Cross-Platform Comparison of Amino Acid Metabolic Profiling in Three Model Organisms Used in Environmental Metabolomics

Environmental metabolomics is a promising approach to study pollutant impacts to target organisms in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. To this end, both nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)- and mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods are used to profile amino acids in different environmental metabolomic studies. However, these two methods have not been compared directly which is an important consideration for broader comparisons in the environmental metabolomics field. We compared the quantification of 18 amino acids in the tissue extracts of Daphnia magna, a common model organism used in both ecotoxicology and ecology, using both 1H NMR spectroscopy and liquid chromatography with tandem MS (LC-MS/MS). 1H NMR quantification of amino acids agreed with the LC-MS/MS quantification for 17 of 18 amino acids measured. We also tested both quantitative methods in a D. magna sub-lethal exposure study to copper and lithium. Again, both NMR and LC-MS/MS measurements showed agreement. We extended our analyses with extracts from the earthworm Eisenia fetida and the plant model Nicotiana tabacum. The concentrations of amino acids by both 1H NMR and LC-MS/MS, agreed and demonstrated the robustness of both techniques for quantitative metabolomics. These findings demonstrate the compatibility of these two analytical platforms for amino acid profiling in environmentally relevant model organisms and emphasizes that data from either method is robust for comparisons across studies to further build the knowledge base related to pollutant exposure impacts and toxic responses of diverse environmental organisms.

Evidence that mitochondrial alternative oxidase respiration supports carbon balance in source leaves of Nicotiana tabacum

Alternative oxidase (AOX) represents a non-energy conserving pathway within the mitochondrial electron transport chain. One potential physiological role of AOX could be to manage leaf carbohydrate amounts by supporting respiratory carbon oxidation reactions. In this study, several approaches tested the hypothesis that AOX1a gene expression in Nicotiana tabacum leaf is enhanced in conditions expected to promote an increased leaf carbohydrate status. These approaches included supplying leaves with exogenous carbohydrates, comparing plants grown at different atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, comparing sink leaves with source leaves, comparing plants with different ratios of source to sink activity, and examining gene expression over the diel cycle. In each case, the pattern of AOX1a gene expression was compared with that of other genes known to respond to carbohydrates and/or other factors related to source:sink activity. These included GPT1 and GPT3 (that encode chloroplast glucose 6-phosphate/phosphate translocators), SPS (that encodes sucrose phosphate synthase), SUT1 (that encodes a sucrose/H⁺ symporter involved in phloem loading) and UCP1 (that encodes a mitochondrial uncoupling protein). The AOX1a transcript amount was higher following the leaf sink-to-source transition, and in plants with higher source relative to sink activity due to increasing plant age. Further, these effects were amplified in plants grown at elevated CO₂ to stimulate source activity, particularly at end-of-day time periods. The AOX1a transcript amount was also higher following treatment of leaves with carbohydrate, in particular sucrose. Overall, the results provide evidence that, while source leaf sucrose accumulation may signal for a down-regulation of sucrose synthesis and transport, it also signals for means to manage the excess cytosolic carbohydrate pools. This includes increased AOX respiration to support carbon oxidation pathways even if energy charge is high, in combination perhaps with some return flux of carbohydrate from cytosol to stroma through the GPT3 translocator. As discussed, these activities could contribute to maintaining plant source:sink balance, as well as photosynthetic and phloem loading capacity.

The Role of Alternative Oxidase in the Interplay between Nitric Oxide, Reactive Oxygen Species, and Ethylene in Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Plants Incubated under Normoxic and Hypoxic Conditions

The transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants with the modified levels of alternative oxidase (AOX) were used to evaluate the physiological roles of AOX in regulating nitro-oxidative stress and metabolic changes after exposing plants to hypoxia for 6 h. Under normoxia, AOX expression resulted in the decrease of nitric oxide (NO) levels and of the rate of protein S-nitrosylation, while under hypoxia, AOX overexpressors exhibited higher NO and S-nitrosylation levels than knockdowns. AOX expression was essential in avoiding hypoxia-induced superoxide and H2O2 levels, and this was achieved via higher activities of catalase and glutathione reductase and the reduced expression of respiratory burst oxidase homolog (Rboh) in overexpressors as compared to knockdowns. The AOX overexpressing lines accumulated less pyruvate and exhibited the increased transcript and activity levels of pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase under hypoxia. This suggests that AOX contributes to the energy state of hypoxic tissues by stimulating the increase of pyruvate flow into fermentation pathways. Ethylene biosynthesis genes encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase, ACC oxidase, and ethylene-responsive factors (ERFs) were induced during hypoxia and correlated with AOX and NO levels. We conclude that AOX controls the interaction of NO, reactive oxygen species, and ethylene, triggering a coordinated downstream defensive response against hypoxia.

The Complementary Roles of Chloroplast Cyclic Electron Transport and Mitochondrial Alternative Oxidase to Ensure Photosynthetic Performance

Chloroplasts use light energy and a linear electron transport (LET) pathway for the coupled generation of NADPH and ATP. It is widely accepted that the production ratio of ATP to NADPH is usually less than required to fulfill the energetic needs of the chloroplast. Left uncorrected, this would quickly result in an over-reduction of the stromal pyridine nucleotide pool (i.e., high NADPH/NADP⁺ ratio) and under-energization of the stromal adenine nucleotide pool (i.e., low ATP/ADP ratio). These imbalances could cause metabolic bottlenecks, as well as increased generation of damaging reactive oxygen species. Chloroplast cyclic electron transport (CET) and the chloroplast malate valve could each act to prevent stromal over-reduction, albeit in distinct ways. CET avoids the NADPH production associated with LET, while the malate valve consumes the NADPH associated with LET. CET could operate by one of two different pathways, depending upon the chloroplast ATP demand. The NADH dehydrogenase-like pathway yields a higher ATP return per electron flux than the pathway involving PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION5 (PGR5) and PGR5-LIKE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PHENOTYPE1 (PGRL1). Similarly, the malate valve could couple with one of two different mitochondrial electron transport pathways, depending upon the cytosolic ATP demand. The cytochrome pathway yields a higher ATP return per electron flux than the alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway. In both Arabidopsis thaliana and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, PGR5/PGRL1 pathway mutants have increased amounts of AOX, suggesting complementary roles for these two lesser-ATP yielding mechanisms of preventing stromal over-reduction. These two pathways may become most relevant under environmental stress conditions that lower the ATP demands for carbon fixation and carbohydrate export.

The flexibility of metabolic interactions between chloroplasts and mitochondria in Nicotiana tabacum leaf

To examine the effect of mitochondrial function on photosynthesis, wild-type and transgenic Nicotiana tabacum with varying amounts of alternative oxidase (AOX) were treated with different respiratory inhibitors. Initially, each inhibitor increased the reduction state of the chloroplast electron transport chain, most severely in AOX knockdowns and least severely in AOX overexpressors. This indicated that the mitochondrion was a necessary sink for photo-generated reductant, contributing to the 'P700 oxidation capacity' of photosystem I. Initially, the Complex III inhibitor myxothiazol and the mitochondrial ATP synthase inhibitor oligomycin caused an increase in photosystem II regulated non-photochemical quenching not evident with the Complex III inhibitor antimycin A (AA). This indicated that the increased quenching depended upon AA-sensitive cyclic electron transport (CET). Following 12 h with oligomycin, the reduction state of the chloroplast electron transport chain recovered in all plant lines. Recovery was associated with large increases in the protein amount of chloroplast ATP synthase and mitochondrial uncoupling protein. This increased the capacity for photophosphorylation in the absence of oxidative phosphorylation and enabled the mitochondrion to act again as a sink for photo-generated reductant. Comparing the AA and myxothiazol treatments at 12 h showed that CET optimized photosystem I quantum yield, depending upon the P700 oxidation capacity. When this capacity was too high, CET drew electrons away from other sinks, moderating the P700+ amount. When P700 oxidation capacity was too low, CET acted as an electron overflow, moderating the amount of reduced P700. This study reveals flexible chloroplast-mitochondrion interactions able to overcome lesions in energy metabolism.

Nitric Oxide Turnover Under Hypoxia Results in the Rapid Increased Expression of the Plastid-Localized Phosphorylated Pathway of Serine Biosynthesis

The plant mitochondrial electron transport chain influences carbon and nitrogen metabolism under near anoxic conditions through its involvement in the phytoglobin-nitric oxide cycle, where the respiratory chain reduces nitrite to nitric oxide (NO), followed by NO conversion to nitrate by class 1 phytoglobin. Wild type (WT) and transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) with differing amounts of alternative oxidase (AOX) were used to manipulate NO generation under hypoxia, and to examine whether this in turn influenced the gene expression of two stress-related amino acid biosynthetic pathways, the plastid-localized phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis (PPSB), and the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt. Under hypoxia, leaf NO emission rate was highest in AOX overexpressors and lowest in AOX knockdowns, with WT showing an intermediate rate. In turn, the rate of NO emission correlated with the degree to which amino acids accumulated. This amino acid accumulation was associated with the increased expression of the enzymes of the stress-related amino acid biosynthetic pathways. However, induction of the PPSB occurred much earlier than the GABA shunt. This work shows that high rates of NO turnover associate with rapid gene induction of the PPSB, establishing a clear link between this pathway and the maintenance of carbon, nitrogen and energy metabolism under hypoxia.

Distinctive mitochondrial and chloroplast components contributing to the maintenance of carbon balance during plant growth at elevated CO2

Plant carbon balance depends upon the difference between photosynthetic carbon gain and respiratory carbon loss. In C₃ plants, growth at an elevated atmospheric concentration of CO₂ (ECO₂) stimulates photosynthesis and raises the leaf carbohydrate status, but how respiration responds is less understood. In this study, growth of Nicotiana tabacum at ECO₂ increased the protein amount of the non-energy conserving mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX). Growth at ECO₂ increased AOX1a transcript amount, and the transcript amount of a putative sugar-responsive gene encoding a chloroplast glucose-6-phosphate/phosphate translocator (GPT3). We suggest that the elevated amounts of AOX and GPT3 represent distinctive mitochondrial and chloroplast mechanisms to manage an excessive cytosolic pool of sugar phosphates. AOX respiration could consume cytosolic sugar phosphates, without this activity being restricted by rates of ATP turnover. GPT3 could allow accumulating cytosolic glucose-6-phosphate to return to the chloroplast. This could feed starch synthesis or a glucose-6-phosphate shunt in the Calvin cycle. AOX and GPT3 activities could buffer against P_i depletions that might otherwise disrupt mitochondrial and chloroplast electron transport chain activities. AOX and GPT3 activities could also buffer against a down-regulation of photosynthetic capacity by preventing a persistent imbalance between photosynthetic carbon gain and the activity of carbon utilizing sinks.

Photosynthesis, respiration and growth: A carbon and energy balancing act for alternative oxidase

This review summarizes knowledge of alternative oxidase, a mitochondrial electron transport chain component that lowers the ATP yield of plant respiration. Analysis of mutant and transgenic plants has established that alternative oxidase activity supports leaf photosynthesis. The interaction of alternative oxidase respiration with chloroplast metabolism is important under conditions that challenge energy and/or carbon balance in the photosynthetic cell. Under such conditions, alternative oxidase provides an extra-chloroplastic means to optimize the status of chloroplast energy pools (ATP, NADPH) and to manage cellular carbohydrate pools in response to changing rates of carbon fixation and carbon demand for growth and maintenance. Transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms ensure that alternative oxidase can respond effectively when carbon and energy balance are being challenged. This function appears particularly significant under abiotic stress conditions such as water deficit, high salinity, or temperature extremes. Under such conditions, alternative oxidase respiration positively affects growth and stress tolerance, despite it lowering the energy yield and carbon use efficiency of respiration. In part, this beneficial effect relates to the ability of alternative oxidase respiration to prevent excessive reactive oxygen species generation in both mitochondria and chloroplasts. Recent evidence suggests that alternative oxidase respiration is an interesting target for crop improvement.

Roles for Plant Mitochondrial Alternative Oxidase Under Normoxia, Hypoxia, and Reoxygenation Conditions

Alternative oxidase (AOX) is a non-energy conserving terminal oxidase in the plant mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) that has a lower affinity for oxygen than does cytochrome (cyt) oxidase. To investigate the role(s) of AOX under different oxygen conditions, wild-type (WT) Nicotiana tabacum plants were compared with AOX knockdown and overexpression plants under normoxia, hypoxia (near-anoxia), and during a reoxygenation period following hypoxia. Paradoxically, under all the conditions tested, the AOX amount across plant lines correlated positively with leaf energy status (ATP/ADP ratio). Under normoxia, AOX was important to maintain respiratory carbon flow, to prevent the mitochondrial generation of superoxide and nitric oxide (NO), to control lipid peroxidation and protein S-nitrosylation, and possibly to reduce the inhibition of cyt oxidase by NO. Under hypoxia, AOX was again important in preventing superoxide generation and lipid peroxidation, but now contributed positively to NO amount. This may indicate an ability of AOX to generate NO under hypoxia, similar to the nitrite reductase activity of cyt oxidase under hypoxia. Alternatively, it may indicate that AOX activity simply reduces the amount of superoxide scavenging of NO, by reducing the availability of superoxide. The amount of inactivation of mitochondrial aconitase during hypoxia was also dependent upon AOX amount, perhaps through its effects on NO amount, and this influenced carbon flow under hypoxia. Finally, AOX was particularly important in preventing nitro-oxidative stress during the reoxygenation period, thereby contributing positively to the recovery of energy status following hypoxia. Overall, the results suggest that AOX plays a beneficial role in low oxygen metabolism, despite its lower affinity for oxygen than cytochrome oxidase.

Does the stromal concentration of Pi control chloroplast ATP synthase protein amount in contrasting growth environments?

Changes in the growth environment can generate imbalances in chloroplast photosynthetic metabolism. Under water deficit, stomatal closure limits CO2 availability such that the production of ATP and NADPH by the thylakoid membrane-localized electron transport chain may not match the consumption of these energy intermediates by the stroma-localized Calvin-Benson cycle, thus challenging energy balance. Alternatively, in an elevated CO2 atmosphere, carbon fixation by the Calvin-Benson cycle may outpace the activity of downstream carbohydrate-utilizing processes, thus challenging carbon balance. Our previous studies have shown that, in both of the above scenarios, a mitochondrial alternative oxidase contributes to maintaining energy or carbon balance, highlighting the importance of photosynthesis-respiration interactions in optimizing photosynthesis in different growth environments. In these previous studies, we observed aberrant amounts of chloroplast ATP synthase protein across the different transgenic plant lines and growth conditions, compared to wild-type. Based on these observations, we develop here the hypothesis that an important determinant of chloroplast ATP synthase protein amount is the stromal concentration of inorganic phosphate. ATP synthase is a master regulator of photosynthesis. Coarse control of ATP synthase protein amount by the stromal inorganic phosphate status could provide a means to coordinate the electron transport and carbon fixation reactions of photosynthesis.

Signaling interactions between mitochondria and chloroplasts in Nicotiana tabacum leaf

Research has begun to elucidate the signal transduction pathway(s) that control cellular responses to changes in mitochondrial status. Important tools in such studies are chemical inhibitors used to initiate mitochondrial dysfunction. This study compares the effect of different inhibitors and treatment conditions on the transcript amount of nuclear genes specifically responsive to mitochondrial dysfunction in leaf of Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Petit Havana. The Complex III inhibitors antimycin A (AA) and myxothiazol (MYXO), and the Complex V inhibitor oligomycin (OLIGO), each increased the transcript amount of the mitochondrial dysfunction genes. Transcript responses to OLIGO were greater during treatment in the dark than in the light, and the dark treatment resulted in cell death. In the dark, transcript responses to AA and MYXO were similar to one another, despite MYXO leading to cell death. In the light, transcript responses to AA and MYXO diverged, despite cell viability remaining high with either inhibitor. This divergent response may be due to differential signaling from the chloroplast because only AA also inhibited cyclic electron transport, resulting in a strong acceptor-side limitation in photosystem I. In the light, chemical inhibition of chloroplast electron transport reduced transcript responses to AA, while having no effect on the response to MYXO, and increasing the response to OLIGO. Hence, when studying mitochondrial dysfunction signaling, different inhibitor and treatment combinations differentially affect linked processes (e.g. chloroplast function and cell fate) that then contribute to measured responses. Therefore, inhibitor and treatment conditions should be chosen to align with specific study goals.

Growth at Elevated CO2 Requires Acclimation of the Respiratory Chain to Support Photosynthesis

Plants will experience an elevated atmospheric concentration of CO2 (ECO2) in the future. Growth of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) at ECO2 more than doubled the leaf protein amount of alternative oxidase (AOX), a non-energy-conserving component of mitochondrial respiration. To test the functional significance of this AOX increase, wild-type tobacco was compared with AOX knockdown and overexpression lines, following growth at ambient CO2 or ECO2 The ECO2-grown AOX knockdowns had a reduced capacity for triose phosphate use (TPU) during photosynthesis compared with the other plant lines. This TPU limitation of CO2 assimilation was associated with an increased accumulation of glucose-6-phosphate, sucrose, and starch in the leaves of the knockdowns. Under TPU-limiting conditions, the size of the proton gradient and proton motive force across the thylakoid membrane was enhanced in the knockdowns relative to the other plant lines, suggesting a restriction of chloroplast ATP synthase activity. This restriction was not due to a decline in ATP synthase (AtpB) protein amount. The knockdowns also displayed a photosystem stoichiometry adjustment at ECO2, which was absent in the other plant lines. Additional experiments showed that the way in which AOX supports photosynthesis at ECO2 is distinct from its previously described role in supporting photosynthesis during water deficit. The results are discussed in terms of how AOX contributes to TPU capacity and the maintenance of chloroplast ATP synthase activity at ECO2 Overall, the evidence suggests that AOX respiration is needed to maintain both the carbon and energy balance in photosynthetic tissues during growth at ECO2.

Improved chloroplast energy balance during water deficit enhances plant growth: more crop per drop

The non-energy-conserving alternative oxidase (AOX) respiration of plant mitochondria is known to interact with chloroplast photosynthesis. This may have consequences for growth, particularly under sub-optimal conditions when energy imbalances can impede photosynthesis. This hypothesis was tested by comparing the metabolism and growth of wild-type Nicotiana tabacum with that of AOX knockdown and overexpression lines during a prolonged steady-state mild to moderate water deficit. Under moderate water deficit, the AOX amount was an important determinant of the rate of both mitochondrial respiration in the light and net photosynthetic CO2 assimilation (A) at the growth irradiance. In particular, AOX respiration was necessary to maintain optimal proton and electron fluxes at the chloroplast thylakoid membrane, which in turn prevented a water-deficit-induced biochemical limitation of photosynthesis. As a result of differences in A, AOX overexpressors gained more biomass and knockdowns gained less biomass than wild-type during moderate water deficit. Biomass partitioning also differed, with the overexpressors having a higher percentage, and the knockdowns having a lower percentage, of total above-ground biomass in reproductive tissue than wild-type. The results establish that improving chloroplast energy balance by using a non-energy-conserving respiratory electron sink can increase photosynthesis and growth during prolonged water deficit.

The occurrence and control of nitric oxide generation by the plant mitochondrial electron transport chain

The plant mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is bifurcated such that electrons from ubiquinol are passed to oxygen via the usual cytochrome path or through alternative oxidase (AOX). We previously showed that knockdown of AOX in transgenic tobacco increased leaf concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), implying that an activity capable of generating NO had been effected. Here, we identify the potential source of this NO. Treatment of leaves with antimycin A (AA, Qi -site inhibitor of Complex III) increased NO amount more than treatment with myxothiazol (Myxo, Qo -site inhibitor) despite both being equally effective at inhibiting respiration. Comparison of nitrate-grown wild-type with AOX knockdown and overexpression plants showed a negative correlation between AOX amount and NO amount following AA. Further, Myxo fully negated the ability of AA to increase NO amount. With ammonium-grown plants, neither AA nor Myxo strongly increased NO amount in any plant line. When these leaves were supplied with nitrite alongside the AA or Myxo, then the inhibitor effects across lines mirrored that of nitrate-grown plants. Hence the ETC, likely the Q-cycle of Complex III generates NO from nitrite, and AOX reduces this activity by acting as a non-energy-conserving electron sink upstream of Complex III.

Alternative oxidase respiration maintains both mitochondrial and chloroplast function during drought

The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) terminates at cytochrome (cyt) oxidase or alternative oxidase (AOX). In Nicotiana tabacum leaves, mitochondrial respiration in the light (RL ) declined with increasing drought severity but then increased under extreme drought, despite a steep decline in maximal cyt oxidase activity. This increased RL was absent in AOX knockdown lines, while AOX overexpression lines showed enhanced RL relative to the wild-type (WT). Cyt oxidase activity under extreme drought was higher in overexpressors and lower in knockdowns, compared with the WT, providing evidence that AOX acted to maintain cyt pathway function. The rate of RL was a strong determinant of the reduction state of the photosynthetic ETC during drought. As such, the maximal quantum yield of photosystem II was compromised in knockdowns, compared with the WT, during extreme drought. By contrast, overexpressors maintained their instantaneous leaf water-use efficiency equally as high during extreme drought as when they were well watered. In both mitochondria and chloroplasts, protein carbonyl accumulation during extreme drought was strongly increased in knockdowns, and decreased in overexpressors, relative to WT. Hence the ability of AOX to maintain critical mitochondrial and chloroplast functions during extreme drought is likely due, at least in part, to its ability to reduce oxidative damage.

Coordinated regulation of photosynthetic and respiratory components is necessary to maintain chloroplast energy balance in varied growth conditions

Mitochondria have a non-energy-conserving alternative oxidase (AOX) proposed to support photosynthesis, perhaps by promoting energy balance under varying growth conditions. To investigate this, wild-type (WT) Nicotiana tabacum were compared with AOX knockdown and overexpression lines. In addition, the amount of AOX protein in WT plants was compared with that of chloroplast light-harvesting complex II (LHCB2), whose amount is known to respond to chloroplast energy status. With increased growth irradiance, WT leaves maintained higher rates of respiration in the light (RL), but no differences in RL or photosynthesis were seen between the WT and transgenic lines, suggesting that, under non-stress conditions, AOX was not critical for leaf metabolism, regardless of growth irradiance. However, under drought, the AOX amount became an important determinant of RL, which in turn was an important determinant of chloroplast energy balance (measured as photosystem II excitation pressure, EP), and photosynthetic performance. In the WT, the AOX amount increased and the LHCB2 amount decreased with increased growth irradiance or drought severity. These changes in protein amounts correlated strongly, in opposing ways, with growth EP. This suggests that a signal deriving from the photosynthetic electron transport chain status coordinately controls the amounts of AOX and LHCB2, which then both contribute to maintaining chloroplast energy balance, particularly under stress conditions.

Alternative oxidase: a respiratory electron transport chain pathway essential for maintaining photosynthetic performance during drought stress

Photosynthesis and respiration are the hubs of energy metabolism in plants. Drought strongly perturbs photosynthesis as a result of both diffusive limitations resulting from stomatal closure, and in some cases biochemical limitations that are associated with a reduced abundance of key photosynthetic components. The effects of drought on respiration, particularly respiration in the light (RL ), are less understood. The plant mitochondrial electron transport chain includes a non-energy conserving terminal oxidase called alternative oxidase (AOX). Several studies have shown that drought increases AOX transcript, protein and maximum capacity. Here we review recent studies comparing wild-type (WT) tobacco to transgenic lines with altered AOX protein amount. Specifically during drought, RL was compromised in AOX knockdown plants and enhanced in AOX overexpression plants, compared with WT. Significantly, these differences in RL were accompanied by dramatic differences in photosynthetic performance. Knockdown of AOX increased the susceptibility of photosynthesis to drought-induced biochemical limitations, while overexpression of AOX delayed the development of such biochemical limitations, compared with WT. Overall, the results indicate that AOX is essential to maintaining RL during drought, and that this non-energy conserving respiration maintains photosynthesis during drought by promoting energy balance in the chloroplast. This review also outlines several areas for future research, including the possibility that enhancement of non-energy conserving respiratory electron sinks may be a useful biotechnological approach to increase plant performance during stress.

Improved photosynthetic performance during severe drought in Nicotiana tabacum overexpressing a nonenergy conserving respiratory electron sink

Chloroplasts have means to manage excess reducing power but these mechanisms may become restricted by rates of ATP turnover. Alternative oxidase (AOX) is a mitochondrial terminal oxidase that uncouples the consumption of reducing power from ATP synthesis. Physiological and biochemical analyses were used to compare respiration and photosynthesis of Nicotiana tabacum wild-type (WT) plants with that of transgenic lines overexpressing AOX, under both well-watered and drought stress conditions. With increasing drought severity, AOX overexpression acted to increase respiration in the light (RL ) relative to WT. CO2 and light response curves indicated that overexpression also improved photosynthetic performance relative to WT, as drought severity increased. This was not due to an effect of AOX amount on leaf water status or the development of the diffusive limitations that occur due to drought. Rather, AOX overexpression dampened photosystem stoichiometry adjustments and losses of key photosynthetic components that occurred in WT. The results indicate that AOX amount influences RL , particularly during severe drought, when cytochrome pathway respiration may become increasingly restricted. This impacts the chloroplast redox state, influencing how the photosynthetic apparatus responds to increasing drought severity. In particular, the development of biochemical limitations to photosynthesis are dampened in plants with increased nonenergy conserving RL .

In planta analysis of leaf mitochondrial superoxide and nitric oxide

Superoxide (O2(-)) and nitric oxide (NO) are produced within plant mitochondria and may have signaling functions within the cell. Here we describe semiquantitative fluorescence imaging-based approaches to estimate the mitochondrial amount of these reactive and short-lived species within intact leaf tissue. We also outline a biochemical method using oxyhemoglobin to measure NO within a whole leaf tissue extract. This quantitative method, while not specifically evaluating mitochondrial localized NO, does nonetheless provide another independent measure of NO that can be useful.

Mitochondrial alternative oxidase maintains respiration and preserves photosynthetic capacity during moderate drought in Nicotiana tabacum

The mitochondrial electron transport chain includes an alternative oxidase (AOX) that is hypothesized to aid photosynthetic metabolism, perhaps by acting as an additional electron sink for photogenerated reductant or by dampening the generation of reactive oxygen species. Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosystem I (PSI) absorbance, and biochemical and protein analyses were used to compare respiration and photosynthesis of Nicotiana tabacum 'Petit Havana SR1' wild-type plants with that of transgenic AOX knockdown (RNA interference) and overexpression lines, under both well-watered and moderate drought-stressed conditions. During drought, AOX knockdown lines displayed a lower rate of respiration in the light than the wild type, as confirmed by two independent methods. Furthermore, CO2 and light response curves indicated a nonstomatal limitation of photosynthesis in the knockdowns during drought, relative to the wild type. Also relative to the wild type, the knockdowns under drought maintained PSI and PSII in a more reduced redox state, showed greater regulated nonphotochemical energy quenching by PSII, and displayed a higher relative rate of cyclic electron transport around PSI. The origin of these differences may lie in the chloroplast ATP synthase amount, which declined dramatically in the knockdowns in response to drought. None of these effects were seen in plants overexpressing AOX. The results show that AOX is necessary to maintain mitochondrial respiration during moderate drought. In its absence, respiration rate slows and the lack of this electron sink feeds back on the photosynthetic apparatus, resulting in a loss of chloroplast ATP synthase that then limits photosynthetic capacity.

Knockdown of mitochondrial alternative oxidase induces the 'stress state' of signaling molecule pools in Nicotiana tabacum, with implications for stomatal function

The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) includes an alternative oxidase (AOX) that may control the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). ROS and RNS act as signaling intermediates in numerous plant processes, including stomatal movement. The role of AOX in controlling ROS and RNS concentrations under both steady-state and different stress conditions was evaluated using Nicotiana tabacum plants lacking AOX as a result of RNA interference. A potential functional implication of changes in ROS and RNS homeostasis was also evaluated by examining stomatal function. The leaves of nonstressed AOX knockdowns maintained concentrations of H2O2 and nitric oxide (NO) normally seen in wildtype plants only under stress conditions. Further, guard cell NO amounts were much higher in knockdowns. These guard cells were altered in size and were less responsive to NO as a signal for stomatal closure. This, in turn, compromised the stomatal response to changing irradiance. The results reveal a role for AOX in stomata. A working model is that guard cell AOX respiration maintains NO homeostasis by preventing over-reduction of the ETC, particularly during periods when high concentrations of NO acting as a signal for stomatal closure may also be inhibiting cyt oxidase respiration.

A lack of mitochondrial alternative oxidase compromises capacity to recover from severe drought stress

Alternative oxidase (AOX) constitutes a nonenergy conserving branch of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. AOX activity may be important to avoid reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by the chain, particularly during abiotic stress. We compared leaf AOX1a transcript and AOX protein amounts in wild-type (WT) Nicotiana tabacum plants experiencing mild to severe drought. Mild to moderate drought resulted in a progressive and modest increase in AOX amount, accompanied by a progressive increased expression of different ROS-scavenging components. Under these conditions, transgenic plants with suppressed AOX amount, due to an RNA interference construct, were not compromised in their ability to manage ROS load and prevent cellular damage. Severe drought stress, particularly when combined with increased irradiance, strongly increased AOX amount in WT tobacco and this coincided with an increase in total respiration and, despite further induction of ROS-scavenging systems, some evidence of cellular damage. Under these severe conditions, plants lacking AOX suffered more cellular damage than WT and, at the most severe stage, were found to downregulate rather than upregulate the transcript level of several important ROS-scavenging components. At this stage, WT plants could still recover rapidly after rewatering, but the recoverability of AOX knockdown plants was strongly compromised.

Alternative oxidase: a mitochondrial respiratory pathway to maintain metabolic and signaling homeostasis during abiotic and biotic stress in plants

Alternative oxidase (AOX) is a non-energy conserving terminal oxidase in the plant mitochondrial electron transport chain. While respiratory carbon oxidation pathways, electron transport, and ATP turnover are tightly coupled processes, AOX provides a means to relax this coupling, thus providing a degree of metabolic homeostasis to carbon and energy metabolism. Beside their role in primary metabolism, plant mitochondria also act as "signaling organelles", able to influence processes such as nuclear gene expression. AOX activity can control the level of potential mitochondrial signaling molecules such as superoxide, nitric oxide and important redox couples. In this way, AOX also provides a degree of signaling homeostasis to the organelle. Evidence suggests that AOX function in metabolic and signaling homeostasis is particularly important during stress. These include abiotic stresses such as low temperature, drought, and nutrient deficiency, as well as biotic stresses such as bacterial infection. This review provides an introduction to the genetic and biochemical control of AOX respiration, as well as providing generalized examples of how AOX activity can provide metabolic and signaling homeostasis. This review also examines abiotic and biotic stresses in which AOX respiration has been critically evaluated, and considers the overall role of AOX in growth and stress tolerance.

Alternative oxidase impacts the plant response to biotic stress by influencing the mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species

Previously, we showed that inoculation of tobacco with Pseudomonas syringae incompatible pv. maculicola results in a rapid and persistent burst of superoxide (O(2) (-) ) from mitochondria, no change in amount of mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) and induction of the hypersensitive response (HR). However, inoculation with incompatible pv. phaseolicola resulted in increased AOX, no O(2) (-) burst and no HR. Here, we show that in transgenic plants unable to induce AOX in response to pv. phaseolicola, there is now a strong mitochondrial O(2) (-) burst, similar to that normally seen only with pv. maculicola. This interaction did not however result in a HR. This indicates that AOX amount is a key determinant of the mitochondrial O(2) (-) burst but also that the burst itself is not sufficient to induce the HR. Surprisingly, the O(2) (-) burst normally seen towards pv. maculicola is delayed in plants lacking AOX. This delay is associated with a delayed HR, suggesting that the burst does promote the HR. A O(2) (-) burst can also be induced by the complex III inhibitor antimycin A (AA), but is again delayed in plants lacking AOX. The similar mitochondrial response induced by pv. maculicola and AA suggests that electron transport is a target during HR-inducing biotic interactions.

The signaling role of a mitochondrial superoxide burst during stress

Plant mitochondria are proposed to act as signaling organelles in the orchestration of defense responses to biotic stress and acclimation responses to abiotic stress. However, the primary signal(s) being generated by mitochondria and then interpreted by the cell are largely unknown. Recently, we showed that mitochondria generate a sustained burst of superoxide (O 2(-)) during particular plant-pathogen interactions. This O 2(-) burst appears to be controlled by mitochondrial components that influence rates of O 2(-) generation and scavenging within the organelle. The O 2(-) burst appears to influence downstream processes such as the hypersensitive response, indicating that it could represent an important mitochondrial signal in support of plant stress responses. The findings generate many interesting questions regarding the upstream factors required to generate the O 2(-) burst, the mitochondrial events that occur in support of and in parallel with this burst and the downstream events that respond to this burst.

Alternative oxidase modulates leaf mitochondrial concentrations of superoxide and nitric oxide

• The nonenergy-conserving alternative oxidase (AOX) has been hypothesized to modulate the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in plant mitochondria but there is sparse direct in planta evidence to support this. • Laser scanning fluorescent confocal microscopy and biochemical methods were used to directly estimate in planta leaf concentrations of superoxide (O2(-)), nitric oxide (NO), peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in wildtype (Wt) tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and transgenic tobacco with altered amounts of AOX. • We found that plants lacking AOX have increased concentrations of leaf mitochondrial-localized O2(-) and leaf NO in comparison to the Wt, while leaf concentrations of H(2)O(2) were similar or lower in the AOX-suppressed plants. • Based on our results, we suggest that AOX respiration acts to reduce the generation of ROS and RNS in plant mitochondria by dampening the leak of single electrons from the electron transport chain to O(2) or nitrite. This may represent a universal role for AOX in plants. More work is now needed to establish the functional implications of this role, such as during abiotic and biotic stress.

Coordination of a mitochondrial superoxide burst during the hypersensitive response to bacterial pathogen in Nicotiana tabacum

We characterized responses of Nicotiana tabacum to pathovars of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. These included a compatible response associated with necrotic cell death (pv. tabaci), an incompatible response that included hypersensitive response (HR) cell death (pv. maculicola) and an incompatible response that induced defences but lacked the HR (pv. phaseolicola). Signalling molecules (salicylic acid, nitric oxide, H(2)O(2)) known to induce the stress responsive tobacco Aox1a gene [that encodes the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) component alternative oxidase (AOX)] accumulated preferentially during the HR, but this did not elevate Aox1a transcript or AOX protein, while the transcript and protein were strongly elevated during the defence response to pv. phaseolicola. In addition, matrix manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity declined during the HR, unlike its response to the other pathovars, and unlike the response of other superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes. Finally, the HR (but not the response to pv. phaseolicola or pv. tabaci) was accompanied by an early and persistent mitochondrial superoxide (O(2)(-)) burst prior to cell death. We propose that a coordinated response of the major ETC mechanism to avoid O(2)(-) generation (AOX) and the sole enzymatic means to scavenge mitochondrial O(2)(-) (MnSOD) is important in the determination of cell fate during responses to pathogen.

Impact of mitochondrial alternative oxidase expression on the response of Nicotiana tabacum to cold temperature

The plant mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) includes a non-energy conserving alternative oxidase (AOX) thought to dampen reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by the ETC and/or facilitate carbon metabolism by uncoupling it from ATP turnover. When wild-type (WT) Nicotiana tabacum grown at 28°C/22°C (light/dark) were transferred to 12°C/5°C, they showed a large induction of leaf Aox1a mRNA and AOX protein within 24 h. Transfer to cold also resulted in a large accumulation of monosaccharides, an increase in transcript level of genes encoding important ROS-scavenging enzymes and a moderate increase in lipid peroxidation. Transgenic plants with suppressed AOX level showed less cold-induced sugar accumulation than WT while transgenic plants with enhanced AOX levels showed enhanced sugar accumulation. This is inconsistent with the hypothesis that AOX acts to burn excess carbohydrate, but rather suggests a role for AOX to aid sugar accumulation, at least during cold stress. At 28°C/22°C, plants with suppressed AOX had elevated levels of lipid peroxidation compared with WT, while plants with enhanced AOX had reduced lipid peroxidation. This is consistent with the hypothesis that AOX dampens ROS generation and oxidative damage. However, this inverse relationship between AOX level and lipid peroxidation did not hold upon shift to cold. Under this stress condition, plants with strong suppression of AOX show enhanced induction of ROS-scavenging enzymes compared with WT and decline in lipid peroxidation. These data suggest that, under stress conditions, the lack of AOX enhances a mitochondrial stress-signaling pathway able to increase the ROS-scavenging capacity of the cell.

Is the maintenance of homeostatic mitochondrial signaling during stress a physiological role for alternative oxidase?

All plants maintain a non-energy-conserving pathway of mitochondrial electron transport referred to as alternative oxidase (AOX) respiration. Here, we briefly review some of the most prevailing themes for the metabolic and physiological roles of this respiratory pathway. Many of these themes relate to the potential of AOX to provide metabolic homeostasis in response to fluctuating cellular conditions, such as is often seen during stress. We then review reverse genetic experiments that have been used to test these hypotheses. To date, such experiments have been limited to just two dicot species and have only targeted one member (a stress-induced member) of the AOX multigene family. Nonetheless, the experiments to date strongly reinforce the idea that AOX respiration is of particular importance during abiotic and biotic stress. Finally, we propose that another core role of AOX may be to modulate the strength of a stress-signaling pathway from the mitochondrion that controls cellular responses to stress. In this way, AOX could be acting to provide a degree of signaling homeostasis from the mitochondrion. This hypothesis may provide explanation for some of the disparate results seen in reverse genetic experiments regarding the impact of AOX on the reactive oxygen network and oxidative damage.

Alternative oxidase in animals: unique characteristics and taxonomic distribution

Alternative oxidase (AOX), a ubiquinol oxidase, introduces a branch point into the respiratory electron transport chain, bypassing complexes III and IV and resulting in cyanide-resistant respiration. Previously, AOX was thought to be limited to plants and some fungi and protists but recent work has demonstrated the presence of AOX in most kingdoms of life, including animals. In the present study we identified AOX in 28 animal species representing nine phyla. This expands the known taxonomic distribution of AOX in animals by 10 species and two phyla. Using bioinformatics we found AOX gene sequences in members of the animal phyla Porifera, Placozoa, Cnidaria, Mollusca, Annelida, Nematoda, Echinodermata, Hemichordata and Chordata. Using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with degenerate primers designed to recognize conserved regions of animal AOX, we demonstrated that AOX genes are transcribed in several animals from different phyla. An analysis of full-length AOX sequences revealed an amino acid motif in the C-terminal region of the protein that is unique to animal AOXs. Animal AOX also lacks an N-terminal cysteine residue that is known to be important for AOX enzyme regulation in plants. We conclude that the presence of AOX is the ancestral state in animals and hypothesize that its absence in some lineages, including vertebrates, is due to gene loss events.

A glucocorticoid-inducible gene expression system can cause growth defects in tobacco

We find that an expression system widely used to chemically induce transgenes of interest in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum Petit Havana SR1) can cause severe growth defects in this species. This gene expression system has been shown to cause non-specific effects (including growth retardation) in other plant species, but has until now been largely accepted to be a relatively problem-free system for use in tobacco. The expression system is based on the ability of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) to activate a non-plant chimeric transcription factor (GVG), which then activates expression of a transgene of interest. The aberrant growth phenotype only manifests itself after DEX application and only occurs in plants in which the constitutive levels of GVG expression are higher than average. We found that approximately 30% of all transgenic plants produced showed some level of growth retardation under our standard growth conditions. However, by modulating irradiance levels following DEX application, we also showed that the manifestation and severity of the aberrant phenotype is highly dependent upon growth conditions, highlighting that such conditions are a critical parameter to consider during all stages of using this gene expression system. We also identified an increase in ACC oxidase gene expression as an early, sensitive and robust molecular marker for the aberrant phenotype. This molecular marker should be valuable to investigators wishing to readily identify transgenic plants in which GVG expression levels are beyond a threshold that begins to produce non-specific effects of the gene expression system under a defined set of growth conditions.

Changes in plant mitochondrial electron transport alter cellular levels of reactive oxygen species and susceptibility to cell death signaling molecules

Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) lacking mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) have been compared with wild-type (Wt) tobacco using two different systems, either suspension cell cultures or leaves. In both systems, a lack of AOX was accompanied by an increase in some anti-oxidant defenses, consistent with the hypothesis that a lack of AOX increases the mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In most cases, this increase in anti-oxidant defenses could more than offset the presumed increased rate of ROS generation, resulting paradoxically in a lower steady-state level of ROS than was found in Wt leaves or suspension cells. We also found that the amount of cell death induced by salicylic acid or nitric oxide correlated strongly with the level of ROS (irrespective of the level of AOX), while death induced by azide was dependent upon the presence or absence of AOX. These results suggest that susceptibility to cell death by signaling molecules (salicylic acid and nitric oxide) is dependent upon the steady-state cellular level of ROS and that AOX levels clearly contribute to this steady state, perhaps by influencing the rate of mitochondrial-generated ROS and hence the cellular level of anti-oxidant defenses.

Origins, evolutionary history, and taxonomic distribution of alternative oxidase and plastoquinol terminal oxidase

Alternative oxidase (AOX) and plastoquinol terminal oxidase (PTOX) are related quinol oxidases associated with respiratory and photosynthetic electron transport chains, respectively. Contrary to previous belief, AOX is present in numerous animal phyla, as well as heterotrophic and marine phototrophic proteobacteria. PTOX appears limited to organisms capable of oxygenic photosynthesis, including cyanobacteria, algae and plants. We propose that both oxidases originated in prokaryotes from a common ancestral di-iron carboxylate protein that diversified to AOX within ancient proteobacteria and PTOX within ancient cyanobacteria. Each then entered the eukaryotic lineage separately; AOX by the endosymbiotic event that gave rise to mitochondria and later PTOX by the endosymbiotic event that gave rise to chloroplasts. Both oxidases then spread through the eukaryotic domain by vertical inheritance, as well as by secondary and potentially tertiary endosymbiotic events.

The role of alternative oxidase in modulating carbon use efficiency and growth during macronutrient stress in tobacco cells

When wild-type (wt) tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Petit Havana SR1) cells are grown under macronutrient (P or N) limitation, they induce large amounts of alternative oxidase (AOX), which constitutes a non-energy-conserving branch of the respiratory electron transport chain. To investigate the significance of AOX induction, wt cells were compared with transgenic (AS8) cells lacking AOX. Under nutrient limitation, growth of wt cell cultures was dramatically reduced and carbon use efficiency (g cell dry weight gain g(-1) sugar consumed) decreased by 42-63%. However, the growth of AS8 was only moderately reduced by the nutrient deficiencies and carbon use efficiency values remained the same as under nutrient-sufficient conditions. As a result, the nutrient limitations more severely compromised the tissue nutrient status (P or N) of AS8 than wt cells. Northern analyses and a comparison of the mitochondrial protein profiles of wt and AS8 cells indicated that the lack of AOX in AS8 under P limitation was associated with increased levels of proteins commonly associated with oxidative stress and/or stress injury. Also, the level of electron transport chain components was consistently reduced in AS8 while tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes did not show a universal trend in abundance in comparison to the wt. Alternatively, the lack of AOX in AS8 cells under N limitation resulted in enhanced carbohydrate accumulation. It is concluded that AOX respiration provides an important general mechanism by which plant cells can modulate their growth in response to nutrient availability and that AOX also has nutrient-specific roles in maintaining cellular redox and carbon balance.

Alternative oxidase and plastoquinol terminal oxidase in marine prokaryotes of the Sargasso Sea

Alternative oxidase (AOX) represents a non-energy conserving branch in mitochondrial electron transport while plastoquinol terminal oxidase (PTOX) represents a potential branch in photosynthetic electron transport. Using a metagenomics dataset, we have uncovered numerous and diverse AOX and PTOX genes from the Sargasso Sea. Sequence similarity, synteny and phylogenetic analyses indicate that the large majority of these genes are from prokaryotes. AOX appears to be widely distributed among marine Eubacteria while PTOX is widespread among strains of cyanobacteria closely related to the high-light adapted Prochlorococcus marinus MED4, as well as Synechococcus. The wide distribution of AOX and PTOX in marine prokaryotes may have important implications for productivity in the world's oceans.

Prokaryotic orthologues of mitochondrial alternative oxidase and plastid terminal oxidase

The mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) and the plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) are two similar members of the membrane-bound diiron carboxylate group of proteins. AOX is a ubiquinol oxidase present in all higher plants, as well as some algae, fungi, and protists. It may serve to dampen reactive oxygen species generation by the respiratory electron transport chain. PTOX is a plastoquinol oxidase in plants and some algae. It is required in carotenoid biosynthesis and may represent the elusive oxidase in chlororespiration. Recently, prokaryotic orthologues of both AOX and PTOX proteins have appeared in sequence databases. These include PTOX orthologues present in four different cyanobacteria as well as an AOX orthologue in an alpha-proteobacterium. We used PCR, RT-PCR and northern analyses to confirm the presence and expression of the PTOX gene in Anabaena variabilis PCC 7120. An extensive phylogeny of newly found prokaryotic and eukaryotic AOX and PTOX proteins supports the idea that AOX and PTOX represent two distinct groups of proteins that diverged prior to the endosymbiotic events that gave rise to the eukaryotic organelles. Using multiple sequence alignment, we identified residues conserved in all AOX and PTOX proteins. We also provide a scheme to readily distinguish PTOX from AOX proteins based upon differences in amino acid sequence in motifs around the conserved iron-binding residues. Given the presence of PTOX in cyanobacteria, we suggest that this acronym now stand for plastoquinol terminal oxidase. Our results have implications for the photosynthetic and respiratory metabolism of these prokaryotes, as well as for the origin and evolution of eukaryotic AOX and PTOX proteins.

Methods and approaches to study plant mitochondrial alternative oxidase

The alternative oxidase is a non-proton motive 'alternative' to electron transport through the cytochrome pathway. Despite its wasteful nature in terms of energy conservation, the pathway is likely present throughout the plant kingdom and appears to be expressed in most plant tissues. A small alternative oxidase gene family exists, the members of which are differentially expressed in response to environmental, developmental and other cell signals. The alternative oxidase enzyme possesses tight biochemical regulatory properties that determine its ability to compete with the cytochrome pathway for electrons. Studies show that alternative oxidase can be a prominent component of total respiration in important crop species. All these characteristics suggest this pathway plays an important role in metabolism and/or other aspects of cell physiology. This brief review is an introduction to experimental methods and approaches applicable to different areas of alternative oxidase research. We hope it provides a framework for further investigation of this fascinating component of primary plant metabolism.

Transgenic plant cells lacking mitochondrial alternative oxidase have increased susceptibility to mitochondria-dependent and -independent pathways of programmed cell death

The plant mitochondrial electron transport chain is branched such that electrons at ubiquinol can be diverted to oxygen via the alternative oxidase (AOX). This pathway does not contribute to ATP synthesis but can dampen the mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species. Here, we establish that transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Petit Havana SR1) cells lacking AOX (AS8 cells) show increased susceptibility to three different death-inducing compounds (H(2)O(2), salicylic acid [SA], and the protein phosphatase inhibitor cantharidin) in comparison with wild-type cells. The timing and extent of AS8 cell death are very similar among the three treatments and, in each case, are accompanied by the accumulation of oligonucleosomal fragments of DNA, indicative of programmed cell death. Death induced by H(2)O(2) or SA occurs by a mitochondria-dependent pathway characterized by cytochrome c release from the mitochondrion. Conversely, death induced by cantharidin occurs by a pathway without any obvious mitochondrial involvement. The ability of AOX to attenuate these death pathways may relate to its ability to maintain mitochondrial function after insult with a death-inducing compound or may relate to its ability to prevent chronic oxidative stress within the mitochondrion. In support of the latter, long-term treatment of AS8 cells with an antioxidant compound increased the resistance of AS8 cells to SA- or cantharidin-induced death. The results indicate that plants maintain both mitochondria-dependent and -independent pathways of programmed cell death and that AOX may act as an important mitochondrial "survival protein" against such death.

Induction of mitochondrial alternative oxidase in response to a cell signal pathway down-regulating the cytochrome pathway prevents programmed cell death

Treatment of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Petit Havana SR1) cells with cysteine (Cys) triggers a signal pathway culminating in a large loss of mitochondrial cytochrome (cyt) pathway capacity. This down-regulation of the cyt path likely requires events outside the mitochondrion and is effectively blocked by cantharidin or endothall, indicating that protein dephosphorylation is one critical process involved. Generation of reactive oxygen species, cytosolic protein synthesis, and Ca(2+) flux from organelles also appear to be involved. Accompanying the loss of cyt path is a large induction of alternative oxidase (AOX) protein and capacity. Induction of AOX allows the cells to maintain high rates of respiration, indicating that the lesion triggered by Cys is in the cyt path downstream of ubiquinone. Consistent with this, transgenic (AS8) cells unable to induce AOX (due to the presence of an antisense transgene) lose all respiratory capacity upon Cys treatment. This initiates in AS8 a programmed cell death pathway, as evidenced by the accumulation of oligonucleosomal fragments of DNA as the culture dies. Alternatively, wild-type cells remain viable and eventually recover their cyt path. Induction of AOX in response to a chemical inhibition of the cyt path (by antimycin A) is also dependent upon protein dephosphorylation and the generation of reactive oxygen species. Common events required for both down-regulation of the cyt path and induction of AOX may represent a mechanism to coordinate the biogenesis of these two electron transport paths. Such coordinate regulation may be necessary, not only to satisfy metabolic demands, but also to modulate the initiation of a programmed cell death pathway responsive to mitochondrial respiratory status.

Mitochondrial alternative oxidase is not a critical component of plant viral resistance but may play a role in the hypersensitive response

Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) with altered levels of mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) were used to examine the potential role of this electron transport chain protein in resistance to tobacco mosaic virus. We examined the effect of AOX expression on the salicylic acid-induced resistance in susceptible plants and the resistance responses of plants harboring the N-gene. A lack of AOX did not compromise the ability of salicylic acid treatment to heighten the resistance of susceptible plants. In plants with the N-gene, a lack of AOX did not compromise the ability of the hypersensitive response to restrict the virus or the ability of the plant to develop systemic acquired resistance. Overexpression of AOX did not heighten the resistance of susceptible plants, but did result in smaller hypersensitive response lesions, suggesting a link between mitochondrial function and this programmed cell death event. We conclude that AOX is not a critical component of the previously characterized salicylhydroxamic acid-sensitive pathway important in viral resistance.

Mitochondrial alternative oxidase acts to dampen the generation of active oxygen species during a period of rapid respiration induced to support a high rate of nutrient uptake

When wild type (wt) tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Petit Havana SR1) suspension cells were grown under phosphate (P) limitation, they contained large amounts of mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX). When these cells were resupplied with P, there was a large, immediate and sustained stimulation of respiration to support a period of rapid P uptake. Two lines of evidence suggest that the abundant level of AOX present in wt cells contributed to this stimulated rate of respiration. First, when P-limited transgenic antisense tobacco cells (AS8) lacking AOX were resupplied with P, the stimulation of respiration was much less dramatic even though these cells displayed similar rates of P uptake. Second, while the stimulated rate of respiration in AS8 cells was insensitive (as expected) to the AOX inhibitor n-propyl gallate (nPG), much of the stimulated rate of respiration in wt cells could be inhibited by nPG. Given the non-phosphorylating nature of AOX respiration, wt cells required higher rates of electron transport to O2 than AS8 cells to support similar rates of P uptake. The utilization of AOX by wt cells during P uptake was apparently not occurring because the cytochrome (Cyt) pathway alone could not fully support the rate of P uptake, as the respiration of cells lacking AOX (either untreated AS8 cells or wt cells treated with nPG) supported similar rates of P uptake as wt cells with abundant AOX. Rather, we provide in vivo evidence that the utilization of AOX during the period of high respiration supporting P uptake was to dampen the mitochondrial generation of active oxygen species (AOS).

Increased respiratory restriction during phosphate-limited growth in transgenic tobacco cells lacking alternative oxidase

We found that mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) protein and the capacity for CN-resistant respiration are dramatically increased in wild-type tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) suspension-cultured cells in response to growth under P limitation, and antisense (AS8) tobacco cells unable to induce AOX under these conditions have altered growth and metabolism. Specifically, we found that the respiration of AS8 cells was restricted during P-limited growth, when the potential for severe adenylate control of respiration (at the level of C supply to the mitochondrion and/or at the level of oxidative phosphorylation) is high due to the low cellular levels of ADP and/or inorganic P. As a result of this respiratory restriction, AS8 cells had altered growth, morphology, cellular composition, and patterns of respiratory C flow to amino acid synthesis compared with wild-type cells with abundant AOX protein. Also, AS8 cells under P limitation displayed high in vivo rates of generation of active oxygen species compared with wild-type cells. This difference could be abolished by an uncoupler of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Our results suggest that induction of non-phosphorylating AOX respiration (like induction of adenylate and inorganic P-independent pathways in glycolysis) is an important plant metabolic adaptation to P limitation. By preventing severe respiratory restriction, AOX acts to prevent both redirections in C metabolism and the excessive generation of harmful active oxygen species in the mitochondrion.

In Organello and in Vivo Evidence of the Importance of the Regulatory Sulfhydryl/Disulfide System and Pyruvate for Alternative Oxidase Activity in Tobacco

After isolation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaf mitochondria, alternative oxidase (AOX) is predominantly present as the disulfide-linked, less-active "oxidized" form. In an in organello assay, significant AOX activity was dependent upon both the reduction of the regulatory disulfide bond (such as occurs by dithiothreitol) and upon the presence of the activator pyruvate. However, AOX activity in these assays was substantially affected when mitochondria were isolated in the presence of pyruvate. First, pyruvate protects against the oxidation of the regulatory sulfhydryl during isolation, such that subsequent in organello AOX activity is not dependent upon dithiothreitol. Second, pyruvate stabilizes AOX activity, such that mitochondria kept in the presence of pyruvate have higher maximum rates of AOX activity than mitochondria kept for some time in the absence of pyruvate. The ability of pyruvate to protect against AOX oxidation was exploited to assess the in vivo status of the regulatory sulfhydryl/disulfide system. In both tobacco suspension cells and tobacco leaves with high levels of AOX protein, the protein is predominantly present as the "reduced" active form in vivo under a range of respiratory conditions. Experiments also indicate that, while the presence of reduced protein may be a necessary prerequisite for significant AOX activity, it is not sufficient for activity and other factors must also be critical.

Molecular localization of a redox-modulated process regulating plant mitochondrial electron transport

Using in organellar assays, we found that significant tobacco alternative oxidase (AOX) activity is dependent on both reduction of a putative regulatory disulfide bond and the presence of pyruvate, which may interact with a Cys sulfhydryl. This redox modulation and pyruvate activation thus may be important in determining the partitioning of electrons to AOX in vivo. To investigate these regulatory mechanisms, we generated tobacco plants expressing mutated AOX proteins. Mutation of the most N-terminal Cys residue (Cys-126) to an Ala residue produced an AOX that could not be converted to the disulfide-linked form, thus identifying this Cys residue as being responsible for redox modulation. Although this mutation might be expected to produce an AOX with constitutive high activity in the presence of pyruvate, we found it to have minimal in organellar activity in the presence of pyruvate. Nonetheless, the Cys-126 mutation did not appear to have compromised the catalytic function of AOX, given that cells expressing the protein displayed high rates of cyanide-resistant respiration in vivo. The striking difference between in vivo and in organellar results suggests that an additional mechanism(s), as yet unidentified by in organellar assays, may promote activity in vivo. Mutation of the Cys residue nearest the presumptive active site (Cys-176) to an Ala residue did not prevent disulfide bond formation or affect the ability of AOX to be stimulated by pyruvate, indicating that this Cys residue is involved in neither redox modulation nor pyruvate activation.

ALTERNATIVE OXIDASE: From Gene to Function

Plants, some fungi, and protists contain a cyanide-resistant, alternative mitochondrial respiratory pathway. This pathway branches at the ubiquinone pool and consists of an alternative oxidase encoded by the nuclear gene Aox1. Alternative pathway respiration is only linked to proton translocation at Complex 1 (NADH dehydrogenase). Alternative oxidase expression is influenced by stress stimuli-cold, oxidative stress, pathogen attack-and by factors constricting electron flow through the cytochrome pathway of respiration. Control is exerted at the levels of gene expression and in response to the availability of carbon and reducing potential. Posttranslational control involves reversible covalent modification of the alternative oxidase and activation by specific carbon metabolites. This dynamic system of coarse and fine control may function to balance upstream respiratory carbon metabolism and downstream electron transport when these coupled processes become imbalanced as a result of changes in the supply of, or demand for, carbon, reducing power, and ATP.

Mitochondrial electron transport regulation of nuclear gene expression. Studies with the alternative oxidase gene of tobacco

We have isolated a cDNA representing the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Bright Yellow) nuclear gene Aox1, which encodes the alternative oxidase of plant mitochondria. The clone contains the complete coding region (1059 base pairs) of a precursor protein of 353 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 39.8 kD. A putative transit peptide contains common signals believed to be important for import and processing of mitochondrially localized proteins. We have studied changes in Aox1 gene expression in tobacco in response to changes in cytochrome pathway activity. Inhibition of the cytochrome pathway by antimycin A resulted in a rapid and dramatic accumulation of Aox1 mRNA, whereas the level of mRNAs encoding two proteins of the cytochrome pathway did not change appreciably. This was accompanied by a dramatic increase in alternative pathway capacity and engagement in whole cells. Respiration under these conditions was unaffected by the uncoupler p-trifluoromethoxycarbonylcyanide (FCCP). When inhibition of the cytochrome pathway was relieved, levels of Aox1 mRNA returned to control levels, alternative pathway capacity and engagement declined, and respiration could once again be stimulated by FCCP. The results show that a mechanism involving changes in Aox1 gene expression exists whereby the capacity of the alternative pathway can be adjusted in response to changes in the activity of the cytochrome pathway.