The role of chlorophyll b in photosynthesis: hypothesis

Application of fertilizers improves cadmium phytoextraction efficiency of Nasturtium officinale R.Br. grown in cadmium-contaminated water

Increasing toxic metal pollution in the aquatic ecosystem since the industrial revolution produces serious environmental challenges and has raised critical questions of ecological and human health implications. As a typical aquatic plant, Nasturtium officinale (N. officinale) has drawn significant attention due to its remarkable accumulation of heavy metals and other harmful substances from polluted water. The aim of this study is to investigate the cadmium (Cd) absorption capacity of N. officinale under different treatment conditions of Cd exposure and fertilizer application. Our experiments focused on the rapid Cd uptake by N. officinale over a concise 14-day duration. Results revealed that exogenous Cd introduction, either alone or combined with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers (0.5, 1, and 2 ppm), exerted a profound influence on various attributes of N. officinale. Cd absorption exhibited a wide range, spanning from 0.01 mg/L to a significant 2.23 mg/L. Notably, the lowest Cd accumulation occurred at 2 ppm, while the highest was observed at 0.5 ppm in conjunction with NPK fertilizer. Furthermore, individual applications of N, P, and K fertilizers at varying concentrations consistently promoted plant height, albeit at the cost of declining fresh biomass under Cd treatment. In summary, these findings underscore the potential of N. officinale as a Cd hyper-accumulator, emphasizing the necessity for caution when consuming this plant from industrially polluted waters. This research enhances our understanding of environmental pollution in aquatic ecosystems and offers valuable insights into tackling the ecological and health challenges posed by heavy metal contamination. The study showed that N. officinale is a promising, eco-friendly solution for removing Cd from water, with effective absorption and accumulation capabilities. The process is further optimized and made more cost-effective with the addition of low concentrations of NPK fertilizer.

Tomato biodiversity reveals landrace enhanced drought-adaptive strategy

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a major crop in the Mediterranean basin, vulnerable to drought at any crop stage. Landraces are traditional, locally adapted varieties with greater resilience to water scarcity than modern cultivars. This study compares the responses of Ciettaicale (CE), a tomato landrace, with Moneymaker (MM), a commercial variety, to controlled soil water deficit at early vegetative stage using biometric, physiological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. Our data highlighted that CE copes better with prolonged and severe drought stress, activating distinct response mechanism. CE sustained higher root water content, and root-to-shoot biomass ratio under drought compared to MM, which may be related to their phytohormones balance. Although pigment responses to drought did not differ markedly, the main ratios revealed different defense mechanisms. Both genotypes showed opposite trends in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and actual photon yield of PSII photochemistry under drought stress, with increasing NPQ while decreasing PSII electron transport rate and CO2 uptake capacity. However, differences in substomatal CO2 concentration indicated that drought mainly limits photosynthesis through diffusive resistances in CE and metabolic impairment in MM. Changes in antioxidant redox status and activities highlighted the CE ability to activate cellular processes to partially control oxidative stress and to induce a drought acclimation. Multicanonical analysis revealed clear genotype separation along the drought gradient, except for CE, which showed complex drought response and introgression of tolerance traits, particularly under moderate stress. Utilizing such genotypes can significantly improve horticultural production under drought conditions.

Computing the Relative Affinity of Chlorophylls a and b to Light-Harvesting Complex II

In plants and algae, the primary antenna protein bound to photosystem II is light-harvesting complex II (LHCII), a pigment-protein complex that binds eight chlorophyll (Chl) a molecules and six Chl b molecules. Chl a and Chl b differ only in that Chl a has a methyl group (-CH3) on one of its pyrrole rings, while Chl b has a formyl group (-CHO) at that position. This blue-shifts the Chl b absorbance relative to Chl a. It is not known how the protein selectively binds the right Chl type at each site. Knowing the selection criteria would allow the design of light-harvesting complexes that bind different Chl types, modifying an organism to utilize the light of different wavelengths. The difference in the binding affinity of Chl a and Chl b in pea and spinach LHCII was calculated using multiconformation continuum electrostatics and free energy perturbation. Both methods have identified some Chl sites where the bound Chl type (a or b) has a significantly higher affinity, especially when the protein provides a hydrogen bond for the Chl b formyl group. However, the Chl a sites often have little calculated preference for one Chl type, so they are predicted to bind a mixture of Chl a and b. The electron density of the spinach LHCII was reanalyzed, which, however, confirmed that there is negligible Chl b in the Chl a-binding sites. It is suggested that the protein chooses the correct Chl type during folding, segregating the preferred Chl to the correct binding site.

Diversity and negative effect of PM0.3-10.0 adsorbed by needles of urban trees in Irkutsk, Russia

The study was performed in natural forests preserved within the Boreal zone city, Irkutsk, Russia. Test sites were selected in the forests in different districts of the city, where samples of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) needles were taken to study the adsorption on their surface of aerosol particles of different sizes, in microns: PM0.3, PM0.5, PM1, PM2.5, PM5, PM10. Scanning electron microscopy was used to obtain high-resolution photographs (magnification 800- × 2000, × 16,000) and aerosol particles (particulate matter-PM) were shown to be intensively adsorbed by the surface of needles, with both size and shape of the particles characterized by a wide variety. Pine needles can be covered with particles of solid aerosol by 50-75%, stomata are often completely blocked. Larch needles often show areas, which are completely covered with aerosol particles, there are often found stomata deformed by the penetration of PMx. X-ray spectral microanalysis showed differences in the chemical composition of adsorbed PMx, the particles can be metallic if metals predominate in their composition, carbonaceous-in case of carbon predominance-or polyelemental if the composition is complex and includes significant quantities of other elements besides metals and carbon (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, chlorine, fluorine). Since the particles contain a large proportion of technogenic pollutants, accumulation by the needles of some widespread pollutants was investigated. A direct correlation of a highly significant level between the concentration of PMx in the air and the accumulation of many heavy metals in pine and larch needles, as well as sulfur, fluorine, and chlorine, has been revealed, which indicates a high cleaning capacity of urban forests. At the same time, the negative impact of PMx particles on the vital status of trees is great, which shows in intense disturbance of the parameters of photosynthesis and transpiration, leading to a significant decrease in the growth characteristics of trees and reduction in the photosynthetic volume of the crowns. We consider that the results obtained are instrumental in developing an approach to improvement of urban forests status and creating a comfortable urban environment for the population.

Identification and physiological activity of (methoxymethyl)triphenylphosphonium chloride as a new phytotoxin isolated from Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 TB

Rhizoctonia solani as a cosmopolitan fungus is the causative agent of many crop diseases and leads to significant economic losses in crop production. To explore the toxin structure and physiological activity of R. solani AG-3 TB, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), infrared absorption spectrum (IR), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (NMR) were required. Here, the compound (methoxymethyl)triphenylphosphonium chloride (MMC) with the molecular formula C20H20ClOP was purified and identified from R. solani AG-3 TB. The pure compound MMC treated at 20 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, and 100 μg/mL can cause obvious necrosis on leaves, increase active oxygen species (AOS), decrease chlorophyll content, and damage cellular structure. The results enrich the understanding of toxin compounds for R. solani and provide valuable insights into the toxicology of R. solani AG-3 TB.

Increasing the Salt Stress Tolerance of Some Tomato Cultivars under the Influence of Growth Regulators

Areas with saline soils are in continuous expansion, and in this context, it is very important to find solutions that help plants adapt more easily to these stress conditions, and to identify the main physiological and biochemical mechanisms involved in determining a good adaptability of plants. Biostimulants could be a plausible solution. This study was conducted in 2021 at the IULS (Iasi University of Life Sciences) in Romania, under greenhouse conditions and the biological material consisted of four tomato varieties: Buzau, Elisabeta, Bacovia, and Lillagro. For the treatments, we used natrium chloride (NaCl) 120 mM and an Atonik biostimulant. Three treatments were applied at intervals of 14 days. The Atonik biostimulant was applied by foliar spray, and the saline solution was applied to the root system. We have gathered some observations on the growth and fruiting character of the tomato plants studied: the height of the stems, the number of flowers in the inflorescence, the number of fruits, and the weight of fruits. Chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments as well as proline amino acid from leaves were also measured. Observations were made 14 days after the application of each treatment. Quantitative determinations were made 14 days after the application of the third treatment. The findings of this study made it clear that the Atonik biostimulant presented a positive effect on the physiological processes observed in tomato plants grown under salt stress conditions.

Carbon assimilation and distribution in cotton photosynthetic organs is a limiting factor affecting boll weight formation under drought

Previous studies have documented cotton boll weight reductions under drought, but the relative importance of the subtending leaf, bracts and capsule wall in driving drought-induced reductions in boll mass has received limited attention. To investigate the role of carbon metabolism in driving organ-specific differences in contribution to boll weight formation, under drought conditions. Controlled experiments were carried out under soil relative water content (SRWC) (75 ± 5)% (well-watered conditions, control), (60 ± 5)% (moderate drought) and (45 ± 5)% (severe drought) in 2018 and 2019 with two cultivars Yuzaomian 9110 and Dexiamian 1. Under severe drought, the decreases of photosynthetic rate (Pn) and carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) were observed in the subtending leaf, bract and capsule wall, suggesting that carbon assimilation of three organs was restricted and the limitation was most pronounced in the subtending leaf. Changes in the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SuSy), invertases as well as the reduction in expression of sucrose transporter (GhSUT1) led to variabilities in the sucrose content of three organs. Moreover, photosynthate distribution from subtending leaf to seeds plus fibers (the components of boll weight) was significantly restricted and the photosynthetic contribution rate of subtending leaf to boll weight was decreased, while contributions of bracts and capsule wall were increased by drought. This, in conjunction with the observed decreases in boll weight, indicated that the subtending leaf was the most sensitive photosynthetic organ to drought and was a dominant driver of boll weight loss under drought. Therefore, the subtending leaf governs boll weight loss under drought due to limitations in carbon assimilation, perturbations in sucrose metabolism and inhibition of sucrose transport.

OsbHLHq11, the Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor, Involved in Regulation of Chlorophyll Content in Rice

Photosynthesis is an important factor in determining the yield of rice. In particular, the size and efficiency of the photosynthetic system after the heading has a great impact on the yield. Research related to high-efficiency photosynthesis is essential to meet the growing demands of crops for the growing population. Chlorophyll is a key molecule in photosynthesis, a pigment that acts as an antenna to absorb light energy. Improvement of chlorophyll content characteristics has been emphasized in rice breeding for several decades. It is expected that an increase in chlorophyll content may increase photosynthetic efficiency, and understanding the genetic basis involved is important. In this study, we measured leaf color (CIELAB), chlorophyll content (SPAD), and chlorophyll fluorescence, and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was performed using 120 Cheongcheong/Nagdong double haploid (CNDH) line after the heading date. A major QTL related to chlorophyll content was detected in the RM26981-RM287 region of chromosome 11. OsbHLHq11 was finally selected through screening of genes related to chlorophyll content in the RM26981-RM287 region. The relative expression level of the gene of OsbHLHq11 was highly expressed in cultivars with low chlorophyll content, and is expected to have a similar function to BHLH62 of the Gramineae genus. OsbHLHq11 is expected to increase photosynthetic efficiency by being involved in the chlorophyll content, and is expected to be utilized as a new genetic resource for breeding high-yield rice.

Exogenous Melatonin Modulates Physiological Response to Nitrogen and Improves Yield in Nitrogen-Deficient Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.)

Melatonin (MT) is a key plant growth regulator. To investigate its effect at different growth stages on the yield of soybean under nitrogen deficiency, 100 μM MT was applied to soybean supplemented with zero nitrogen (0N), low nitrogen (LN), and control nitrogen (CK) levels, during the plant vegetative growth (V3) and filling (R5) stages. This study revealed that the application of MT mainly enhanced the nitrogen fixation of plants by increasing the root nodule number and provided more substrates for glutamine synthetase (GS) under 0N supply. However, under the LN supply, more ammonium was assimilated through the direct promotion of nitrate reductase (NR) activity by MT. MT enhanced the activity of ammonium-assimilation-related enzymes, such as GOGAT and GDH, and the expression of their coding genes, promoted the synthesis of chlorophyll and amino acids, and increased the photosynthetic capacity under nitrogen deficiency. Exogenous MT directly upregulated the expression of genes involved in the photosynthetic system and stimulated dry-matter accumulation. Thus, MT alleviated the inhibitory effect of nitrogen deficiency on soybean yield. This mitigation effect was better when MT was applied at the V3 stage, and the seed weight per plant increased by 16.69 and 12.20% at 0N and LN levels, respectively. The results of this study provide a new theoretical basis to apply MT in agriculture to improve the resilience of soybean plants to low nitrogen availability.

Roles of Exogenous α-Lipoic Acid and Cysteine in Mitigation of Drought Stress and Restoration of Grain Quality in Wheat

Cysteine (Cys) and α-lipoic acid (ALA) are naturally occurring antioxidants (sulfur-containing compounds) that can protect plants against a wide spectrum of environmental stresses. However, up to now, there are no conclusive data on their integrative roles in mitigation of drought stress in wheat plants. Here, we studied the influence of ALA at 0.02 mM (grain dipping pre-cultivation treatment) and Cys (25 and 50 ppm as a foliar application) under well watered and deficit irrigation (100% and 70% of recommended dose). The results showed that deficit irrigation markedly caused obvious cellular oxidative damage as indicated by elevating the malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide content (H₂O₂). Moreover, water stressed plants exhibited multiple changes in physiological metabolism, which affected the quantitative and qualitative variables of grain yield. The enzymatic antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) were improved by Cys application. SOD and APX had the same response when treated with ALA, but CAT and POX did not. Moreover, both studied molecules stimulated chlorophyll (Chl) and osmolytes' biosynthesis. In contrast, the Chl a/b ratio was decreased, while flavonoids were not affected by either of the examined molecules. Interestingly, all above-mentioned changes were associated with an improvement in the scavenging capacity of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leaf relative water content (RWC), grain number, total grain yield, weight of 1000 kernels, gluten index, falling number, and alveographic parameters (P, W, and P/L values). Furthermore, heatmap plot analysis revealed several significant correlations between different studied parameters, which may explore the importance of applied Cys and ALA as effective compounds in wheat cultivation under water deficit conditions.

A novel synthesis of a chlorophyll b-gold nanoconjugate used for enhancing photodynamic therapy: In vitro study

Chlorophyll, the essential green pigment in plants, is considered a promising natural photosensitizer (PS) for photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, it suffers from lower stability in the physiological conditions that depress its efficacy in the PDT. The combination of nanotechnology and PDT is becoming a promising approach to combat tumors. Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), for example, are proposed as suitable carriers that can increase chlorophyll stability when conjugating together. In the present work, the impact of Au NPs conjugation in enhancing Chlorophyll b (Chl b) efficiency in the PDT of cancer cells has been emphasized. A chemical method using a natural product synthesized a novel Chlorophyll b-gold nanoparticles nanoconjugate (Chl b-Au NCs). The synthesized Chl b-Au NCs were characterized via UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF), Zeta potential, Dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Chl b is characterized by a formyl group (CHO) which is absent in Chl a. This group leads to the formation of an electrostatic reaction between the positive charge of Chl b and the negative charge present on the surface of the gold nanoparticles. Moreover, Chlorophyll b loading on the biosynthesized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) increases its photostability. The efficiency of the PDT was then studied on the MCF7 and the HepG2 cells using this conjugation. As a result, the prepared Chl b-Au NCs showed low dark toxicity, excellent photostability under laser irradiation of wavelength 650 nm, in addition to a significantly high PDT efficacy against tumor cells in vitro. This is due to the enhanced cellular uptake and the high reactive oxygen species (ROS) production upon laser irradiation. Therefore, the designed Chl b-Au NCs could be a photo-therapeutic agent for enhancing cancer therapy in future applications.

Effect of plant growth promotion fungi on agricultural crops

Pot experiments with seven agricultural crops were carried out in laboratory conditions to study the effect of fungal strains on their growth and development: soybean (Glycine max), barley (Hordeum vulgare), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), rapeseed (Brassica napus), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia). Five fungal strains with biotechnologically valuable properties were used: P. bilaiae Pb14, P. bilaiae C11, T. pinophilus T14, Aspergillus sp. D1 and B. bassiana T7. Inoculation with fungal strains increased theshoot length of seedlings by 14-33%, the root length by 13-29%, the shoot dry weight by 12-31%, the root dry weight by 15-30% compared to the controls.The application of fungal strains had a stimulating effect on the photosynthetic activity of plants by increasing the content of chlorophyll in the leaves of seedlings. There was an increase in the content of chlorophyll a by 8-16%, chlorophyll b - by 9-17%.

Fine mapping of the QTL cqSPDA2 for chlorophyll content in Brassica napus L

BACKGROUND

Chlorophyll is the most important factor enabling plants to absorb, transfer and transform light energy and plays an important role in yield formation. Brassica napus is one of the most important oil crops. Breeding Brassica napus for high light efficiency by improving photosynthetic efficiency has considerable social and economic value. In Brassica napus, there have been studies of the initial location of chlorophyll in seed embryos and pericarps, but there are few reports on the fine mapping of chlorophyll QTLs. We constructed near-isogenic lines (NIL), fine-mapped a chlorophyll locus, and evaluated the effect of this dominant locus on agronomic traits.

RESULTS

The cqSPDA2 locus was mapped to an interval of 21.87-22.91 Mb on the chromosome A02 of Brassica napus using doubled haploid (DH) lines. To fine-map cqSPDA2, we built NIL and designed Indel primers covering the mapping interval. The 469 individuals in the BC₃F₂ population were analyzed using these indel primers. Among these indel primers, 15 could narrow the mapping interval to 188 kb between Indel3 and Indel15. Next, 16 indel primers and 19 SSR primers were designed within the new narrower mapping interval, and 5 of the primer-amplified fragments were found to be polymorphic and tightly linked to the cqSPDA2 locus in the BC₄F₂ population. The mapping interval was narrowed to 152 kb on A02 between SSR2 and Indel15. By gene expression analysis, we found three annotated genes in the mapping interval, including BnaA02g30260D, BnaA02g30290D and BnaA02g30310D, which may be responsible for chlorophyll synthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

The locus cqSPDA2, a dominant QTL for chlorophyll content in Brassica napus, was fine-mapped to a 21.89-22.04 Mb interval on A02_. Three annotated genes (BnaA02g30260D, BnaA02g30290D and BnaA02g30310D) that may be responsible for chlorophyll synthesis were found.

Spectral signatures of five hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a derivatives chemically derived from chlorophyll b or chlorophyll f

Chlorophylls (Chls) are pigments involved in light capture and light reactions in photosynthesis. Chl a, Chl b, Chl d, and Chl f are characterized by unique absorbance maxima in the blue (Soret) and red (Q_y) regions with Chl b, Chl d, and Chl f each possessing a single formyl group at a unique position. Relative to Chl a the Q_y absorbance maximum of Chl b is blue-shifted while Chl d and Chl f are red-shifted with the shifts attributable to the relative positions of the formyl substitutions. Reduction of a formyl group of Chl b to form 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a, or oxidation of the vinyl group of Chl a into a formyl group to form Chl d was achieved using sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) or β-mercaptoethanol (BME/O₂), respectively. During the consecutive reactions of Chl b and Chl f using a three-step procedure (1. NaBH₄, 2. BME/O₂, and 3. NaBH₄) two new 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a species were prepared possessing the 3-formyl or 3-hydroxymethyl groups and three new 2-hydroxymethyl Chl a species possessing the 3-vinyl, 3-formyl, or 3-hydroxymethyl groups, respectively. Identification of the spectral properties of 2-hydroxymethyl Chl a may be biologically significant for deducing the latter stages of Chl f biosynthesis if the mechanism parallels Chl b biosynthesis. The spectral features and chromatographic properties of these modified Chls are important for identifying potential intermediates in the biosynthesis of Chls such as Chl f and Chl d and for identification of any new Chls in nature.

Heterologous synthesis of chlorophyll b in Nannochloropsis salina enhances growth and lipid production by increasing photosynthetic efficiency

BACKGROUND

Chlorophylls play important roles in photosynthesis, and thus are critical for growth and related metabolic pathways in photosynthetic organisms. They are particularly important in microalgae, emerging as the next generation feedstock for biomass and biofuels. Nannochloropsis are industrial microalgae for these purposes, but are peculiar in that they lack accessory chlorophylls. In addition, the localization of heterologous proteins to the chloroplast of Nannochloropsis has not been fully studied, due to the secondary plastid surrounded by four membranes. This study addressed questions of correct localization and functional benefits of heterologous expression of chlorophyllide a oxygenase from Chlamydomonas (CrCAO) in Nannochloropsis.

RESULTS

We cloned CrCAO from Chlamydomonas, which catalyzes oxidation of Chla producing Chlb, and overexpressed it in N. salina to reveal effects of the heterologous Chlb for photosynthesis, growth, and lipid production. For correct localization of CrCAO into the secondary plastid in N. salina, we added the signal-recognition sequence and the transit peptide (cloned from an endogenous chloroplast-localized protein) to the N terminus of CrCAO. We obtained two transformants that expressed CrCAO and produced Chlb. They showed improved growth under medium light (90 μmol/m²/s) conditions, and their photosynthetic efficiency was increased compared to WT. They also showed increased expression of certain photosynthetic proteins, accompanied by an increased maximum electron-transfer rate up to 15.8% and quantum yields up to 17%, likely supporting the faster growth. This improved growth resulted in increased biomass production, and more importantly lipid productivity particularly with medium light.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated beneficial effects of heterologous expression of CrCAO in Chlb-less organism N. salina, where the newly produced Chlb enhanced photosynthesis and growth. Accordingly, transformants showed improved production of biomass and lipids, important traits of microalgae from the industrial perspectives. Our transformants are the first Nannochloropsis cells that produced Chlb in the whole evolutionary path. We also succeeded in delivering a heterologous protein into the secondary plastid for the first time in Nannochloropsis. Taken together, our data showed that manipulation of photosynthetic pigments, including Chlb, can be employed in genetic improvements of microalgae for production of biofuels and other biomaterials.

Chloroplast vesicle transport

Photosynthesis is a well-known process that has been intensively investigated, but less is known about the biogenesis of the thylakoid membrane that harbors the photosynthetic machinery. Thylakoid membranes are constituted by several components, the major ones being proteins and lipids. However, neither of these two are produced in the thylakoid membranes themselves but are targeted there by different mechanisms. The interior of the chloroplast, the stroma, is an aqueous compartment that prevents spontaneous transport of single lipids and/or membrane proteins due to their hydrophobicities. Thylakoid targeted proteins are encoded either in the nucleus or plastid, and thus some cross the envelope membrane before entering one of the identified thylakoid targeting pathways. However, the pathway for all thylakoid proteins is not known. Lipids are produced at the envelope membrane and have been proposed to reach the thylakoid membrane by different means: invaginations of the envelope membrane, direct contact sites between these membranes, or through vesicles. Vesicles have been observed in chloroplasts but not much is yet known about the mechanism or regulation of their formation. The question of whether proteins can also make use of vesicles as one mechanism of transport remains to be answered. Here we discuss the presence of vesicles in chloroplasts and their potential role in transporting lipids and proteins. We additionally discuss what is known about the proteins involved in the vesicle transport and the gaps in knowledge that remain to be filled.

Chlorophyll a/b binding-specificity in water-soluble chlorophyll protein

We altered the chlorophyll (Chl) binding sites in various versions of water-soluble chlorophyll protein (WSCP) by amino acid exchanges to alter their preferences for either Chl a or Chl b. WSCP is ideally suited for this mutational analysis since it forms a tetrameric complex with only four identical Chl binding sites. A loop of 4-6 amino acids is responsible for Chl a versus Chl b selectivity. We show that a single amino acid exchange within this loop changes the relative Chl a/b affinities by a factor of 40. We obtained crystal structures of this WSCP variant binding either Chl a or Chl b. The Chl binding sites in these structures were compared with those in the major light-harvesting complex (LHCII) of the photosynthetic apparatus in plants to search for similar structural features involved in Chl a/b binding specificity.

Selenite modulates the level of phenolics and nutrient element to alleviate the toxicity of arsenite in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Arsenic (As) contamination of paddy rice is a serious threat all over the world particularly in South East Asia. Selenium (Se) plays important role in protection of plants against various abiotic stresses including heavy metals. Moreover, arsenite (AsIII) and selenite (SeIV) can be biologically antagonistic due to similar electronic configuration and sharing the common transporter for their uptake in plant. In the present study, the response of oxidative stress, phenolic compounds and nutrient elements was analyzed to investigate Se mediated As tolerance in rice seedlings during AsIII and SeIV exposure in hydroponics. Selenite (25µM) significantly decreased As accumulation in plant than As (25µM) alone treated plants. Level of oxidative stress related parameters viz., reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, electrical conductivity, nitric oxide and pro-oxidant enzyme (NADPH oxidase), were in the order of As>As+Se>control>Se. Selenium ameliorated As phytotoxicity by increased level of phenolic compounds particularly gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid and rutin and thiol metabolism related enzymes viz., serine acetyl transferase (SAT) and cysteine synthase (CS). Selenium supplementation enhanced the uptake of nutrient elements viz., Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo, and improved plant growth. The results concluded that Se addition in As contaminated environment might be an important strategy to reduce As uptake and associated phytotoxicity in rice plant by modulation of phenolic compounds and increased uptake of nutrient elements.

3-Methylthiopropionic Acid of Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 and Its Role in the Pathogenicity of the Fungus

Studies were conducted to determine the role of 3-methylthioproprionic acid (MTPA) in the pathogenicity of potato stem canker, Rhizoctonia solani, and the concentrations required to inhibit growth of R. solani under laboratory and plant house-based conditions. The experiments were laid out in a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replications. The treatments were 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mM concentrations of MTPA. The purified toxin exhibited maximal activity at pH 2.5 and 30°C. MTPA at 1, 2, 4, and 8 mM levels reduced plant height, chlorophyll content, haulm fresh weight, number of stolons, canopy development, and tuber weight of potato plants, as compared to the control. MTPA significantly affected mycelial growth with 8 mM causing the highest infection. The potato seedlings treated with MTPA concentrations of 1.0-8.0 mM induced necrosis of up to 80% of root system area. Cankers were resulted from the injection of potato seedling stems with 8.0 mM MTPA. The results showed the disappearance of cell membrane, rough mitochondrial and cell walls, change of the shape of chloroplasts, and swollen endoplasmic reticulum. Seventy-six (76) hours after toxin treatment, cell contents were completely broken, cytoplasm dissolved, and more chromatin were seen in the nucleus. The results suggested that high levels of the toxin concentration caused cell membrane and cytoplasm fracture. The integrity of cellular structure was destroyed by the phytotoxin. The concentrations of the phytotoxin were significantly correlated with pathogenicity and caused damage to the cell membrane of potato stem base tissue.

Arabidopsis ANGULATA10 is required for thylakoid biogenesis and mesophyll development

The chloroplasts of land plants contain internal membrane systems, the thylakoids, which are arranged in stacks called grana. Because grana have not been found in Cyanobacteria, the evolutionary origin of genes controlling the structural and functional diversification of thylakoidal membranes in land plants remains unclear. The angulata10-1 (anu10-1) mutant, which exhibits pale-green rosettes, reduced growth, and deficient leaf lateral expansion, resulting in the presence of prominent marginal teeth, was isolated. Palisade cells in anu10-1 are larger and less packed than in the wild type, giving rise to large intercellular spaces. The ANU10 gene encodes a protein of unknown function that localizes to both chloroplasts and amyloplasts. In chloroplasts, ANU10 associates with thylakoidal membranes. Mutant anu10-1 chloroplasts accumulate H2O2, and have reduced levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids. Moreover, these chloroplasts are small and abnormally shaped, thylakoidal membranes are less abundant, and their grana are absent due to impaired thylakoid stacking in the anu10-1 mutant. Because the trimeric light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) has been reported to be required for thylakoid stacking, its levels were determined in anu10-1 thylakoids and they were found to be reduced. Together, the data point to a requirement for ANU10 for chloroplast and mesophyll development.

Proteins affecting thylakoid morphology - the key to understanding vesicle transport in chloroplasts?

We recently showed that a Rab protein, CPRabA5e (CP = chloroplast localized), is located in chloroplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana where it is involved in various processes, such as thylakoid biogenesis and vesicle transport. Using a yeast two-hybrid method, CPRabA5e was shown to interact with a number of chloroplast proteins, including the CURVATURE THYLAKOID 1A (CURT1A) protein and the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein (LHCB1.5). CURT1A has recently been shown to modify thylakoid architecture by inducing membrane curvature in grana, whereas LHCB1.5 is a protein of PSII (Photosystem II) facilitating light capture. LHCB1.5 is imported to chloroplasts and transported to thylakoid membranes using the post-translational Signal Recognition Particle (SRP) pathway. With this information as starting point, we here discuss their subsequent protein-protein interactions, given by the literature and Interactome 3D. CURT1A itself and several of the proteins interacting with CURT1A and LHCB1.5 have relations to vesicle transport and thylakoid morphology, which are also characteristics of cprabA5e mutants. This highlights the previous hypothesis of an alternative thylakoid targeting pathway for LHC proteins using vesicles, in addition to the SRP pathway.

The SCO2 protein disulphide isomerase is required for thylakoid biogenesis and interacts with LHCB1 chlorophyll a/b binding proteins which affects chlorophyll biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seedlings

The process of chloroplast biogenesis requires a multitude of pathways and processes to establish chloroplast function. In cotyledons of seedlings, chloroplasts develop either directly from proplastids (also named eoplasts) or, if germinated in the dark, via etioplasts, whereas in leaves chloroplasts derive from proplastids in the apical meristem and are then multiplied by division. The snowy cotyledon 2, sco2, mutations specifically disrupt chloroplast biogenesis in cotyledons. SCO2 encodes a chloroplast-localized protein disulphide isomerase, hypothesized to be involved in protein folding. Analysis of co-expressed genes with SCO2 revealed that genes with similar expression patterns encode chloroplast proteins involved in protein translation and in chlorophyll biosynthesis. Indeed, sco2-1 accumulates increased levels of the chlorophyll precursor, protochlorophyllide, in both dark grown cotyledons and leaves. Yeast two-hybrid analyses demonstrated that SCO2 directly interacts with the chlorophyll-binding LHCB1 proteins, being confirmed in planta using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BIFC). Furthermore, ultrastructural analysis of sco2-1 chloroplasts revealed that formation and movement of transport vesicles from the inner envelope to the thylakoids is perturbed. SCO2 does not interact with the signal recognition particle proteins SRP54 and FtsY, which were shown to be involved in targeting of LHCB1 to the thylakoids. We hypothesize that SCO2 provides an alternative targeting pathway for light-harvesting chlorophyll binding (LHCB) proteins to the thylakoids via transport vesicles predominantly in cotyledons, with the signal recognition particle (SRP) pathway predominant in rosette leaves. Therefore, we propose that SCO2 is involved in the integration of LHCB1 proteins into the thylakoids that feeds back on the regulation of the tetrapyrrole biosynthetic pathway and nuclear gene expression.

Chlorophylls, ligands and assembly of light-harvesting complexes in chloroplasts

Chlorophyll (Chl) b serves an essential function in accumulation of light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) in plants. In this article, this role of Chl b is explored by considering the properties of Chls and the ligands with which they interact in the complexes. The overall properties of the Chls, not only their spectral features, are altered as consequences of chemical modifications on the periphery of the molecules. Important modifications are introduction of oxygen atoms at specific locations and reduction or desaturation of sidechains. These modifications influence formation of coordination bonds by which the central Mg atom, the Lewis acid, of Chl molecules interacts with amino acid sidechains, as the Lewis base, in proteins. Chl a is a versatile Lewis acid and interacts principally with imidazole groups but also with sidechain amides and water. The 7-formyl group on Chl b withdraws electron density toward the periphery of the molecule and consequently the positive Mg is less shielded by the molecular electron cloud than in Chl a. Chl b thus tends to form electrostatic bonds with Lewis bases with a fixed dipole, such as water and, in particular, peptide backbone carbonyl groups. The coordination bonds are enhanced by H-bonds between the protein and the 7-formyl group. These additional strong interactions with Chl b are necessary to achieve assembly of stable LHCs.

Fluorescence sensing techniques for vegetation assessment

Active fluorescence (F) sensing systems have long been suggested as a means to identify species composition and determine physiological status of plants. Passive F systems for large-scale remote assessment of vegetation will undoubtedly rely on solar-induced F (SIF), and this information could potentially be obtained from the Fraunhofer line depth (FLD) principle. However, understanding the relationships between the information and knowledge gained from active and passive systems remains to be addressed. Here we present an approach in which actively induced F spectral data are used to simulate and project the magnitude of SIF that can be expected from near-ground observations within selected solar Fraunhofer line regions. Comparisons among vegetative species and nitrogen (N) supply treatments were made with three F approaches: the passive FLD principle applied to telluric oxygen (O2) bands from field-acquired canopy reflectance spectra, simulated SIF from actively induced laboratory emission spectra of leaves at a series of solar Fraunhofer lines ranging from 422 to 758 nm, and examination of two dual-F excitation algorithms developed from laboratory data. From these analyses we infer that SIF from whole-plant canopies can be simulated by use of laboratory data from active systems on individual leaves and that SIF has application for the large-scale assessment of vegetation.

Early steps in the assembly of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex: time-resolved fluorescence measurements

The light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex (LHCIIb) spontaneously assembles from its pigment and protein components in detergent solution. The formation of functional LHCIIb can be detected in time-resolved experiments by monitoring the establishment of excitation energy transfer from protein-bound chlorophyll b to chlorophyll a. To detect the possible initial steps of chlorophyll binding that may not yet give rise to chlorophyll b-to-a energy transfer, we have monitored LHCIIb assembly by measuring excitation energy transfer from a fluorescent dye, covalently bound to the protein, to the chlorophylls. In order to exclude interference of the dye with protein folding or pigment binding, the experiments were repeated with the dye bound to four different positions in the protein. Initial chlorophyll binding occurs at roughly the same rate as the establishment of chlorophyll b-to-a energy transfer, in the range of 10 s. However, under limiting chlorophyll concentrations, the binding of chlorophyll a clearly precedes that of chlorophyll b. The complex containing the apoprotein, carotenoids, and chlorophyll a but no chlorophyll b is biochemically unstable and therefore cannot be isolated. However, chlorophyll a binding into this weak complex is specific, as it does not occur with a C-terminal deletion mutant of Lhcb1 which still contains most chlorophyll-ligating amino acids but is unable to fold and assemble into functional LHCIIb. As a scenario for LHCIIb assembly in the thylakoid, we propose the initial formation of a labile Lhcb1-chlorophyll a-carotenoid complex that then becomes stabilized by the binding (or formation in situ) of chlorophyll b.

Regulation of the excitation energy utilization in the photosynthetic apparatus of chlorina f2 barley mutant grown under different irradiances

Acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus of chlorophyll b-less barley mutant chlorina f2 to low light (100 micromolm(-2)s(-1); LL) and extremely high light level (1000 micromolm(-2)s(-1); HL) was examined using techniques of pigment analysis and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements at room temperature and at 77 K. The absence of chlorophyll b in LL-grown chlorina f2 resulted in the reduction of functional antenna size of both photosystem II (by 67%) and photosystem I (by 21%). Chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of the LL-grown mutant indicated no impairment of the utilization of absorbed light energy in photosystem II photochemistry. Thermal dissipation of excitation energy estimated as non-photochemical quenching of minimal fluorescence (SV(0)) was significantly higher as compared to the wild-type barley grown under LL. Despite impaired assembly of pigment-protein complexes, chlorina f2 was able to efficiently acclimate to HL. In comparison with chlorina f2 grown under LL, HL-grown chlorina f2 was characterized by unaffected maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (F(V)/F(M), doubled content of both beta-carotene and the xanthophyll cycle pigments and considerably reduced efficiency of excitation energy transfer from carotenoids to chlorophyll a. The enormous xanthophyll cycle pool size was however associated with reduced SV(0) capacity. We suggest that the substantial part of the xanthophyll cycle pigments is not bound to the remaining pigment-protein complexes and acts as filter for excitation energy, thereby contributing to the efficient photoprotection of chlorina f2 grown under HL.

Synthesis of chlorophyll b: localization of chlorophyllide a oxygenase and discovery of a stable radical in the catalytic subunit

BACKGROUND

Assembly of stable light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) in the chloroplast of green algae and plants requires synthesis of chlorophyll (Chl) b, a reaction that involves oxygenation of the 7-methyl group of Chl a to a formyl group. This reaction uses molecular oxygen and is catalyzed by chlorophyllide a oxygenase (CAO). The amino acid sequence of CAO predicts mononuclear iron and Rieske iron-sulfur centers in the protein. The mechanism of synthesis of Chl b and localization of this reaction in the chloroplast are essential steps toward understanding LHC assembly.

RESULTS

Fluorescence of a CAO-GFP fusion protein, transiently expressed in young pea leaves, was found at the periphery of mature chloroplasts and on thylakoid membranes by confocal fluorescence microscopy. However, when membranes from partially degreened cells of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cw15 were resolved on sucrose gradients, full-length CAO was detected by immunoblot analysis only on the chloroplast envelope inner membrane. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of CAO included a resonance at g = 4.3, assigned to the predicted mononuclear iron center. Instead of a spectrum of the predicted Rieske iron-sulfur center, a nearly symmetrical, approximately 100 Gauss peak-to-trough signal was observed at g = 2.057, with a sensitivity to temperature characteristic of an iron-sulfur center. A remarkably stable radical in the protein was revealed by an isotropic, 9 Gauss peak-to-trough signal at g = 2.0042. Fragmentation of the protein after incorporation of 125I- identified a conserved tyrosine residue (Tyr-422 in Chlamydomonas and Tyr-518 in Arabidopsis) as the radical species. The radical was quenched by chlorophyll a, an indication that it may be involved in the enzymatic reaction.

CONCLUSION

CAO was found on the chloroplast envelope and thylakoid membranes in mature chloroplasts but only on the envelope inner membrane in dark-grown C. reinhardtii cells. Such localization provides further support for the envelope membranes as the initial site of Chl b synthesis and assembly of LHCs during chloroplast development. Identification of a tyrosine radical in the protein provides insight into the mechanism of Chl b synthesis.

A novel role of water-soluble chlorophyll proteins in the transitory storage of chorophyllide

All chlorophyll (Chl)-binding proteins involved in photosynthesis of higher plants are hydrophobic membrane proteins integrated into the thylakoids. However, a different category of Chl-binding proteins, the so-called water-soluble Chl proteins (WSCPs), was found in members of the Brassicaceae, Polygonaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Amaranthaceae families. WSCPs from different plant species bind Chl a and Chl b in different ratios. Some members of the WSCP family are induced after drought and heat stress as well as leaf detachment. It has been proposed that this group of proteins might have a physiological function in the Chl degradation pathway. We demonstrate here that a protein that shared sequence homology to WSCPs accumulated in etiolated barley (Hordeum vulgare) seedlings exposed to light for 2 h. The novel 22-kD protein was attached to the outer envelope of barley etiochloroplasts, and import of the 27-kD precursor was light dependent and induced after feeding the isolated plastids the tetrapyrrole precursor 5-aminolevulinic acid. HPLC analyses and spectroscopic pigment measurements of acetone-extracted pigments showed that the 22-kD protein is complexed with chlorophyllide. We propose a novel role of WSCPs as pigment carriers operating during light-induced chloroplast development.

Raman properties of chlorophyll d, the major pigment of Acaryochloris marina: studies using both Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory

The Raman spectroscopy of purified chlorophyll (Chl) d extracted from Acaryochloris marina has been measured over the wide region of 250-3200 cm(-1) at 77 K following excitation of its Soret band at 488 nm and analyzed with the aid of hybrid density-functional vibrational analyses. A Raman peak specific to Chl d, which arises from the formyl group 3(1) C=O stretching, was clearly observed at 1659 cm(-1) with medium intensity. Peaks due to other C=O stretching vibrations of the 13(1) keto-, 13(3) ester- and 17(3) groups were also observed. Four very strong peaks were observed in the range of 1000-1600 cm(-1), assigned to the CC stretching and mixtures of the CH3 bend and CN stretching. CCC and NCC bending contribute to medium intensity peaks at 986 and 915 cm(-1). Out-of-plane CH bending at Chl d methine sites 10, 5 and 20 contribute to observed peaks at 885, 864 and 853 cm(-1), respectively. A few modes involving the MgN stretching and MgNC bending motions were observed in the very low frequency range. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been used to make assignments on the observed Raman spectrum and the DFT results have been found to be in good agreement with the experimental results.

Changes in the energy distribution between chlorophyll-protein complexes of thylakoid membranes from pea mutants with modified pigment content. I. Changes due to the modified pigment content

The low-temperature (77 K) emission and excitation chlorophyll fluorescence spectra in thylakoid membranes isolated from pea mutants were investigated. The mutants have modified pigment content, structural organization, different surface electric properties and functions [Dobrikova et al., Photosynth. Res. 65 (2000) 165]. The emission spectra of thylakoid membranes were decomposed into bands belonging to the main pigment protein complexes. By an integration of the areas under them, the changes in the energy distribution between the two photosystems as well as within each one of them were estimated. It was shown that the excitation energy flow to the light harvesting, core antenna and RC complexes of photosystem II increases with the total amount of pigments in the mutants, relative to the that to photosystem I complexes. A reduction of the fluorescence ratio between aggregated trimers of LHC II and its trimeric and monomeric forms with the increase of the pigment content (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and lutein) was observed. This implies that the closer packing in the complexes with a higher extent of aggregation regulates the energy distribution to the PS II core antenna and reaction centers complexes. Based on the reduced energy flow to PS II, i.e., the relative increased energy flow to PS I, we hypothesize that aggregation of LHC II switches the energy flow toward LHC I. These results suggest an additive regulatory mechanism, which redistributes the excitation energy between the two photosystems and operates at non-excess light intensities but at reduced pigment content.

Determination of relative chlorophyll binding affinities in the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex

The major light-harvesting complex (LHCIIb) of photosystem II can be reconstituted in vitro from its recombinant apoprotein in the presence of a mixture of carotenoids and chlorophylls a and b. By varying the chlorophyll a/b ratio in the reconstitution mixture, the relative amounts of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b bound to LHCIIb can be changed. We have analyzed the chlorophyll stoichiometry in recombinant wild type and mutant LHCIIb reconstituted at different chlorophyll a/b ratios in order to assess relative affinities of the chlorophyll-binding sites. This approach reveals five sites that exclusively bind chlorophyll b. Another site exhibits a slight preference of chlorophyll b over chlorophyll a. The remaining six sites are filled preferentially with chlorophyll a but also tolerate chlorophyll b when this is offered at a large excess. Three of these chlorophyll a-affine sites could be assigned to distinct positions defined by the three-dimensional LHCIIb structure. Exclusive chlorophyll b sites complemented by chlorophyll a sites that are selective only to a certain extent are consistent with the observation that chlorophyll b but not chlorophyll a is essential for reconstituting stable LHCIIb. These data offer an explanation why a rather constant chlorophyll a/b ratio is observed in native LHCIIb despite the apparent promiscuity of some binding sites.

Raman spectroscopy of chlorophyll d from Acaryochloris marina

The Raman spectroscopy of chlorophyll (Chl) d isolated from Acaryochloris marina has been measured in the range of 250-3200 cm(-1) at 77 K following excitation of its B(x) band at 488 nm. A peak at 1659 cm(-1) of medium intensity arising from Cz=O stretching vibration in the formyl group 3(1) specific to Chl d was observed clearly. Peaks due to other Cz=O stretching vibrations of the 13(1) keto-, 13(3) ester- and 17(3) groups have also been observed with much weaker intensities. Intense Raman peaks in the range of 1000-1800 cm(-1) are reported and homologous comparison with corresponding Raman shifts of Chl a, Chl b and BChl a are presented.