiolabeling experiment of mutant roots showed that decreased PG biosynthesis is associated with the mutation of PGPP1. These results suggest that PG biosynthesis is required for the root growth.

Does triacylglycerol (TAG) serve a photoprotective function in plant leaves? An examination of leaf lipids under shading and drought

Plant survival in many ecosystems requires tolerance of large radiation loads, unreliable water supply and suboptimal soil fertility. We hypothesized that increased production of neutral lipids (triacylglycerols, TAGs) in plant leaves is a mechanism for dissipating excess radiation energy. In a greenhouse experiment, we combined drought and shade treatments and examined responses among four species differing in life form, habitat, and drought- and shade-tolerance. We also present a lipid extraction protocol suitable for sclerophyllous leaves of native Australian trees (e.g. Acacia, Eucalyptus). Fluorescence measurements indicated that plants exposed to full sunlight experienced mild photoinhibition during our experiment. Accumulation of TAGs did not follow photosynthetic capacity, but instead, TAG concentration increased with non-photochemical quenching. This suggests that plants under oxidative stress may increase biosynthesis of TAGs. Moderate drought stress resulted in a 60% reduction in TAG concentration in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Shading had no effect on TAGs, but increased concentrations of polar lipids in leaves; for example, acclimation to shade in Austrodanthonia spp., a native Australian grass, resulted in a 60% increase in associated polar lipids and higher foliar chlorophyll concentrations. Shading also reduced the digalactosyldiacylglycerol:monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG:MGDG) ratio in leaves, with a corresponding increase in the degree of unsaturation and thus fluidity of thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts. Our results suggest that prevention of photodamage may be coordinated with accumulation of TAGs, although further research is required to determine if TAGs serve a photoprotective function in plant leaves.

Species-specific roles of sulfolipid metabolism in acclimation of photosynthetic microbes to sulfur-starvation stress

Photosynthetic organisms utilize sulfate for the synthesis of sulfur-compounds including proteins and a sulfolipid, sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol. Upon ambient deficiency in sulfate, cells of a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, degrade the chloroplast membrane sulfolipid to ensure an intracellular-sulfur source for necessary protein synthesis. Here, the effects of sulfate-starvation on the sulfolipid stability were investigated in another green alga, Chlorella kessleri, and two cyanobacteria, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. The results showed that sulfolipid degradation was induced only in C. kessleri, raising the possibility that this degradation ability was obtained not by cyanobacteria, but by eukaryotic algae during the evolution of photosynthetic organisms. Meanwhile, Synechococcus disruptants concerning sqdB and sqdX genes, which are involved in successive reactions in the sulfolipid synthesis pathway, were respectively characterized in cellular response to sulfate-starvation. Phycobilisome degradation intrinsic to Synechococcus, but not to Synechocystis, and cell growth under sulfate-starved conditions were repressed in the sqdB and sqdX disruptants, respectively, relative to in the wild type. Their distinct phenotypes, despite the common loss of the sulfolipid, inferred specific roles of sqdB and sqdX. This study demonstrated that sulfolipid metabolism might have been developed to enable species- or cyanobacterial-strain dependent processes for acclimation to sulfate-starvation.

Sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol has an Essential Role in Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1 Under Phosphate-Deficient Conditions

Anionic lipids, sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), are major classes of the thylakoid membrane lipids in cyanobacteria and plant chloroplasts. PG is essential for growth and photosynthesis of cyanobacteria, algae and plants, but the requirement for SQDG differs even among cyanobacterial species. Although SQDG and PG can compensate each other in part presumably to maintain proper balance of anionic charge in lipid bilayers, the functional relationship of these lipids is largely unknown. In this study, we inactivated the sqdB gene, encoding a UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase and involved in SQDG biosynthesis, in Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1. In wild-type cells, PG accounted for only approximately 3.5 mol% of total membrane lipids, but its content was substantially increased along with complete loss of SQDG in the sqdB mutant. Under phosphate (Pi)-sufficient conditions, the growth rate and PSII activity were slightly lower in sqdB than in wild-type cells. In addition, the formation of PSI trimers and PSII dimers and energy transfer in phycobilisomes were perturbed in the mutant. Under Pi-deficient conditions, the growth of sqdB cells was severely impaired, with a decrease in PSII activity. PG supplementation could partially rescue the defective growth and PSII activity of Pi-deficient sqdB cells but fully recovered the impaired growth of the pgsA mutant of T. elongatus, which is deficient in PG biosynthesis. These data suggest that SQDG has a specific role in the growth and photosynthesis of T. elongatus, which cannot be complemented by PG, particularly under Pi-deficient conditions.

Arabidopsis phosphatidylglycerophosphate phosphatase 1 involved in phosphatidylglycerol biosynthesis and photosynthetic function

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is an indispensable lipid constituent of photosynthetic membranes, whose function is essential in photosynthetic activity. In higher plants, the biological function of the last step of PG biosynthesis remains elusive because an enzyme catalyzing this reaction step, namely phosphatidylglycerophosphate phosphatase (PGPP), has been a missing piece in the entire glycerolipid metabolic map. Here, we report the identification and characterization of AtPGPP1 encoding a PGPP in Arabidopsis thaliana. Heterologous expression of AtPGPP1 in yeast Δgep4 complemented growth phenotype and PG-producing activity, suggesting that AtPGPP1 encodes a functional PGPP. The GUS reporter assay showed that AtPGPP1 was preferentially expressed in hypocotyl, vasculatures, trichomes, guard cells, and stigmas. A subcellular localization study with GFP reporter indicated that AtPGPP1 is mainly localized at chloroplasts. A T-DNA-tagged knockout mutant of AtPGPP1, designated pgpp1-1, showed pale green phenotype with reduced PG and chlorophyll contents but no defect in embryo development. In the pgpp1-1 mutant, ultrastructure of plastids indicated defective development of chloroplasts and measurement of photosynthetic parameters showed impaired photosynthetic activity. These results suggest that AtPGPP1 is a primary plastidic PGPP required for PG biosynthesis and photosynthetic function in Arabidopsis.

Dispensability of a sulfolipid for photoautotrophic cell growth and photosynthesis in a marine cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002

Sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol, which mainly comprises thylakoid membranes in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms, plays species-dependent roles in freshwater microbes. In this study, a sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerol deficient mutant was generated in a cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, for the first time among marine microbes to gain more insight into its physiological significance. The mutation had little deleterious impact on photoautotrophic cell growth, and functional and structural properties of the photosystem II complex. These findings were similar to previous observations for a freshwater cyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, but were distinct from those for another freshwater cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, both of which require sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol for cell growth and/or photosystem II. Therefore, the functionality of PSII to dispense with sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, similar to that in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, seemed to have been excluded from the evolution of the PSII complex from cyanobacteria to green algal chloroplasts. Meanwhile, sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol was found to contribute to photoheterotrophic growth of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, which revealed a novel species-dependent strategy for utilizing SQDG in physiological processes.

Effect of Different Broad Waveband Lights on Membrane Lipids of a Cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp., as Determined by UPLC-QToF-MS and Vibrational Spectroscopy

Differential profile of membrane lipids and pigments of a Synechococcus sp. cyanobacterial strain cells exposed to blue, green, red and white light are determined by means of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry or diode array detection. Raman and ATR-IR spectra of intact cells under the diverse light wavebands are also reported. Blue light cells exhibited an increased content of photosynthetic pigments as well as specific species of membrane glycerolipids as compared to cells exposed to other wavebands. The A630/A680 ratio indicated an increased content of phycobilisomes (PBS) in the blue light-exposed cells. Some differences in the protein conformation between the four light waveband-exposed cells were deduced from the variable absorbance at specific wavenumbers in the FT-Raman and ATR-FTIR spectra, in particular bands assigned to amide I and amide II. Bands from 1180 to 950 cm(-1) in the ATR-FTIR spectrum suggest degraded outer membrane polysaccharide in the blue light-exposed cells.

Digalactosyldiacylglycerol is essential in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, but its function does not depend on its biosynthetic pathway

Digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) is a major component of thylakoid membranes, occupying approximately 20% of the membrane system. This lipid composition is conserved from cyanobacteria to the chloroplasts of terrestrial plants, suggesting that DGDG is important for the function of photosynthetic membranes. Here we isolated the gene for DGDG synthase in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 (7942dgdA) and found that this gene is essential for this species. 7942dgdA could be knocked out only when genes for cyanobacterial or plant DGDG synthases were expressed, indicating that the important factor was not the specific synthetic pathway but the lipid product. Lack of DGDG could not be compensated by the other membrane lipids in S. elongatus PCC 7942 or by glucosylgalactosyldiacylglycerol synthesized by the β-GlcT gene of Chloroflexus aurantiacus. These results reveal that DGDG has an indispensable role in S. elongatus PCC 7942 and that the second galactose molecule is key. Conservation and distribution of the galactolipid synthetic pathway among oxygenic phototrophs is discussed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant Lipid Biology edited by Kent D. Chapman and Ivo Feussner.

Functional Specificity of Cardiolipin Synthase Revealed by the Identification of a Cardiolipin Synthase CrCLS1 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and cardiolipin (CL) are two essential classes of phospholipid in plants and algae. Phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase (PGPS) and cardiolipin synthase (CLS) involved in the biosynthesis of PG and CL belong to CDP-alcohol phosphotransferase and share overall amino acid sequence homology. However, it remains elusive whether PGPS and CLS are functionally distinct in vivo. Here, we report identification of a gene encoding CLS in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, CrCLS1, and its functional compatibility. Whereas CrCLS1 did not complement the growth phenotype of a PGPS mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, it rescued the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype, growth profile with different carbon sources, phospholipid composition and enzyme activity of Δcrd1, a CLS mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These results suggest that CrCLS1 encodes a functional CLS of C. reinhardtii as the first identified algal CLS, whose enzyme function is distinct from that of PGPSs from C. reinhardtii. Comparison of CDP-alcohol phosphotransferase motif between PGPS and CLS among different species revealed a possible additional motif that might define the substrate specificity of these closely related enzymes.

Roles of Lipids in Photosynthesis

Thylakoid membranes in cyanobacterial cells and chloroplasts of algae and higher plants are the sites of oxygenic photosynthesis. The lipid composition of the thylakoid membrane is unique and highly conserved among oxygenic photosynthetic organisms. Major lipids in thylakoid membranes are glycolipids, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol, and the phospholipid, phosphatidylglycerol. The identification of almost all genes involved in the biosynthesis of each lipid class over the past decade has allowed the generation and isolation of mutants of various photosynthetic organisms incapable of synthesizing specific lipids. Numerous studies using such mutants have revealed that these lipids play important roles not only in the formation of the lipid bilayers of thylakoid membranes but also in the folding and assembly of the protein subunits in photosynthetic complexes. In addition to the studies with the mutants, recent X-ray crystallography studies of photosynthetic complexes in thylakoid membranes have also provided critical information on the association of lipids with photosynthetic complexes and their activities. In this chapter, we summarize our current understanding about the structural and functional involvement of thylakoid lipids in oxygenic photosynthesis.

Role of MGDG and Non-bilayer Lipid Phases in the Structure and Dynamics of Chloroplast Thylakoid Membranes

In this chapter we focus our attention on the enigmatic structural and functional roles of the major, non-bilayer lipid monogalactosyl-diacylglycerol (MGDG) in the thylakoid membrane. We give an overview on the state of the art on the role of MGDG and non-bilayer lipid phases in the xanthophyll cycles in different organisms. We also discuss data on the roles of MGDG and other lipid molecules found in crystal structures of different photosynthetic protein complexes and in lipid-protein assemblies, as well as in the self-assembly of the multilamellar membrane system. Comparison and critical evaluation of different membrane models--that take into account and capitalize on the special properties of non-bilayer lipids and/or non-bilayer lipid phases, and thus to smaller or larger extents deviate from the 'standard' Singer-Nicolson model--will conclude this review. With this chapter the authors hope to further stimulate the discussion about, what we think, is perhaps the most exciting question of membrane biophysics: the why and wherefore of non-bilayer lipids and lipid phases in, or in association with, bilayer biological membranes.

Site-directed mutagenesis of amino acid residues of D1 protein interacting with phosphatidylglycerol affects the function of plastoquinone QB in photosystem II

Recent X-ray crystallographic analysis of photosystem (PS) II at 1.9-Å resolution identified 20 lipid molecules in the complex, five of which are phosphatidylglycerol (PG). In this study, we mutagenized amino acid residues S232 and N234 of D1, which interact with two of the PG molecules (PG664 and PG694), by site-directed mutagenesis in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to investigate the role of the interaction in PSII. The serine and asparagine residues at positions 232 and 234 from the N-terminus were mutagenized to alanine and aspartic acid, respectively, and a mutant carrying both amino acid substitutions was also produced. Although the obtained mutants, S232A, N234D, and S232AN234D, exhibited normal growth, they showed decreased photosynthetic activities and slower electron transport from QA to QB than the control strain. Thermoluminescence analysis suggested that this slower electron transfer in the mutants was caused by more negative redox potential of QB, but not in those of QA and S2. In addition, the levels of extrinsic proteins, PsbV and PsbU, were decreased in PSII monomer purified from the S232AN234D mutant, while that of Psb28 was increased. In the S232AN234D mutant, the content of PG in PSII was slightly decreased, whereas that of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol was increased compared with the control strain. These results suggest that the interactions of S232 and N234 with PG664 and PG694 are important to maintain the function of QB and to stabilize the binding of extrinsic proteins to PSII.

Characterization of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is an indispensable phospholipid class with photosynthetic function in plants and cyanobacteria. However, its biosynthesis in eukaryotic green microalgae is poorly studied. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of two homologs (CrPGP1 and CrPGP2) of phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase (PGPS), the rate-limiting enzyme in PG biosynthesis, in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Heterologous complementation of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 pgsA mutant by CrPGP1 and CrPGP2 rescued the PG-dependent growth phenotype, but the PG level and its fatty acid composition were not fully rescued in the complemented strains. As well, oxygen evolution activity was not fully recovered, although electron transport activity of photosystem II was restored to the wild-type level. Gene expression study of CrPGP1 and CrPGP2 in nutrient-starved C. reinhardtii showed differential response to phosphorus and nitrogen deficiency. Taken together, these results highlight the distinct and overlapping function of PGPS in cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae.

Sulfite-stress induced functional and structural changes in the complexes of photosystems I and II in a cyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942

Excess sulfite is well known to have toxic effects on photosynthetic activities and growth in plants, however, so far, the behavior of the photosynthetic apparatus during sulfite-stress has not been characterized as to the responsible proteins or genes. Here, the effects of sulfite on photosystem complexes were investigated in a cyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, a possible model organism of chloroplasts. Culturing of the cells for 24 h in the presence of 10 mM sulfite retarded cell growth of the wild type, concomitantly with synthesis of Chl and phycobilisome repressed. The excess sulfite simultaneously repressed photosynthesis by more than 90%, owing largely to structural destabilization and resultant inactivation of the PSII complex, which seemed to consequently retard the cell growth. Notably, the PsbO protein, one of the subunits that construct the water-splitting system of PSII, was retained at a considerable level, and disruption of the psbO gene led to higher sensitivity of photosynthesis and growth to sulfite. Meanwhile, the PSI complex showed monomerization of its trimeric configuration with little effect on the activity. The structural alterations of these PS complexes depended on light. Our data provide evidence for quantitative decreases in the photosystem complex(es) including their antenna(e), structural alterations of the PSI and PSII complexes that would modulate their functions, and a crucial role of psbO in PSII protection, in Synechococcus cells during sulfite-stress. We suggest that the reconstruction of the photosystem complexes is beneficial to cell survival.

Sll0751 and Sll1041 are involved in acid stress tolerance in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter is a multi-subunit membrane protein complex involved in lipid transport and acid stress tolerance in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. This organism has two sets of three ABC transporter subunits: Slr1045 and Slr1344, Sll0751 and Sll1002, and Sll1001 and Sll1041. We previously found that Slr1045 is essential for survival under acid stress condition (Tahara et al. 2012). In the present study, we examined the participation of other ABC transporter subunits in acid stress tolerance using a deletion mutant series of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Although Slr1344 is highly homologous to Slr1045, Δslr1344 cells were not susceptible to acid stress. Δsll0751 and Δsll1041 cells displayed acid stress sensitivity, whereas Δsll1001/sll1002 double mutant cells grew normally. Under high- and low-temperature stress conditions, the growth rate of Δslr1344 and Δsll1001/sll1002 cells did not differ from WT cells, whereas Δsll0751 and Δsll1041 cells showed significant growth retardation, as previously observed in Δslr1045 cells. Moreover, nile red staining showed more lipid accumulation in Δslr1045, Δsll0751, and Δsll1041 cells than in WT cells. These results suggest that Slr1045, Sll0751, and Sll1041 function together as a lipid transport complex in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and are essential for growth under various stresses.

Isolation and characterization of a phosphatidylglycerophosphate phosphatase1, PGPP1, in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is the exclusive phospholipid synthesized in chloroplasts and plays important roles in photosynthesis. However, phosphatidylglycerophosphate phosphatase (PGPP), which catalyzes the final step of PG biosynthesis, is a missing piece in photosynthetic eukaryotes. Here, we isolated a previously uncharacterized haloacid dehalogenase-like phosphatase, designated CrPGPP1, as a putative PGPP in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. CrPGPP1 complemented growth and lipid compositional defects in Δgep4, a yeast mutant of PGPP, which indicates that CrPGPP1 is a functional PGPP. Two aspartic acid residues, which are both essential for the yeast PGPP (Gep4p) activity, are also conserved in the putative catalytic motif of CrPGPP1. Site-specific mutagenesis showed that the first but not the second aspartic acid residue was required for CrPGPP1 to complement the growth defect of Δgep4 mutant, which highlights the distinct molecular features of CrPGPP1. Our results suggest that CrPGPP1 is a functional PGPP in C. reinhardtii, for the first PGPP in photosynthetic eukaryotes.

Specific role of phosphatidylglycerol and functional overlaps with other thylakoid lipids in Arabidopsis chloroplast biogenesis

With phosphate deficiency, the role of phosphatidylglycerol is compensated by increased glycolipid content in thylakoid membrane biogenesis but not photosynthetic electron transport in Arabidopsis chloroplasts. In plants and cyanobacteria, anionic phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is the only major phospholipid in thylakoid membranes, where neutral galactolipids monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) are predominant. In addition to provide a lipid bilayer matrix, PG plays a specific role in photosynthetic electron transport. Non-phosphorous sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG) is another anionic lipid in thylakoids; it substitutes for PG under phosphate (Pi) deficiency to maintain proper balance of anionic charge in thylakoid membranes. Although the crucial role of PG in photosynthesis has been deeply analyzed in cyanobacteria, its physiological function in seed plants other than photosynthesis remains unclear. To reveal specific roles of PG and functional overlaps with other thylakoid lipids, we characterized a PG-deficient Arabidopsis mutant (pgp1-2) under Pi-controlled conditions. Under Pi-sufficient conditions, the proportion of PG and other thylakoid lipids was decreased in pgp1-2, which led to severe disruption of thylakoid membrane biogenesis. Under Pi-deficient conditions, the proportion of all glycolipids in the mutant was greatly increased, with that of PG further decreased. In Pi-deficient pgp1-2, thylakoid membranes remarkably developed, which was accompanied by a change in nucleoid morphology and restored expression of nuclear- and plastid-encoded photosynthesis genes. Increase in glycolipid content with Pi deficiency may compensate for the loss of PG in terms of thylakoid membrane biogenesis. Although Pi deficiency increased chlorophyll and photosynthesis protein content in pgp1-2, it critically decreased photochemical activity in PSII. Further deprivation of PG in photosynthesis complexes may abolish the PSII activity in Pi-deficient pgp1-2, which suggests that glycolipids cannot replace PG in photosynthesis.

Structure and mechanism of an intramembrane liponucleotide synthetase central for phospholipid biosynthesis

Phospholipids are elemental building-block molecules for biological membranes. Biosynthesis of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylserine requires a central liponucleotide intermediate named cytidine-diphosphate diacylglycerol (CDP-DAG). The CDP-DAG synthetase (Cds) is an integral membrane enzyme catalysing the formation of CDP-DAG, an essential step for phosphoinositide recycling during signal transduction. Here we report the structure of the Cds from Thermotoga maritima (TmCdsA) at 3.4 Å resolution. TmCdsA forms a homodimer and each monomer contains nine transmembrane helices arranged into a novel fold with three domains. An unusual funnel-shaped cavity penetrates half way into the membrane, allowing the enzyme to simultaneously accept hydrophilic substrate (cytidine 5'-triphosphate (CTP)/deoxy-CTP) from cytoplasm and hydrophobic substrate (phosphatidic acid) from membrane. Located at the bottom of the cavity, a Mg(2+)-K(+) hetero-di-metal centre coordinated by an Asp-Asp dyad serves as the cofactor of TmCdsA. The results suggest a two-metal-ion catalytic mechanism for the Cds-mediated synthesis of CDP-DAG at the membrane-cytoplasm interface.

The essential roles of cytidine diphosphate-diacylglycerol synthase in bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei

Lipid metabolism in Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness, differs from its human host in several fundamental ways. This has lead to the validation of a plethora of novel drug targets, giving hope of novel chemical intervention against this neglected disease. Cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol (CDP‐DAG) is a central lipid intermediate for several pathways in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, being produced by CDP‐DAG synthase (CDS). However, nothing is known about the single T. brucei CDS gene (Tb927.7.220/EC 2.7.7.41) or its activity. In this study we show TbCDS is functional by complementation of a non‐viable yeast CDS null strain and that it is essential in the bloodstream form of the parasite via a conditional knockout. The TbCDS conditional knockout showed morphological changes including a cell‐cycle arrest due in part to kinetoplast segregation defects. Biochemical phenotyping of TbCDS conditional knockout showed drastically altered lipid metabolism where reducing levels of phosphatidylinositol detrimentally impacted on glycoylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis. These studies also suggest that phosphatidylglycerol synthesized via the phosphatidylglycerol‐phosphate synthase is not synthesized from CDP‐DAG, as was previously thought. TbCDS was shown to localized the ER and Golgi, probably to provide CDP‐DAG for the phosphatidylinositol synthases.

Temperature dependence of photosynthesis and thylakoid lipid composition in the red snow alga Chlamydomonas cf. nivalis (Chlorophyceae)

Here, we report an effect of short acclimation to a wide span of temperatures on photosynthetic electron transfer, lipid and fatty acid composition in the snow alga Chlamydomonas cf. nivalis. The growth and oxygen evolution capacity were low at 2 °C yet progressively enhanced at 10 °C and were significantly higher at temperatures from 5 to 15 °C in comparison with the mesophilic control Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In search of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the adaptation of photosynthesis to low temperatures, we have found unprecedented high rates of QA to QB electron transfer. The thermodynamics of the process revealed the existence of an increased structural flexibility that we explain with the amino acid changes in the D1 protein combined with the physico-chemical characteristics of the thylakoid membrane composed of > 80% negatively charged phosphatidylglycerol.