Co-translational assembly of the D1 protein into photosystem II

Assembly and Repair of Photosystem II in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms use Photosystem II (PSII) to oxidize water and reduce plastoquinone. Here, we review the mechanisms by which PSII is assembled and turned over in the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This species has been used to make key discoveries in PSII research due to its metabolic flexibility and amenability to genetic approaches. PSII subunits originate from both nuclear and chloroplastic gene products in Chlamydomonas. Nuclear-encoded PSII subunits are transported into the chloroplast and chloroplast-encoded PSII subunits are translated by a coordinated mechanism. Active PSII dimers are built from discrete reaction center complexes in a process facilitated by assembly factors. The phosphorylation of core subunits affects supercomplex formation and localization within the thylakoid network. Proteolysis primarily targets the D1 subunit, which when replaced, allows PSII to be reactivated and completes a repair cycle. While PSII has been extensively studied using Chlamydomonas as a model species, important questions remain about its assembly and repair which are presented here.

The translocon protein FtsHi1 is an ATP-dependent DNA/RNA helicase that prevents R-loop accumulation in chloroplasts

R-loops, three-stranded nucleic acid structures consisting of a DNA: RNA hybrid and displaced single-stranded DNA, play critical roles in gene expression and genome stability. How R-loop homeostasis is integrated into chloroplast gene expression remains largely unknown. We found an unexpected function of FtsHi1, an inner envelope membrane-bound AAA-ATPase in chloroplast R-loop homeostasis of Arabidopsis thaliana. Previously, this protein was shown to function as a component of the import motor complex for nuclear-encoded chloroplast proteins. However, this study provides evidence that FtsHi1 is an ATP-dependent helicase that efficiently unwinds both DNA-DNA and DNA-RNA duplexes, thereby preventing R-loop accumulation. Over-accumulation of R-loops could impair chloroplast transcription but not necessarily genome integrity. The dual function of FtsHi1 in both protein import and chloroplast gene expression may be important to coordinate the biogenesis of nuclear- and chloroplast-encoded subunits of multi-protein photosynthetic complexes. This study suggests a mechanical link between protein import and R-loop homeostasis in chloroplasts of higher plants.

Reversible protein phosphorylation in higher plants: focus on state transitions

Reversible protein phosphorylation is one of the comprehensive mechanisms of cell metabolism regulation in eukaryotic organisms. The review describes the impact of the reversible protein phosphorylation on the regulation of growth and development as well as in adaptation pathways and signaling network in higher plant cells. The main part of the review is devoted to the role of the reversible phosphorylation of light-harvesting proteins of photosystem II and the state transition process in fine-tuning the photosynthetic activity of chloroplasts. A separate section of the review is dedicated to comparing the mechanisms and functional significance of state transitions in higher plants, algae, and cyanobacteria that allows the evolution aspects of state transitions meaning in various organisms to be discussed. Environmental factors affecting the state transitions are also considered. Additionally, we gain insight into the possible influence of STN7-dependent phosphorylation of the target proteins on the global network of reversible protein phosphorylation in plant cells as well as into the probable effect of the STN7 kinase inhibition on long-term acclimation pathways in higher plants.

One-helix protein 2 is not required for the synthesis of photosystem II subunit D1 in Chlamydomonas

In land plants and cyanobacteria, co-translational association of chlorophyll (Chl) to the nascent D1 polypeptide, a reaction center protein of photosystem II (PSII), requires a Chl binding complex consisting of a short-chain dehydrogenase (high chlorophyll fluorescence 244 [HCF244]/uncharacterized protein 39 [Ycf39]) and one-helix proteins (OHP1 and OHP2 in chloroplasts) of the light-harvesting antenna complex superfamily. Here, we show that an ohp2 mutant of the green alga Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) fails to accumulate core PSII subunits, in particular D1 (encoded by the psbA mRNA). Extragenic suppressors arose at high frequency, suggesting the existence of another route for Chl association to PSII. The ohp2 mutant was complemented by the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ortholog. In contrast to land plants, where psbA translation is prevented in the absence of OHP2, ribosome profiling experiments showed that the Chlamydomonas mutant translates the psbA transcript over its full length. Pulse labeling suggested that D1 is degraded during or immediately after translation. The translation of other PSII subunits was affected by assembly-controlled translational regulation. Proteomics showed that HCF244, a translation factor which associates with and is stabilized by OHP2 in land plants, still partly accumulates in the Chlamydomonas ohp2 mutant, explaining the persistence of psbA translation. Several Chl biosynthesis enzymes overaccumulate in the mutant membranes. Partial inactivation of a D1-degrading protease restored a low level of PSII activity in an ohp2 background, but not photoautotrophy. Taken together, our data suggest that OHP2 is not required for psbA translation in Chlamydomonas, but is necessary for D1 stabilization.

Bioinspired and Bioderived Aqueous Electrocatalysis

The development of efficient and sustainable electrochemical systems able to provide clean-energy fuels and chemicals is one of the main current challenges of materials science and engineering. Over the last decades, significant advances have been made in the development of robust electrocatalysts for different reactions, with fundamental insights from both computational and experimental work. Some of the most promising systems in the literature are based on expensive and scarce platinum-group metals; however, natural enzymes show the highest per-site catalytic activities, while their active sites are based exclusively on earth-abundant metals. Additionally, natural biomass provides a valuable feedstock for producing advanced carbonaceous materials with porous hierarchical structures. Utilizing resources and design inspiration from nature can help create more sustainable and cost-effective strategies for manufacturing cost-effective, sustainable, and robust electrochemical materials and devices. This review spans from materials to device engineering; we initially discuss the design of carbon-based materials with bioinspired features (such as enzyme active sites), the utilization of biomass resources to construct tailored carbon materials, and their activity in aqueous electrocatalysis for water splitting, oxygen reduction, and CO₂ reduction. We then delve in the applicability of bioinspired features in electrochemical devices, such as the engineering of bioinspired mass transport and electrode interfaces. Finally, we address remaining challenges, such as the stability of bioinspired active sites or the activity of metal-free carbon materials, and discuss new potential research directions that can open the gates to the implementation of bioinspired sustainable materials in electrochemical devices.

Effects of High Irradiance and Low Water Temperature on Photoinhibition and Repair of Photosystems in Marimo (Aegagropila linnaei) in Lake Akan, Japan

The green alga Aegagropila linnaei often forms spherical aggregates called "marimo" in Lake Akan in Japan. In winter, marimo are exposed to low water temperatures at 1-4 °C but protected from strong sunlight by ice coverage, which may disappear due to global warming. In this study, photoinhibition in marimo was examined at 2 °C using chlorophyll fluorescence and 830 nm absorption. Filamentous cells of A. linnaei dissected from marimo were exposed to strong light at 2 °C. Photosystem II (PSII) was markedly photoinhibited, while photosystem I was unaffected. When the cells with PSII damaged by the 4 h treatment were subsequently illuminated with moderate repair light at 2 °C, the maximal efficiency of PSII was recovered to the level before photoinhibition. However, after the longer photoinhibitory treatments, PSII efficiency did not recover by the repair light. When the cells were exposed to simulated diurnal light for 12 h per day, which was more ecological, the cells died within a few days. Our results showed new findings of the PSII repair at 2 °C and serious damage at the cellular level from prolonged high-light treatments. Further, we provided a clue to what may happen to marimo in Lake Akan in the near future.

Mixed population hypothesis of the active and inactive PSII complexes opens a new door for photoinhibition and fluorescence studies: an ecophysiological perspective

The current hypotheses for the mechanisms of photosystem II (PSII) photodamage in vivo remain split on the primary damage site. However, most researchers have considered that PSII is inhibited by a sole mechanism and that the photoinhibited PSII consists of one population. In this perspective, we propose 'the mixed population hypothesis', in which there are four PSII populations: PSII with active/inactive Mn4 CaO5 oxygen-evolving complex respectively with functional/damaged primary quinone (QA ) reduction activity. This hypothesis provides a new insight into not only the PSII photoinhibition/photoprotection studies but also the repair process. We discuss our new data implying that the repair rate differs in the respective PSII populations.

Cotranslational Mechanisms of Protein Biogenesis and Complex Assembly in Eukaryotes

The formation of protein complexes is crucial to most biological functions. The cellular mechanisms governing protein complex biogenesis are not yet well understood, but some principles of cotranslational and posttranslational assembly are beginning to emerge. In bacteria, this process is favored by operons encoding subunits of protein complexes. Eukaryotic cells do not have polycistronic mRNAs, raising the question of how they orchestrate the encounter of unassembled subunits. Here we review the constraints and mechanisms governing eukaryotic co- and posttranslational protein folding and assembly, including the influence of elongation rate on nascent chain targeting, folding, and chaperone interactions. Recent evidence shows that mRNAs encoding subunits of oligomeric assemblies can undergo localized translation and form cytoplasmic condensates that might facilitate the assembly of protein complexes. Understanding the interplay between localized mRNA translation and cotranslational proteostasis will be critical to defining protein complex assembly in vivo.

NADP+ supply adjusts the synthesis of photosystem I in Arabidopsis chloroplasts

In oxygenic photosynthesis, NADP+ acts as the final acceptor of the photosynthetic electron transport chain and receives electrons via the thylakoid membrane complex photosystem I (PSI) to synthesize NAPDH by the enzyme ferredoxin:NADP+ oxidoreductase. The NADP+/NADPH redox couple is essential for cellular metabolism and redox homeostasis. However, how the homeostasis of these two dinucleotides is integrated into chloroplast biogenesis remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate the important role of NADP+ supply for the biogenesis of PSI by examining the nad kinase 2 (nadk2) mutant in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), which demonstrates disrupted synthesis of NADP+ from NAD+ in chloroplasts. Although the nadk2 mutant is highly sensitive to light, the reaction center of photosystem II (PSII) is only mildly and likely only secondarily affected compared to the wild-type. Our studies revealed that the primary limitation of photosynthetic electron transport, even at low light intensities, occurs at PSI rather than at PSII in the nadk2 mutant. Remarkably, this primarily impairs the de novo synthesis of the two PSI core subunits PsaA and PsaB, leading to the deficiency of the PSI complex in the nadk2 mutant. This study reveals an unexpected molecular link between NADK activity and mRNA translation of psaA/B in chloroplasts that may mediate a feedback mechanism to adjust de novo biosynthesis of the PSI complex in response to a variable NADPH demand. This adjustment may be important to protect PSI from photoinhibition under conditions that favor acceptor side limitation.

Photosystem II antenna modules CP43 and CP47 do not form a stable 'no reaction centre complex' in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The repair of photosystem II is a key mechanism that keeps the light reactions of oxygenic photosynthesis functional. During this process, the PSII central subunit D1 is replaced with a newly synthesized copy while the neighbouring CP43 antenna with adjacent small subunits (CP43 module) is transiently detached. When the D2 protein is also damaged, it is degraded together with D1 leaving both the CP43 module and the second PSII antenna module CP47 unassembled. In the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, the released CP43 and CP47 modules have been recently suggested to form a so-called no reaction centre complex (NRC). However, the data supporting the presence of NRC can also be interpreted as a co-migration of CP43 and CP47 modules during electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation without forming a mutual complex. To address the existence of NRC, we analysed Synechocystis PSII mutants accumulating one or both unassembled antenna modules as well as Synechocystis wild-type cells stressed with high light. The obtained results were not compatible with the existence of a stable NRC since each unassembled module was present as a separate protein complex with a mutually similar electrophoretic mobility regardless of the presence of the second module. The non-existence of NRC was further supported by isolation of the His-tagged CP43 and CP47 modules from strains lacking either D1 or D2 and their migration patterns on native gels.

Glycinebetaine mitigates tomato chilling stress by maintaining high-cyclic electron flow rate of photosystem I and stability of photosystem II

Glycinebetaine alleviates chilling stress by protecting photosystems I and II in BADH-transgenic and GB-treated tomato plants, which can be an effective strategy for improving crop chilling tolerance. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most cultivated vegetables in the world, but is highly susceptible to chilling stress and does not naturally accumulate glycinebetaine (GB), one of the most effective stress protectants. The protective mechanisms of GB on photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) against chilling stress, however, remain poorly understood. Here, we address this problem through exogenous GB application and generation of transgenic tomatoes (Moneymaker) with a gene encoding betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH), which is the key enzyme in the synthesis of GB, from spinach. Our results demonstrated that GB can protect chloroplast ultramicrostructure, alleviate PSII photoinhibition and maintain PSII stability under chilling stress. More importantly, GB increased the electron transfer between Q_A and Q_B and the redox potential of Q_B and maintained a high rate of cyclic electron flow around PSI, contributing to reduced production of reactive oxygen species, thereby mitigating PSI photodamage under chilling stress. Our results highlight the novel roles of GB in enhancing chilling tolerance via the protection of PSI and PSII in BADH transgenic and GB-treated tomato plants under chilling stress. Thus, introducing GB-biosynthetic pathway into tomato and exogenous GB application are effective strategies for improving chilling tolerance.

Rubredoxin 1 Is Required for Formation of the Functional Photosystem II Core Complex in Arabidopsis thaliana

Chloroplast thylakoid protein rubredoxin 1 (RBD1) in Chlamydomonas and its cyanobacterial homolog RubA contain a rubredoxin domain. These proteins have been proposed to participate in the assembly of photosystem II (PSII) at early stages. However, the effects of inactivation of RBD1 on PSII assembly in higher plants are largely unclear. Here, we characterized an Arabidopsis rbd1 mutant in detail. A drastic reduction of intact PSII complex but relatively higher levels of assembly intermediates including PSII RC, pre-CP47, and pre-CP43 were found in rbd1. Polysome association and ribosome profiling revealed that ribosome recruitment of psbA mRNA is specifically reduced. Consistently, in vivo protein pulse-chase labeling showed that the rate of D1/pD1 synthesis is significantly reduced in rbd1 compared with WT. Moreover, newly synthesized mature D1 and pD1/D2 can assemble into the PSII reaction center (RC) complex but further formation of larger PSII complexes is nearly totally blocked in rbd1. Our data imply that RBD1 is not only required for the formation of a functional PSII core complex during the early stages of PSII assembly but may also be involved in the translation of D1 in higher plants.

A β-ketoacyl carrier protein reductase confers heat tolerance via the regulation of fatty acid biosynthesis and stress signaling in rice

Heat stress is a major environmental threat affecting crop growth and productivity. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with plant responses to heat stress are poorly understood. Here, we identified a heat stress-sensitive mutant, hts1, in rice. HTS1 encodes a thylakoid membrane-localized β-ketoacyl carrier protein reductase (KAR) involved in de novo fatty acid biosynthesis. Phylogenetic and bioinformatic analysis showed that HTS1 probably originated from streptophyte algae and is evolutionarily conserved in land plants. Thermostable HTS1 is predominantly expressed in green tissues and strongly induced by heat stress, but is less responsive to salinity, cold and drought treatments. An amino acid substitution at A254T in HTS1 causes a significant decrease in KAR enzymatic activity and, consequently, impairs fatty acid synthesis and lipid metabolism in the hts1 mutant, especially under heat stress. Compared to the wild-type, the hts1 mutant exhibited heat-induced higher H₂ O₂ accumulation, a larger Ca²⁺ influx to mesophyll cells, and more damage to membranes and chloroplasts. Also, disrupted heat stress signaling in the hts1 mutant depresses the transcriptional activation of HsfA2s and the downstream target genes. We suggest that HTS1 is critical for underpinning membrane stability, chloroplast integrity and stress signaling for heat tolerance in rice.

Mechanisms of Cotranslational Protein Maturation in Bacteria

Growing cells invest a significant part of their biosynthetic capacity into the production of proteins. To become functional, newly-synthesized proteins must be N-terminally processed, folded and often translocated to other cellular compartments. A general strategy is to integrate these protein maturation processes with translation, by cotranslationally engaging processing enzymes, chaperones and targeting factors with the nascent polypeptide. Precise coordination of all factors involved is critical for the efficiency and accuracy of protein synthesis and cellular homeostasis. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on cotranslational protein maturation, with a focus on the production of cytosolic proteins in bacteria. We describe the role of the ribosome and the chaperone network in protein folding and how the dynamic interplay of all cotranslationally acting factors guides the sequence of cotranslational events. Finally, we discuss recent data demonstrating the coupling of protein synthesis with the assembly of protein complexes and end with a brief discussion of outstanding questions and emerging concepts in the field of cotranslational protein maturation.

Photosynthetic inner antenna CP47 plays important roles in ephemeral plants in adapting to high light stress

Throughout 3.5 billion years of evolution, photosynthesis of land plants has developed a complicated antenna system to cope with the ever-changing environments. The antenna system of photosystem (PS) II includes the outer antennae and inner antennae. The inner antennae CP43 and CP47, located in the closest peripheral of PSII reaction center (RC), play important roles in facilitating excitation energy transport from the outer antennae to the PSII RC. Although PSII RC is the last station of energy transport, it is the inner antenna CP47, not the RC, which possesses the lowest energy level in PSII. Berteroa incana (B. incana), which is a vascular plant grown in the Gobi region, can sustain very high photosynthesis capacity under very high light conditions. It has been discovered that the thylakoid membrane of B. incana possesses a unique low fluorescence emission spectrum because the fluorescence emission of CP47 (695 nm) is the main fluorescence emission peak of PSII. In this paper, the thylakoid membrane, isolated from B. incana grown under a light condition of 100 μM photons m^-2 s^-1 and subjected to high light treatment (1600 μM photons m^-2 s^-1 for 1.5 h or 3 h) was employed for the research. It has been found that the high fluorescence emission of CP47 decreased remarkably upon exposure to the high light treatment. Further observation revealed that the drastic changes in the CP47 fluorescence emission were accompanied by a slight reduction in the amount of CP47 and an enhancement of the CP29-LHCII-CP24 assembly. It is proposed that CP47 enables the functional switch between the excitation energy transfer towards PSII RC, and the overexcitation quenching in the PSII core. Together with CP43, CP47 plays important roles in regulating excitation energy distribution in PSII core complexes.

Stabilization of Photosystem II by the PsbT protein impacts photodamage, repair and biogenesis

Photosystem II (PS II) catalyzes the light-driven process of water splitting in oxygenic photosynthesis. Four core membrane-spanning proteins, including D1 that binds the majority of the redox-active co-factors, are surrounded by 13 low-molecular-weight (LMW) proteins. We previously observed that deletion of the LMW PsbT protein in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 slowed electron transfer between the primary and secondary plastoquinone electron acceptors Q_A and Q_B and increased the susceptibility of PS II to photodamage. Here we show that photodamaged ∆PsbT cells exhibit unimpaired rates of oxygen evolution if electron transport is supported by HCO₃^- even though the cells exhibit negligible variable fluorescence. We find that the protein environment in the vicinity of Q_A and Q_B is altered upon removal of PsbT resulting in inhibition of Q_A^- oxidation in the presence of 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone, an artificial PS II-specific electron acceptor. Thermoluminescence measurements revealed an increase in charge recombination between the S₂ oxidation state of the water-oxidizing complex and Q_A^- by the indirect radiative pathway in ∆PsbT cells and this is accompanied by increased ¹O₂ production. At the protein level, both D1 removal and replacement, as well as PS II biogenesis, were accelerated in the ∆PsbT strain. Our results demonstrate that PsbT plays a key role in optimizing the electron acceptor complex of the acceptor side of PS II and support the view that repair and biogenesis of PS II share an assembly pathway that incorporates both de novo synthesis and recycling of the assembly modules associated with the core membrane-spanning proteins.

The critical function of the plastid rRNA methyltransferase, CMAL, in ribosome biogenesis and plant development

Methylation of nucleotides in ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) is a ubiquitous feature that occurs in all living organisms. The formation of methylated nucleotides is performed by a variety of RNA-methyltransferases. Chloroplasts of plant cells result from an endosymbiotic event and possess their own genome and ribosomes. However, enzymes responsible for rRNA methylation and the function of modified nucleotides in chloroplasts remain to be determined. Here, we identified an rRNA methyltransferase, CMAL (Chloroplast MraW-Like), in the Arabidopsis chloroplast and investigated its function. CMAL is the Arabidopsis ortholog of bacterial MraW/ RsmH proteins and accounts to the N4-methylation of C1352 in chloroplast 16S rRNA, indicating that CMAL orthologs and this methyl-modification nucleotide is conserved between bacteria and the endosymbiont-derived eukaryotic organelle. The knockout of CMAL in Arabidopsis impairs the chloroplast ribosome accumulation and accordingly reduced the efficiency of mRNA translation. Interestingly, the loss of CMAL leads not only to defects in chloroplast function, but also to abnormal leaf and root development and overall plant morphology. Further investigation showed that CMAL is involved in the plant development probably by modulating auxin derived signaling pathways. This study uncovered the important role of 16S rRNA methylation mediated by CMAL in chloroplast ribosome biogenesis and plant development.

Relationship of GUN1 to FUG1 in chloroplast protein homeostasis

GUN1 integrates retrograde signals in chloroplasts but the underlying mechanism is elusive. FUG1, a chloroplast translation initiation factor, and GUN1 are co-expressed at the transcriptional level, and FUG1 co-immunoprecipitates with GUN1. We used mutants of GUN1 (gun1-103) and FUG1 (fug1-3) to analyse their functional relationship at the physiological and system-wide level, the latter including transcriptome and proteome analyses. Absence of GUN1 aggravates the effects of decreased FUG1 levels on chloroplast protein translation, resulting in transiently more pronounced phenotypes regarding photosynthesis, leaf colouration, growth and cold acclimation. The gun1-103 mutation also enhances variegation in the var2 mutant, increasing the fraction of white sectors, while fug1-3 suppresses the var2 phenotype. The transcriptomes of fug1-3 and gun1-103 plants are very similar, but absence of GUN1 alone has almost no effect on protein levels, whereas steady-state levels of chloroplast proteins are markedly decreased in fug1-3. In fug1 gun1 double mutants, effects on transcriptomes and particularly on proteomes are enhanced. Our results show that GUN1 function becomes critical when chloroplast proteostasis is perturbed by decreased rates of synthesis (fug1) or degradation (var2) of chloroplast proteins, or by low temperatures. The functions of FUG1 and GUN1 appear to be related, corroborating the view that GUN1 helps to maintain chloroplast protein homeostasis (proteostasis).

Whirly1 enhances tolerance to chilling stress in tomato via protection of photosystem II and regulation of starch degradation

In plants, the chilling response involves decreased photosynthetic capacity and increased starch accumulation in chloroplasts. However, the mechanisms that modulate these processes remain unclear. We found that the SlWHY1 gene is significantly induced by chilling stress (4°C) in tomato. Three SlWHY1 overexpression (OE) lines grew better than the wild type (WT) under chilling stress; the OE plants retained intact photosynthetic grana lamellae and showed enhanced hydrolysis of starch. By contrast, RNAi lines that inhibited SlWHY1 were more affected than the corresponding WT cultivar. Their grana lamellae were damaged and starch content increased. The psbA gene encodes the key photosystem II (PSII) protein D1. We show that SlWHY1 binds to the upstream region (A/GTTACCCT/A) of SlpsbA and enhances the de novo synthesis of D1 in chloroplasts. Additionally, SlWHY1 regulates the expression of the starch-degrading enzyme α-amylase (SlAMY3-L) and the starch synthesis-related enzyme isoamylase gene (SlISA2) in the nucleus, thus modulating the starch content in chloroplasts. We demonstrate that SlWHY1 enhances the resistance of tomato to chilling stress by maintaining the function of PSII and degrading starch. Thus, overexpression of WHY1 may be an effective strategy for enhancing resistance to chilling stress of chilling-sensitive crops in agricultural production.

Novel DnaJ Protein Facilitates Thermotolerance of Transgenic Tomatoes

DnaJ proteins, which are molecular chaperones that are widely present in plants, can respond to various environmental stresses. At present, the function of DnaJ proteins was studied in many plant species, but only a few studies were conducted in tomato. Here, we examined the functions of a novel tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) DnaJ protein (SlDnaJ20) in heat tolerance using sense and antisense transgenic tomatoes. Transient conversion assays of Arabidopsis protoplasts showed that SlDnaJ20 was targeted to chloroplasts. Expression analysis showed that SlDnaJ20 expression was induced by chilling, NaCl, polyethylene glycol, and H₂O₂, especially via heat stress. Under heat stress, sense plants showed higher fresh weights, chlorophyll content, fluorescence (Fv/Fm), and D1 protein levels, and a lower accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than antisense plants. These results suggest that SlDnaJ20 overexpression can reduce the photoinhibition of photosystem II (PSII) by relieving ROS accumulation. Moreover, higher expression levels of HsfA1 and HsfB1 were observed under heat stress in sense plants, indicating that SlDnaJ20 overexpression contributes to HSF expression. The yeast two-hybrid system proved that SlDnaJ20 can interact with the chloroplast heat-shock protein 70. Our results indicate that SlDnaJ20 overexpression enhances the thermotolerance of transgenic tomatoes, whereas suppression of SlDnaJ20 increases the heat sensitivity of transgenic tomatoes.

Plant and algal chlorophyll synthases function in Synechocystis and interact with the YidC/Alb3 membrane insertase

In the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, the terminal enzyme of chlorophyll biosynthesis, chlorophyll synthase (ChlG), forms a complex with high light‐inducible proteins, the photosystem II assembly factor Ycf39 and the YidC/Alb3/OxaI membrane insertase, co‐ordinating chlorophyll delivery with cotranslational insertion of nascent photosystem polypeptides into the membrane. To gain insight into the ubiquity of this assembly complex in higher photosynthetic organisms, we produced functional foreign chlorophyll synthases in a cyanobacterial host. Synthesis of algal and plant chlorophyll synthases allowed deletion of the otherwise essential native cyanobacterial gene. Analysis of purified protein complexes shows that the interaction with YidC is maintained for both eukaryotic enzymes, indicating that a ChlG‐YidC/Alb3 complex may be evolutionarily conserved in algae and plants.

UMP kinase activity is involved in proper chloroplast development in rice

Isolation of leaf-color mutants is important in understanding the mechanisms of chloroplast biogenesis and development. In this study, we identified and characterized a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant, yellow leaf 2 (yl2), exhibiting pale yellow leaves with a few longitudinal white stripes at the early seedling stage then gradually turning yellow. Genetic analyses revealed that YL2 encodes a thylakoid membrane-localized protein with significant sequence similarity to UMP kinase proteins in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Prokaryotic UMP kinase activity was subsequently confirmed, with YL2 deficiency causing a significant reduction in chlorophyll accumulation and photochemical efficiency. Moreover, YL2 is also light dependent and preferentially expressed in green tissues. Chloroplast development was abnormal in the yl2 mutant, possibly due to reduced accumulation of thylakoid membranes and a lack of normal stroma lamellae. 2D Blue-Native SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analyses revealed a reduction in several subunits of photosynthetic complexes, in particular, the AtpB subunit of ATP synthase, while mRNA levels of corresponding genes were unchanged or increased compared with the wild type. In addition, we observed a significant decrease (ca. 36.3%) in cpATPase activity in the yl2 mutant compared with the wild type. Taken together, our results suggest that UMP kinase activity plays an essential role in chloroplast development and regulating cpATPase biogenesis in rice.

LOW PHOTOSYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY 1 is required for light-regulated photosystem II biogenesis in Arabidopsis

Photosystem II (PSII) reaction center protein D1 is encoded by chloroplast gene psbA and is crucial to the biogenesis and functional maintenance of PSII. D1 proteins are highly dynamic under varying light conditions and thus require efficient synthesis, but the mechanism remains poorly understood. We reported that Arabidopsis LPE1 directly binds to the 5′ UTR of psbA mRNA in a light-dependent manner through a redox-based mechanism and facilitates the association of HCF173 with psbA mRNA to regulate D1 translation. These findings fill a major gap in our understanding of the mechanism of light-regulated D1 synthesis in higher plants and imply that higher plants and primitive photosynthetic organisms share conserved mechanisms but use distinct regulators to regulate biogenesis of PSII subunits.

Photosystem II (PSII), a multisubunit protein complex of the photosynthetic electron transport chain, functions as a water-plastoquinone oxidoreductase, which is vital to the initiation of photosynthesis and electron transport. Although the structure, composition, and function of PSII are well understood, the mechanism of PSII biogenesis remains largely elusive. Here, we identified a nuclear-encoded pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein LOW PHOTOSYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY 1 (LPE1; encoded by At3g46610) in Arabidopsis, which plays a crucial role in PSII biogenesis. LPE1 is exclusively targeted to chloroplasts and directly binds to the 5′ UTR of psbA mRNA which encodes the PSII reaction center protein D1. The loss of LPE1 results in less efficient loading of ribosome on the psbA mRNA and great synthesis defects in D1 protein. We further found that LPE1 interacts with a known regulator of psbA mRNA translation HIGH CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE 173 (HCF173) and facilitates the association of HCF173 with psbA mRNA. More interestingly, our results indicate that LPE1 associates with psbA mRNA in a light-dependent manner through a redox-based mechanism. This study enhances our understanding of the mechanism of light-regulated D1 synthesis, providing important insight into PSII biogenesis and the functional maintenance of efficient photosynthesis in higher plants.

Co-translational control of protein complex formation: a fundamental pathway of cellular organization?

Analyses of proteomes from a large number of organisms throughout the domains of life highlight the key role played by multiprotein complexes for the implementation of cellular function. While the occurrence of multiprotein assemblies is ubiquitous, the understanding of pathways that dictate the formation of quaternary structure remains enigmatic. Interestingly, there are now well-established examples of protein complexes that are assembled co-translationally in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and indications are that the phenomenon is widespread in cells. Here, we review complex assembly with an emphasis on co-translational pathways, which involve interactions of nascent chains with other nascent or mature partner proteins, respectively. In prokaryotes, such interactions are promoted by the polycistronic arrangement of mRNA and the associated co-translation of functionally related cell constituents in order to enhance otherwise diffusion-dependent processes. Beyond merely stochastic events, however, co-translational complex formation may be sensitive to subunit availability and allow for overall regulation of the assembly process. We speculate how co-translational pathways may constitute integral components of quality control systems to ensure the correct and complete formation of hundreds of heterogeneous assemblies in a single cell. Coupling of folding of intrinsically disordered domains with co-translational interaction of binding partners may furthermore enhance the efficiency and fidelity with which correct conformation is attained. Co-translational complex formation may constitute a fundamental pathway of cellular organization, with profound importance for health and disease.

Unraveling co-translational protein folding: Concepts and methods

Advances in techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, and single-molecule and time-resolved fluorescent approaches are transforming our ability to study co-translational protein folding both in vivo in living cells and in vitro in reconstituted cell-free translation systems. These approaches provide comprehensive information on the spatial organization and dynamics of nascent polypeptide chains and the kinetics of co-translational protein folding. This information has led to an improved understanding of the process of protein folding in living cells and should allow remaining key questions in the field, such as what structures are formed within nascent chains during protein synthesis and when, to be answered. Ultimately, studies using these techniques will facilitate development of a unified concept of protein folding, a process that is essential for proper cell function and organism viability. This review describes current methods for analysis of co-translational protein folding with an emphasis on some of the recently developed techniques that allow monitoring of co-translational protein folding in real-time.

SlCOR413IM1: A novel cold-regulation gene from tomato, enhances drought stress tolerance in tobacco

Drought stress adversely affects plant growth, development, and productivity. Genes functioning in plant response to drought stress are essential for drought tolerance. In this study, SlCOR413IM1, a cold-regulated gene isolated from Solanum lycopersium, was transferred to Nicotiana tabacum to investigate its function under drought stress. The subcellular localisation of SlCOR413IM1-GFP fusion protein in Arabidopsis protoplasts suggested that SlCOR413IM1 is a chloroplast protein. Expression analyses revealed that SlCOR413IM1 responded to drought and cold stresses. Under drought stress, transgenic plants maintained the high maximum photochemical efficiency, net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and D1 protein content of photosystem II (PSII). Compared with wild-type (WT) plants, transgenic plants showed higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities and proline and soluble sugar content, which reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. However, the high SOD and APX activities in transgenic plants were independent of their transcription levels. Moreover, the transgenic plants exhibited better seed germination, water status and survival, as well as lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electrical conductivity (REC) than WT plants under drought stress. Taken together, these data demonstrated that overexpression of SlCOR413IM1 enhanced drought stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco.

Tomato SlGGP-LIKE gene participates in plant responses to chilling stress and pathogenic infection

Plants are always exposed to abiotic and biotic stresses which can adversely affect their growth and development. As an important antioxidant, AsA plays a vital role in plant defence against damage caused by stresses. In this study, we cloned a tomato GDP-_L-galactose phosphorylase-like (SlGGP-LIKE) gene and investigated its role in resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses by using antisense transgenic (AS) tomato lines. The AsA content in AS plants was lower than that in WT plants. Under chilling stress, the growth of AS plants was inhibited significantly, and they yielded higher levels of ROS, REC and MDA but demonstrated weaker APX activity than that shown by WT plants. Additionally, the declined values of Pn, Fv/Fm, oxidisable P700, and D1 protein content of PSII in AS lines were significant. Furthermore, the effect on xanthophyll cycle of AS plants was more severe than that on WT plants, and the ratio of zeaxanthin (Z)/(V + A + Z) and (Z + 0.5 A)/(V + A + Z) in AS lines was lower than that in WT plants. In spite of chilling stress, under Pseudomonas syringae pv.tomato (Pst) DC3000 strain infection, AS plants showed lesser bacterial cell growth and dead cells than those shown by WT plants. This finding indicated that AS plants demonstrated stronger resistance against pathogenic infection. Results suggest that SlGGP-LIKE gene played an important role in plant defence against chilling stress and pathogenic infection.

Overexpression of tomato SlGGP-LIKE gene improves tobacco tolerance to methyl viologen-mediated oxidative stress

Ascorbate (AsA) is very important in scavenging reactive oxygen species in plants. AsA can reduce photoinhibition by xanthophyll cycle to dissipate excess excitation energy. GGP is an important enzyme in AsA biosynthesis pathway in higher plants. In this study, we cloned a gene, SlGGP-LIKE, that has the same function but different sequence compared with SlGGP. The function of SlGGP-LIKE gene in response to oxidative stress was investigated using transgenic tobacco plants overexpressed SlGGP-LIKE under methyl viologen treatment. After oxidative stress treatment, transgenic tobacco lines exhibited higher levels of reduced AsA content and APX activity than WT plants. Under oxidative stress, transgenic tobacco plants accumulated less ROS and exhibited lower degrees of REC and MDA. Consequently, relatively higher levels of Pn, Fv/Fm, de-epoxidation status of xanthophyll cycle and D1 protein were maintained in transgenic tobacco plants. Hence, overexpression of SlGGP-LIKE gene enhances AsA biosynthesis and can alleviate the photoinhibition of PSII under oxidative stress.

Co-translational assembly of protein complexes

The interaction of biological macromolecules is a fundamental attribute of cellular life. Proteins, in particular, often form stable complexes with one another. Although the importance of protein complexes is widely recognized, we still have only a very limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying their assembly within cells. In this article, we review the available evidence for one such mechanism, namely the coupling of protein complex assembly to translation at the polysome. We discuss research showing that co-translational assembly can occur in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and can have important implications for the correct functioning of the complexes that result. Co-translational assembly can occur for both homomeric and heteromeric protein complexes and for both proteins that are translated directly into the cytoplasm and those that are translated into or across membranes. Finally, we discuss the properties of proteins that are most likely to be associated with co-translational assembly.

A Nucleus-Encoded Chloroplast Protein YL1 Is Involved in Chloroplast Development and Efficient Biogenesis of Chloroplast ATP Synthase in Rice

Chloroplast ATP synthase (cpATPase) is an importance thylakoid membrane-associated photosynthetic complex involved in the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. In this study, we isolated and characterized a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant yellow leaf 1 (yl1), which exhibits chlorotic leaves throughout developmental stages. The YL1 mutation showed reduced chlorophyll contents, abnormal chloroplast morphology, and decreased photochemical efficiency. Moreover, YL1 deficiency disrupts the expression of genes associated with chloroplast development and photosynthesis. Molecular and genetic analyses revealed that YL1 is a nucleus-encoded protein with a predicted transmembrane domain in its carboxyl-terminus that is conserved in the higher plant kingdom. YL1 localizes to chloroplasts and is preferentially expressed in green tissues containing chloroplasts. Immunoblot analyses showed that inactivation of YL1 leads to drastically reduced accumulation of AtpA (α) and AtpB (β), two core subunits of CF₁αβ subcomplex of cpATPase, meanwhile, a severe decrease (ca. 41.7%) in cpATPase activity was observed in the yl1-1 mutant compared with the wild type. Furthermore, yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays revealed a specific interaction between YL1 and AtpB subunit of cpATPase. Taken together, our results suggest that YL1 is a plant lineage-specific auxiliary factor involved in the biogenesis of the cpATPase complex, possibly via interacting with the β-subunit.

Revisiting the photosystem II repair cycle

The ability of photosystem (PS) II to catalyze the light-driven oxidation of water comes along with its vulnerability to oxidative damage, in particular of the D1 core subunit. Photodamaged PSII undergoes repair in a multi-step process involving (i) reversible phosphorylation of PSII core subunits; (ii) monomerization and lateral migration of the PSII core from grana to stroma thylakoids; (iii) partial disassembly of PSII; (iv) proteolytic degradation of damaged D1; (v) replacement of damaged D1 protein with a new copy; (vi) reassembly of PSII monomers and migration back to grana thylakoids for dimerization and supercomplex assembly. Here we review the current knowledge on the PSII repair cycle.

Functional relationship between mTERF4 and GUN1 in retrograde signaling

Plastid-to-nucleus retrograde signaling plays an important role in regulating the expression of photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes (PhANGs) in accordance with physiological demands on chloroplast biogenesis and function. Despite its fundamental importance, little is known about the molecular nature of the plastid gene expression (PGE)-dependent type of retrograde signaling. PGE is a multifaceted process, and several factors, including pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins, are involved in its regulation. The PPR protein GUN1 plays a central role in PGE-dependent retrograde signaling. In this study, we isolated a mutant exhibiting up-regulation of CHLOROPHYLL A/B-BINDING PROTEIN (CAB) under normal growth conditions (named coe1 for CAB overexpression 1). The coe1 mutant has a single-base mutation in the gene for mitochondrial transcription termination factor 4 (mTERF4)/BSM/RUG2, which plays a role in regulating the processing of certain plastid transcripts. Defects in GUN1 or mTERF4 de-repressed the expression of specific plastid mRNAs in the presence of lincomycin (LIN). In wild-type plants, treatment with LIN or spectinomycin (SPE) inhibited processing of plastid transcripts. Comparative analysis revealed that in gun1 and coe1/mterf4, but not in wild-type, gun4, or gun5 plants, the processing of plastid transcripts and expression levels of Lhcb1 mRNA were affected in opposite ways when plants were grown in the presence of LIN or SPE. In addition, the coe1 mutation affected the intracellular accumulation and distribution of GUN1, as well as its plastid signaling activity. Taken together, these results suggest that GUN1 and COE1 cooperate in PGE and retrograde signaling.

Photoactivation: The Light-Driven Assembly of the Water Oxidation Complex of Photosystem II

Photosynthetic water oxidation is catalyzed by the Mn4CaO5 cluster of photosystem II. The assembly of the Mn4O5Ca requires light and involves a sequential process called photoactivation. This process harnesses the charge-separation of the photochemical reaction center and the coordination environment provided by the amino acid side chains of the protein to oxidize and organize the incoming manganese ions to form the oxo-bridged metal cluster capable of H2O-oxidation. Although most aspects of this assembly process remain poorly understood, recent advances in the elucidation of the crystal structure of the fully assembled cyanobacterial PSII complex help in the interpretation of the rich history of experiments designed to understand this process. Moreover, recent insights on the structure and stability of the constituent ions of the Mn4CaO5 cluster may guide future experiments. Here we consider the literature and suggest possible models of assembly including one involving single Mn(2+) oxidation site for all Mn but requiring ion relocation.

The Role of Slr0151, a Tetratricopeptide Repeat Protein from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, during Photosystem II Assembly and Repair

The assembly and repair of photosystem II (PSII) is facilitated by a variety of assembly factors. Among those, the tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) protein Slr0151 from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (hereafter Synechocystis) has previously been assigned a repair function under high light conditions (Yang et al., 2014). Here, we show that inactivation of slr0151 affects thylakoid membrane ultrastructure even under normal light conditions. Moreover, the level and localization of Slr0151 are affected in a variety of PSII-related mutants. In particular, the data suggest a close functional relationship between Slr0151 and Sll0933, which interacts with Ycf48 during PSII assembly and is homologous to PAM68 in Arabidopsis thaliana. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed a punctate distribution of Slr0151 within several different membrane types in Synechocystis cells.

The stay-green phenotype of wheat mutant tasg1 is associated with altered cytokinin metabolism

By measuring the cytokinin content directly and testing the sensitivity to the cytokinin inhibitor lovastatin, we demonstrated that tasg1 cytokinin metabolism is different from wild-type. Our previous studies have indicated that compared with wild-type (WT) plants, a wheat stay-green mutant tasg1 exhibited delayed senescence. In this study, we found that the root development of tasg1 occurred later than that of WT. The number of lateral roots was fewer, but the lateral root length was longer in tasg1 than in WT, which resulted in a lower root to shoot ratio in tasg1 than WT. The levels of cytokinin (CK), CK activity, and expression of CK metabolic genes were measured. We found that the total CK content in the root tips and leaf of tasg1 was greater than in WT. The accumulation of mRNA of the CK synthetic gene (TaIPT) in tasg1 was higher than in WT at 9 and 11 days during seedling growth, but the expression of CK oxidase gene (TaCKX) was significantly lower in tasg1. Furthermore, the CK inhibitor lovastatin was used to inhibit CK activity. When treated with lovastatin, both the chlorophyll content and thylakoid membrane protein stability were significantly lower in tasg1 than WT, consistent with the inhibited expression of senescence-associated genes (TaSAGs) in tasg1. Lovastatin treatment also inhibited the antioxidative capability of wheat seedlings, and tasg1 was more sensitive to lovastatin than WT, as indicated by the MDA content, protein carbonylation, and antioxidant enzyme activity. The decreased antioxidative capability after lovastatin treatment may be related to the down-regulation of some antioxidase genes. These results suggest that the CK metabolism was altered in tasg1, which may play an important role in its ability to delay senescence.

Spring Ephemerals Adapt to Extremely High Light Conditions via an Unusual Stabilization of Photosystem II

Ephemerals, widely distributed in the Gobi desert, have developed significant characteristics to sustain high photosynthetic efficiency under high light (HL) conditions. Since the light reaction is the basis for photosynthetic conversion of solar energy to chemical energy, the photosynthetic performances in thylakoid membrane of the spring ephemerals in response to HL were studied. Three plant species, namely two C3 spring ephemeral species of Cruciferae: Arabidopsis pumila (A. pumila) and Sisymbrium altissimum (S. altissimum), and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) were chosen for the study. The ephemeral A. pumila, which is genetically close to A. thaliana and ecologically in the same habitat as S. altissimum, was used to avoid complications arising from the superficial differences resulted from comparing plants from two extremely contrasting ecological groups. The findings manifested that the ephemerals showed significantly enhanced activities of photosystem (PS) II under HL conditions, while the activities of PSII in A. thaliana were markedly decreased under the same conditions. Detailed analyses of the electron transport processes revealed that the increased plastoquinone pool oxidization, together with the enhanced PSI activities, ensured a lowered excitation pressure to PSII of both ephemerals, and thus facilitated the photosynthetic control to avoid photodamage to PSII. The analysis of the reaction centers of the PSs, both in terms of D1 protein turnover kinetics and the long-term adaptation, revealed that the unusually stable PSs structure provided the basis for the ephemerals to carry out high photosynthetic performances. It is proposed that the characteristic photosynthetic performances of ephemerals were resulted from effects of the long-term adaptation to the harsh environments.

Within-Leaf Nitrogen Allocation in Adaptation to Low Nitrogen Supply in Maize during Grain-Filling Stage

Nitrogen (N) plays a vital role in photosynthesis and crop productivity. Maize plants may be able to increase physiological N utilization efficiency (NUtE) under low-N stress by increasing photosynthetic rate (P n) per unit leaf N, that is, photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE). In this study, we analyzed the relationship between PNUE and N allocation in maize ear-leaves during the grain-filling stage under low N (no N application) and high N (180 kg N ha(-1)) in a 2-year field experiment. Under low N, grain yield decreased while NUtE increased. Low-N treatment reduced the specific N content of ear leaves by 38% without significant influencing P n, thereby increasing PNUE by 54%. Under low-N stress, maize plants tended to invest relatively more N into bioenergetics to sustain electron transport. In contrast, N allocated to chlorophyll and light-harvesting proteins was reduced to control excess electron production. Soluble proteins were reduced to shrink the N storage reservoir. We conclude that optimization of N allocation within leaves is a key adaptive mechanism to maximize P n and crop productivity when N is limited during the grain-filling stage in maize under low-N conditions.

In vitro reconstitution of co-translational D1 insertion reveals a role of the cpSec-Alb3 translocase and Vipp1 in photosystem II biogenesis

Photosystem II (PS II) is a multi-subunit complex localized in the thylakoid membrane that performs the light-dependent photosynthetic charge separation. The PS II reaction centre comprises, among others, the D1 protein. De novo synthesis and repair of PS II require efficient mechanisms for transport and insertion of plastid encoded D1 into the thylakoid membrane. To elucidate the process of D1 insertion, we used an in vitro translation system derived from pea chloroplasts to reconstitute the D1 insertion. Thereby, truncated D1 encoding psbA mRNAs lacking a stop codon were translated in the presence of thylakoid membranes and the translation was stalled by addition of chloramphenicol. The generated ribosome nascent chain complexes (RNCs) were tightly associated with the thylakoids. Subsequently, these D1 insertion intermediates were enriched from solubilized thylakoids by sucrose cushion centrifugation. Immunological analyses demonstrated the presence of the cpSec translocase, Alb3, cpFtsY, cpSRP54 and Vipp1 (vesicle-inducing protein in plastids 1) in the enriched D1 insertion intermediates. A complex formation between cpSecY, Alb3, cpFtsY and Vipp1 in thylakoid membranes was shown by gel filtration chromatography, BN (Blue Native)/SDS-PAGE and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Furthermore, a stimulating effect of recombinant Vipp1 on the formation of a D1 insertion intermediate was observed in vitro. These results suggest a co-operative function of these proteins in D1 insertion.

Ribosome nascent chain complexes of the chloroplast-encoded cytochrome b6 thylakoid membrane protein interact with cpSRP54 but not with cpSecY

We analysed the interplay between the cpSecY, cpSRP54 and the chloroplast-encoded cytochrome b6 via isolation of chloroplast ribosome nascent chain complexes and the use of cross-linking factors, antibodies and mass spectroscopy analyses. We showed that the cytochrome b6 nascent polypeptide complex is tightly associated with ribosomes and that the translation of cytochrome b6 was discontinuous. The causes of ribosome pausing and the functional significance of this phenomenon may be related to proper protein folding, insertion into thylakoid membranes and the association of cofactors during this process. It was also found that cpSecY was not in the vicinity of cytochrome b6 intermediates during the elongation process and does not act with mature cytochrome b6 after translation. Using the approach of cross-linking during elongation of the cytochrome b6 protein, we showed that cpSRP54 interacts strongly with the elongating nascent chain.

Translational regulation in chloroplasts for development and homeostasis

Chloroplast genomes encode 100-200 proteins which function in photosynthesis, the organellar genetic system, and other pathways and processes. These proteins are synthesized by a complete translation system within the chloroplast, with bacterial-type ribosomes and translation factors. Here, we review translational regulation in chloroplasts, focusing on changes in translation rates which occur in response to requirements for proteins encoded by the chloroplast genome for development and homeostasis. In addition, we delineate the developmental and physiological contexts and model organisms in which translational regulation in chloroplasts has been studied. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chloroplast biogenesis.

Calcium contributes to photoprotection and repair of photosystem II in peanut leaves during heat and high irradiance

In this study, we investigated the effects of exogenous calcium nitrate on photoinhibition and thylakoid protein level in peanut plants under heat (40°C) and high irradiance (HI) (1,200 µmol/m(2) per s) stress. Compared with control seedlings (cultivated in 0 mmol/L Ca(NO3 )2 medium), the maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) in Ca(2+) -treated plants showed a slight decrease after 5 h stress, accompanied by lower degree of PSII closure (1-qP), higher non-photochemical quenching, and lower level of membrane damage. Ca(2+) inhibitors were used to analyze the varieties of antioxidant enzymes activity and PSII proteins. These results indicated that Ca(2+) could protect the subunits of PSII reaction centers from photoinhibition by reducing the generation of reactive oxygen species. In the presence of both ethyleneglycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-tetraacetic acid and ascorbic acid (AsA), the net degradation of the damaged D1 protein was faster than that only treated with AsA. Our previous study showed that either the transcriptional or the translational level of calmodulin was obviously higher in Ca(2+) -treated plants. These results suggested that, under heat and HI stress, the Ca(2+) signal transduction pathway can alleviate the photoinhibition through regulating the protein repair process besides an enhanced capacity for scavenging reactive oxygen species.

An R2R3-MYB gene, LeAN2, positively regulated the thermo-tolerance in transgenic tomato

LeAN2 is an anthocyanin-associated R2R3-MYB transcription factor, but little is known about its function in imparting thermo-tolerance to higher plants. To examine the function of LeAN2 in the regulation of heat stress in tomato, LeAN2 was isolated and transgenic tomato plants were obtained. Overexpression of LeAN2 under the control of the CaMV35S promoter in tomato induced the up-regulation of several structural genes in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway as well as anthocyanin accumulation in transgenic tomato plants. Transgenic tomato plants showed enhanced tolerance to heat stress by maintaining higher fresh weight (FW), net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) (Fv/Fm) compared with wild-type (WT) plants. Furthermore, transgenic plants showed higher non-enzymatic antioxidant activity, lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and higher contents of D1 protein than that in WT plants under heat stress. These results indicate that LeAN2 had an important function in heat stress resistance.

Photosystem II repair in plant chloroplasts--Regulation, assisting proteins and shared components with photosystem II biogenesis

Photosystem (PS) II is a multisubunit thylakoid membrane pigment-protein complex responsible for light-driven oxidation of water and reduction of plastoquinone. Currently more than 40 proteins are known to associate with PSII, either stably or transiently. The inherent feature of the PSII complex is its vulnerability in light, with the damage mainly targeted to one of its core proteins, the D1 protein. The repair of the damaged D1 protein, i.e. the repair cycle of PSII, initiates in the grana stacks where the damage generally takes place, but subsequently continues in non-appressed thylakoid domains, where many steps are common for both the repair and de novo assembly of PSII. The sequence of the (re)assembly steps of genuine PSII subunits is relatively well-characterized in higher plants. A number of novel findings have shed light into the regulation mechanisms of lateral migration of PSII subcomplexes and the repair as well as the (re)assembly of the complex. Besides the utmost importance of the PSII repair cycle for the maintenance of PSII functionality, recent research has pointed out that the maintenance of PSI is closely dependent on regulation of the PSII repair cycle. This review focuses on the current knowledge of regulation of the repair cycle of PSII in higher plant chloroplasts. Particular emphasis is paid on sequential assembly steps of PSII and the function of the number of PSII auxiliary proteins involved both in the biogenesis and repair of PSII. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chloroplast Biogenesis.

The PsbS protein plays important roles in photosystem II supercomplex remodeling under elevated light conditions

Leaves from three different Arabidopsis lines with different expression levels of PsbS protein showed different levels of non-photochemical quenching. The PsbS deficient plant npq4 showed remarkable reduction of electron transport rate, while the other two lines with a moderate amount (wild type) or an overexpression of PsbS (L17) presented unchanged electron transport rates under the same range of high light intensities. Biochemical investigation revealed that the plant with the highest PsbS content (L17) sustained the highest level of stable PSII-LHCII supercomplex structure, and displayed the smallest fluorescence quenching in the thylakoid membranes, the most efficient linear electron transport and the smallest cyclic electron transport. Based on these observations, it is proposed that the remodeling of PSII-LHCII supercomplexes affected by PsbS plays important roles in regulating the energy balance in thylakoid membrane and in ensuring the sophisticated coordination between energy excitation and dissipation.

Overexpression of the Maize psbA Gene Enhances Drought Tolerance Through Regulating Antioxidant System, Photosynthetic Capability, and Stress Defense Gene Expression in Tobacco

The psbA (encoding D1 protein) plays an important role in protecting photosystem II (PSII) from oxidative damage in higher plants. In our previous study, the role of the psbA from maize (Zea mays. L) in response to SO2 stress was characterized. To date, information about the involvement of the psbA gene in drought response is scarce. Here we found that overexpression (OE) of ZmpsbA showed increased D1 protein abundance and enhanced drought stress tolerance in tobacco. The drought-tolerant phenotypes of the OE lines were accompanied by increases of key antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, and POD activities, but decreases of hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and ion leakage. Further investigation showed that the OE plants had much less reductions than the wild-type in the net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) during drought stress; indicating that OE of ZmpsbA may alleviate photosynthesis inhibition during drought. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that there was significantly increased expression of NtLEA5, NtERD10C, NtAREB, and NtCDPK2 in ZmpsbA-OE lines. Together, our results indicate that ZmpsbA improves drought tolerance in tobacco possibly by alleviating photosynthesis reduction, reducing reactive oxygen species accumulation and membrane damage, and modulating stress defense gene expression. ZmpsbA could be exploited for engineering drought-tolerant plants in molecular breeding of crops.

Posttranslational modifications of FERREDOXIN-NADP+ OXIDOREDUCTASE in Arabidopsis chloroplasts

Rapid responses of chloroplast metabolism and adjustments to photosynthetic machinery are of utmost importance for plants' survival in a fluctuating environment. These changes may be achieved through posttranslational modifications of proteins, which are known to affect the activity, interactions, and localization of proteins. Recent studies have accumulated evidence about the crucial role of a multitude of modifications, including acetylation, methylation, and glycosylation, in the regulation of chloroplast proteins. Both of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaf-type FERREDOXIN-NADP(+) OXIDOREDUCTASE (FNR) isoforms, the key enzymes linking the light reactions of photosynthesis to carbon assimilation, exist as two distinct forms with different isoelectric points. We show that both AtFNR isoforms contain multiple alternative amino termini and undergo light-responsive addition of an acetyl group to the α-amino group of the amino-terminal amino acid of proteins, which causes the change in isoelectric point. Both isoforms were also found to contain acetylation of a conserved lysine residue near the active site, while no evidence for in vivo phosphorylation or glycosylation was detected. The dynamic, multilayer regulation of AtFNR exemplifies the complex regulatory network systems controlling chloroplast proteins by a range of posttranslational modifications, which continues to emerge as a novel area within photosynthesis research.

Overexpression of tomato GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase gene in tobacco improves tolerance to chilling stress

KEY MESSAGE

The overexpression of tomato GDP- l -galactose phosphorylase gene enhanced tolerance to chilling stress and reduced photoinhibition of photosystems I and II in transgenic tobacco. Chilling stress is a crucial factor that limits the geographical distribution and yield of chilling-sensitive plants. Ascorbate (AsA) protects plants by scavenging reactive oxygen species and reduces photoinhibition by promoting the conversion of violaxanthin to zeaxanthin in the xanthophyll cycle to dissipate excess excitation energy. Possible mechanisms of AsA for plant photoprotection under chilling stress were investigated by isolating the tomato GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase gene (SlGGP) and producing transgenic tobacco plants with overexpression of SlGGP. The transgenic plants subjected to chilling stress accumulated less H(2)O(2), demonstrated lower levels of ion leakage and malondialdehyde, and acquired higher net photosynthetic rate, higher maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, and higher D1 protein content compared with the wild-type (WT) plants. The transgenic plants subjected to chilling stress also showed higher GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase activity, increased AsA content as well as ascorbate peroxidase and oxidizable P700 activities than WT plants. Thus, SlGGP overexpression is crucial in promoting AsA synthesis and alleviating photoinhibition of two photosystems.

Overexpression of tomato chloroplast-targeted DnaJ protein enhances tolerance to drought stress and resistance to Pseudomonas solanacearum in transgenic tobacco

DnaJ proteins as co-chaperones have critical functions in biotic and abiotic stress responses, but their biological functions remain largely uninvestigated. This study investigates the function of a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) chloroplast-targeted DnaJ protein (LeCDJ2) using transgenic tobacco. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that LeCDJ2 expression was triggered by salicylic acid (SA), drought and pathogen attack. Ectopic expression of LeCDJ2 in transgenic tobacco reduced the accumulation of superoxide anion radical (O2(-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) under drought stress. Compared with Vec plants, the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) (Fv/Fm), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), and content of D1 protein were relatively higher in transgenic plants. The transgenic plants showes better growth, higher chlorophyll content, lower malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and relative electrolyte leakage (REL) under drought stress. In addition, overexpression of LeCDJ2 improved the resistance to the pathogen Pseudomonas solanacearum in transgenic tobacco. These results indicate that overexpression of a tomato chloroplast-targeted DnaJ gene enhances tolerance to drought stress and resistance to P. solanacearum in transgenic tobacco.

Overexpression of monoubiquitin improves photosynthesis in transgenic tobacco plants following high temperature stress

The ubiquitin/26S proteasome system (Ub/26S) is implicated in abiotic stress responses in plants. In this paper, transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing Ta-Ub2 from wheat were used to study the functions of Ub in the improvement of photosynthesis under high temperature (45°C) stress. We observed higher levels of Ub conjugates in transgenic plants under high temperature stress conditions compared to wild type (WT) as a result of the constitutive overexpression of Ta-Ub2, suggesting increased protein degradation by the 26S proteasome system under high temperature stress. Overexpressing Ub increased the photosynthetic rate (Pn) of transgenic tobacco plants, consistent with the improved ATPase activity in the thylakoid membrane and enhanced efficiency of PSII photochemistry. The higher D1 protein levels following high temperature stress in transgenic plants than WT were also observed. These findings imply that Ub may be involved in tolerance of photosynthesis to high temperature stress in plants. Compared with WT, the transgenic plants showed lower protein carbonylation and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, less reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, but higher antioxidant enzyme activity under high temperature stress. These findings suggest that the improved antioxidant capacity of transgenic plants may be one of the most important mechanisms underlying Ub-regulated high temperature tolerance.