叶绿体增殖调控机制研究进展

叶绿体为内共生起源的细胞器。利用电镜观察发现叶绿体分裂时具有中央缢缩现象,并且缢缩过程中存在环状结构。在大肠杆菌中,FtsZ蛋白最早在分裂位点组成一个环状结构（Z-环,FtsZ protein ring）,其他分裂相关蛋白再与之结合,共同组成一个复杂的分裂装置,最终导致原核细胞分裂的完成。其分裂位点的选择受到min操纵子（包括MinC,MinD。MinE基因）的精细调控。叶绿体分裂的分子调控机制与原核细胞类似。原核起源与真核起源的分裂相关蛋白组成分裂复合体,确保叶绿体的正常分裂。     

叶绿体分裂相关蛋白CrMinD的保守功能

细胞或质体中部正确分裂位点的选择是MinD蛋白与其他Min蛋白（MinC／E）相互作用的结果,MinD蛋白在原核细胞以及植物叶绿体的分裂过程中发挥着重要的作用。细胞中MinD蛋白浓度的明显升高可影响正常细胞的分裂过程而产生丝状体细胞。为了研究叶绿体分裂蛋白CrMinD的保守功能,构建了衣藻CrMinD-gfp的原核表达重组质粒进行了原核功能验证。试验结果表明,衣藻CrMinD蛋白的过量表达严重影响了大肠杆菌的分裂,其在原核细胞中运动和定位与用GFP标记的原核细胞MinD蛋白具有相似性。更进一步证明了叶绿体分裂同源物CrMinD蛋白与原核细胞MinD蛋白有着相似的功能,是一个进化上功能保守的蛋白。同时,这一结果也为研究植物细胞中质体的分裂机制奠定了一定的基础。     

叶绿体中活性氧的产生和清除机制

正常情况下植物细胞内活性氧（reactive oxygen species ROS）的产生和清除是平衡的,但是,一旦植物遭受环境胁迫,ROS的积累超过抗氧化剂防护系统清除能力,就会产生氧胁迫损伤细胞。由于叶绿体作为光合作用的场所与其他细胞器相比更易遭受氧化胁迫的伤害。因此,叶绿体进化了更强的防御机制调控电子传递链的氧化还原平衡及叶绿体基质中的氧化还原状态。活性氧具有双重效应．高浓度的活性氧对植物细胞有很强的毒害作用,低浓度时可充当信号分子参与植物的某些防卫反应过程,本文就叶绿体中活性氧的产生（三线态叶绿素、PSI和PSI I电子传递链）、网络清除（抗氧化剂,SOD,As—Glu循环系统,硫氧还蛋白）机制以及功能作用进行了综述。     

烟草NtFtsZ2-1基因参与叶绿体分裂和扩大的调节

叶绿体虽然是植物细胞内一种极其重要的细胞器,但其分裂的分子机制尚不很清楚。已经证明FtsZ蛋白作为真核细胞分裂装置的一个关键成分,参与叶绿体的分裂过程。烟草的FtsZ基因属于2个不同的家族,在对NtFtsZ1家族成员研究的基础上,用正义和反义表达技术研究了NtFtsZ2家族成员NtFtsZ2-1基因在转基因烟草中的功能。显微分析结果表明NtFtsZ2-1基因的表达水平异常增强或减弱都会严重干扰叶绿体的正常分裂过程,导致叶绿体在形态和数目上的异常（体积明显增大,数目显著减少）,而单个叶肉细胞中叶绿体的总表面积在正反义转基因烟草和野生型烟草之间保持了相对稳定,没有发生明显的变化。同时还证明NtFtsZ2-1基因表达的变化对叶绿素含量和叶绿体的光合作用能力没有直接的影响。据此我们认为NtFtsZ2-1基因参与叶绿体的分裂和体积的扩大,其表达水平的波动会改变植物中叶绿体的数目和大小,而且在叶绿体的数目与体积之间可能存在一种补偿机制,保证叶绿体能最大限度地吸收光能,从而使光合作用得以正常进行。     

高等植物质体的分裂

质体来源于早期具光合能力的原核生物与原始真核生物的内共生事件。原核起源的蛋白以及真核寄主起源的蛋白共同参与了质体的分裂过程。以原核生物的细胞分裂蛋白为蓝本,近些年在植物中陆续鉴定出几种主要的原核生物细胞分裂蛋白的同源物,如FtsZ、MinD和MinE蛋白。然而,除此之外,原核细胞大多数分裂相关因子在植物中找不到其同源物,但却鉴定了许多真核寄主来源的分裂相关蛋白。当前研究的重点是剖析各种质体分裂蛋白协同作用的机制,业已证明MinD和Mine的协同作用保证了FtsZ（Z）环的正确定位。尽管经典的FtsZ的抑制因子MinC在植物中不存在,但实验表明ARC3在拟南芥中具有类似MinC的功能。ARC3蛋白与真核起源的蛋白如ARC5、ARTEMIS、FZL和PD环以及其它原核起源的蛋白如ARC6和GC1等共同构成了一个复杂的植物质体分裂调控系统。     

水稻minE基因的克隆及分析

 植物叶绿体与原核生物分裂机制相似,其中MinE蛋白在细菌分裂过程中具有重要作用. 为了研究植物MinE蛋白在叶绿体分裂过程中的功能及其进化,利用RT PCR技术克隆了水稻叶绿体分裂相关基因OsMinE,并在GenBank登录（No. AY496951）.OsMinE基因cDNA全长1 035 bp,其ORF为711 bp,编码236个氨基酸.与原核生物MinE蛋白相比,水稻OsMinE具有明显延伸的N端与C端.其N端102个氨基酸残基为预测的叶绿体导肽序列,C端延伸保守,推测赋予植物MinE蛋白新的功能.植物minE基因结构分析显示,水稻、拟南芥、杨树都仅含有1个内含子,且插入位置及相位相同.这表明,该内含子可能在单子叶、双子叶植物分化前产生.水稻OsMinE基因在大肠杆菌细胞中的表达严重影响了细胞的分裂,初步证明了水稻MinE蛋白与原核细胞MinE蛋白功能类似.水稻OsMinE基因的克隆为进一步研究叶绿体的分裂机制奠定了基础.     

高等植物质体的分裂

质体来源于早期具光合能力的原核生物与原始真核生物的内共生事件。原核起源的蛋白以及真核寄主起源的蛋白共同参与了质体的分裂过程。以原核生物的细胞分裂蛋白为蓝本, 近些年在植物中陆续鉴定出几种主要的原核生物细胞分裂蛋白的同源物, 如FtsZ、MinD和MinE蛋白。然而, 除此之外, 原核细胞大多数分裂相关因子在植物中找不到其同源物, 但却鉴定了许多真核寄主来源的分裂相关蛋白。当前研究的重点是剖析各种质体分裂蛋白协同作用的机制, 业已证明MinD和MinE的协同作用保证了FtsZ(Z)环的正确定位。尽管经典的FtsZ的抑制因子MinC在植物中不存在, 但实验表明ARC3在拟南芥中具有类似MinC的功能。ARC3蛋白与真核起源的蛋白如ARC5、ARTEMIS、FZL和PD环以及其它原核起源的蛋白如ARC6和GC1等共同构成了一个复杂的植物质体分裂调控系统。     

叶绿体基因组:起源、结构与表达调控

叶绿体具有独立基因组。被认为是内共生起源的细胞器。叶绿体基因组是多拷贝的,具有比较保守的环状结构,但也存在着一些例外。叶绿体基因组主要用于编码与光合作用密切相关的一些蛋白和一些核糖体蛋白。由核基因编码的叶绿体蛋白质在胞质中先形成分子量较大的前体蛋白,而后跨过叶绿体膜,使叶绿体完成生理功能。叶绿体基因表达调控是在不同水平上进行的,光和细胞分裂素对叶绿体基因的表达也起着重要的调节作用。     

过量表达叶绿体小分子热激蛋白提高番茄的抗寒性

小分子热激蛋白与植物耐寒性提高有相关性,但是没有直接的实验证据能证明小分子热激蛋白的存在增加植物抗寒性.我们克隆了番茄叶绿体(定位)小分子热激蛋白cDNA,并将35SCaMV启动子驱动的番茄叶绿体小分子热激蛋白cDNA植物表达构架导入番茄,测定转基因番茄和未转基因番茄的抗寒性水平.低温处理后,转基因番茄的冷害症状轻于未转基因的番茄;转基因番茄细胞电解质外渗较少、花青素和MDA累积量较低;净光合速率和叶绿体含量高于对照.这些实验结果说明叶绿体小分子热激蛋白的过量表达提高了植物抗寒性.     

稀土Nd~（3＋）对植物叶绿体类囊体蛋白复合物影响的研究

Ｎｄ￣（３＋）对植物叶绿体类囊体蛋白复合物的影响,不仅表现在对叶绿体类囊体膜溶液的吸收光谱改变上,而且也表现在对色素蛋白复合物ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＡ电泳带扫描图谱吸收峰面积变化上;同时也对ＤＣＩＰ光还原活力表现出抑制作用,对Ｃａ￣（２＋）－ＡＴＰａｓｅ的活力表现出低浓度激活,高浓度抑制的作用。     

Chloroplast division: squeezing the photosynthetic captive

Chloroplasts have evolved from a cyanobacterial endosymbiont and have been retained in eukaryotic cells for more than one billion years via chloroplast division and inheritance by daughter cells during cell division. Recent studies revealed that chloroplast division is performed by a large protein complex at the division site, encompassing both the inside and the outside of the two envelope membranes. The division complex has retained a few components of the cyanobacterial division complex to go along with other components supplied by the host cell. On the basis of the information about the division complex, we are beginning to understand how the division complex evolved, and how eukaryotic host cells regulate chloroplast division during proliferation and differentiation.     

Plastid division coordination across a double-membraned structure

Chloroplasts still retain components of the bacterial cell division machinery and research over the past decade has led to an understanding of how these stromal division proteins assemble and function as a complex chloroplast division machinery. However, during evolution plant chloroplasts have acquired a number of cytosolic division proteins, indicating that unlike the cyanobacterial ancestors of plastids, chloroplast division in higher plants require a second division machinery located on the chloroplast outer envelope membrane. Here we review the current understanding of the stromal and cytosolic plastid division machineries and speculate how two protein machineries coordinate their activities across a double-membraned structure.     

ENDOMEMBRANE STRUCTURE AND THE CHLOROPLAST PROTEIN TARGETING PATHWAY IN HETEROSIGMA AKASHIWO (RAPHIDOPHYCEAE, CHROMISTA)

Chloroplasts in heterokont algae are surrounded by four membranes and probably originated from a red algal endosymbiont that was engulfed and retained by eukaryotic host. Understanding how nuclear-encoded chloroplast proteins are translocated from the cytoplasm into the chloroplast across these membranes could give us some insights about how the endosymbiont was integrated into the host cell in the process of secondary symbiogenesis. In multiplastid heterokont algae such as raphidophytes, it has been unclear if the outermost of the four membranes surrounding the chloroplast (the chloroplast endoplasmic reticulum [CER] membrane) is continuous with the nuclear envelope and rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Here, we report detailed ultrastructural observations of the raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo (Hada) Hada ex Y. Hara et Chihara that show that the CER membranes were continuous with ER membranes that had attached ribosomes, implying that the chloroplast with three envelope membranes is located within the ER lumen, that is, topologically the same structure as that of monoplastid heterokont algae. However, the CER membrane of H. akashiwo had very few, if any, ribosomes attached, unlike the CER membranes in other heterokont algae. To verify that proteins are first targeted to the ER, we assayed protein import into canine microsomes using a precursor for a nuclear-encoded chloroplast protein, the fucoxanthin-chlorophyll a / c protein of H. akashiwo. This demonstrated that the precursor has a functional signal sequence for ER targeting and is cotranslationally translocated into the ER, where a signal sequence of about 17 amino acids is removed. Based on these data, we hypothesize that in H. akashiwo , nuclear-encoded chloroplast protein precursors that have been cotranslationally transported into the ER lumen are sorted in the ER and transported to the chloroplasts through the ER lumen.     

Tic20 and Tic22 Are New Components of the Protein Import Apparatus at the Chloroplast Inner Envelope Membrane

Two components of the chloroplast envelope, Tic20 and Tic22, were previously identified as candidates for components of the general protein import machinery by their ability to covalently cross-link to nuclear-encoded preproteins trapped at an intermediate stage in import across the envelope (Kouranov, A., and D.J. Schnell. 1997. J. Cell Biol. 139:1677–1685). We have determined the primary structures of Tic20 and Tic22 and investigated their localization and association within the chloroplast envelope. Tic20 is a 20-kD integral membrane component of the inner envelope membrane. In contrast, Tic22 is a 22-kD protein that is located in the intermembrane space between the outer and inner envelope membranes and is peripherally associated with the outer face of the inner membrane. Tic20, Tic22, and a third inner membrane import component, Tic110, associate with import components of the outer envelope membrane. Preprotein import intermediates quantitatively associate with this outer/inner membrane supercomplex, providing evidence that the complex corresponds to envelope contact sites that mediate direct transport of preproteins from the cytoplasm to the stromal compartment. On the basis of these results, we propose that Tic20 and Tic22 are core components of the protein translocon of the inner envelope membrane of chloroplasts.     

Protein import into cyanelles and complex chloroplasts

Higher-plant, green and red algal chloroplasts are surrounded by a double membrane envelope. The glaucocystophyte plastid (cyanelle) has retained a prokaryotic cell wall between the two envelope membranes. The complex chloroplasts of Euglena and dinoflagellates are surrounded by three membranes while the complex chloroplasts of chlorarachniophytes, cryptomonads, brown algae, diatoms and other chromophytes, are surrounded by 4 membranes. The peptidoglycan layer of the cyanelle envelope and the additional membranes of complex chloroplasts provide barriers to chloroplast protein import not present in the simpler double membrane chloroplast envelope. Analysis of presequence structure and in vitro import experiments indicate that proteins are imported directly from the cytoplasm across the two envelope membranes and peptidoglycan layer into cyanelles. Protein import into complex chloroplasts is however fundamentally different. Analysis of presequence structure and in vitro import into microsomal membranes has shown that translocation into the ER is the first step for protein import into complex chloroplasts enclosed by three or four membranes. In vivo pulse chase experiments and immunoelectronmicroscopy have shown that in Euglena, proteins are transported from the ER to the Golgi apparatus prior to import across the three chloroplast membranes. Ultrastructural studies and the presence of ribosomes on the outermost of the four envelope membranes suggests protein import into 4 membrane-bounded complex chloroplasts is directly from the ER like outermost membrane into the chloroplast. The fundamental difference in import mechanisms, post-translational direct chloroplast import or co-translational translocation into the ER prior to chloroplast import, appears to reflect the evolutionary origin of the different chloroplast types. Chloroplasts with a two-membrane envelope are thought to have evolved through the primary endosymbiotic association between a eukaryotic host and a photosynthetic prokaryote while complex chloroplasts are believed to have evolved through a secondary endosymbiotic association between a heterotrophic or possibly phototrophic eukaryotic host and a photosynthetic eukaryote.     

Crystal structure of a conserved domain in the intermembrane space region of the plastid division protein ARC6

The chloroplast division machinery is composed of numerous proteins that assemble as a large complex to divide double‐membraned chloroplasts through binary fission. A key mediator of division‐complex formation is ARC6, a chloroplast inner envelope protein and evolutionary descendant of the cyanobacterial cell division protein Ftn2. ARC6 connects stromal and cytosolic contractile rings across the two membranes through interaction with an outer envelope protein within the intermembrane space (IMS). The ARC6 IMS region bears a structurally uncharacterized domain of unknown function, DUF4101, that is highly conserved among ARC6 and Ftn2 proteins. Here we report the crystal structure of this domain from Arabidopsis thaliana ARC6. The domain forms an α/β barrel open towards the outer envelope membrane but closed towards the inner envelope membrane. These findings provide new clues into how ARC6 and its homologs contribute to chloroplast and cyanobacterial cell division.     

Calcium regulation of chloroplast protein import

The majority of chloroplast proteins is nuclear-encoded and therefore synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes. In order to enter the chloroplast, these proteins have to cross the double-membrane surrounding the organelle. This is achieved by means of two hetero-oligomeric protein complexes in the outer and inner envelope, the Toc and Tic translocon. The process of chloroplast import is highly regulated on both sides of the envelope membranes. Our studies indicate the existence of an undescribed mode of control for this process so far, at the same time providing further evidence that the chloroplast is integrated into the calcium-signalling network of the cell. In pea chloroplasts, the calmodulin inhibitor Ophiobolin A as well as the calcium ionophores A23187 and Ionomycin affect the translocation of those chloroplast proteins that are imported with an N-terminal cleavable presequence. Import of these proteins is inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. Addition of external calmodulin or calcium can counter the effect of these inhibitors. Translocation of chloroplast proteins that do not possess a cleavable transit peptide, that is outer envelope proteins or the inner envelope protein Tic32, is not affected. These results suggest that the import of a certain subset of chloroplast proteins is regulated by calcium. Our studies furthermore indicate that this regulation occurs downstream of the Toc translocon either within the intermembrane space or at the inner envelope translocon. A potential promoter of the calcium regulation is calmodulin, a protein well known as part of the plant's calcium signalling system.     

Protein- and energy-mediated targeting of chloroplast outer envelope membrane proteins

While the import of nuclear-encoded chloroplast proteins is relatively well studied, the targeting of proteins to the outer membrane of the chloroplast envelope is not. The insertion of most outer membrane proteins (OMP) is generally considered to occur without the utilization of energy or proteinaceous components. Recently, however, proteins have been shown to be involved in the integration of outer envelope protein 14 (OEP14), whose outer membrane insertion was previously thought to be spontaneous. Here we investigate the insertion of two proteins from Physcomitrella patens, PpOEP64-1 and PpOEP64-2 (formerly known as PpToc64-1 and PpToc64-2), into the outer membrane of chloroplasts. The association of PpOEP64-1 with chloroplasts was not affected by chloroplast pre-treatments. Its insertion into the membrane was affected, however, demonstrating the importance of measuring insertion specifically in these types of assays. We found that the insertion of PpOEP64-1, PpOEP64-2 and two other OMPs, OEP14 and digalactosyldiacylglycerol synthase 1 (DGD1), was reduced by either nucleotide depletion or proteolysis of the chloroplasts. Integration was also inhibited in the presence of an excess of an imported precursor protein. In addition, OEP14 competed with the insertion of the OEP64s and DGD1. These data demonstrate that the targeting of several OMPs involves proteins present in chloroplasts and requires nucleotides. Together with previous reports, our data suggest that OMPs in general do not insert spontaneously.     

The function and diversity of plastid protein import pathways: a multilane GTPase highway into plastids

The photosynthetic chloroplast is the hallmark organelle of green plants. During the endosymbiotic evolution of chloroplasts, the vast majority of genes from the original cyanobacterial endosymbiont were transferred to the host cell nucleus. Chloroplast biogenesis therefore requires the import of nucleus-encoded proteins from their site of synthesis in the cytosol. The majority of proteins are imported by the activity of Toc and Tic complexes located within the chloroplast envelope. In addition to chloroplasts, plants have evolved additional, non-photosynthetic plastid types that are essential components of all cells. Recent studies indicate that the biogenesis of various plastid types relies on distinct but homologous Toc-Tic import pathways that have specialized in the import of specific classes of substrates. These different import pathways appear to be necessary to balance the essential physiological role of plastids in cellular metabolism with the demands of cellular differentiation and plant development.     

Plastid division: across time and space

Plastid division is executed by the coordinated action of at least two molecular machineries--an internal machinery situated on the stromal side of the inner envelope membrane that was contributed by the cyanobacterial endosymbiont from which plastids evolved, and an external machinery situated on the cytosolic side of the outer envelope membrane that was contributed by the host. Here we review progress in defining the components of the plastid division complex and understanding the mechanisms of envelope constriction and division-site placement in plants. We also highlight recent work identifying the first molecular linkage between the internal and external division machineries, shedding light on how their mid-plastid positioning is coordinated across the envelope membranes. Little is known about the mechanisms that regulate plastid division in plant cells, but recent studies have begun to hint at potential mechanisms.