硫代异鼠李糖甘油二酯(SQDG)的生物合成与功能

硫代异鼠李糖甘油二酯(SQDG)是一种含硫的糖脂,分布于高等植物,藓类植物,蕨类植物,藻类植物以及大多数光合细菌的光合膜中。SQDG的含量与生物种类有关。在高等植物中含量一般为总脂的4％,而在藻类中其含量变化较大,一般为总脂含量的10％—70％。SQDG的合成是在叶绿体内被膜上完成的,催化SQDG合成的酶是UDP—SQ：DAG硫代异鼠李糖基转移酶。SQDG存在于纯化的叶绿体CF0-CF1ATPase、LHCⅡ辅基蛋白以及D1／D2异二聚体蛋白中,说明SQDG可能与膜蛋白复合物的结构和功能有关。SQDG还与植物的抗逆性有关。在磷缺乏时,SQDG能弥补PG含量的下降,使体内阴离子脂的含量维持在一个稳定的水平。近年来还发现SQDG能有效抑制真核生物DNA聚合酶和HIV反转录酶的活性。     

硫代硫酸钠和葡萄糖对Synechocystis sp．PCC6803细胞甘油酯及其脂肪酸组成的影响

对生长在添加有不同浓度的葡萄糖、硫代硫酸钠培养基中的蓝细菌Synechocystis sp.PCC 6803中的甘油酯及其脂肪酸组成进行比较。结果表明：硫代硫酸钠能有效地增加膜脂中硫代异鼠李糖二酰基甘油(SQDG)和磷脂酰甘油(PG)的百分含量,培养基中同时添加葡萄糖时能抵消硫代硫酸钠的这一效应。此外,硫代硫酸钠能显著增加单半乳糖甘油二酯(MGDG)、双半乳糖甘油二酯(DGDG)中十六碳酸(C16：0)的百分含量,这一效应也能为葡萄糖消除。硫代硫酸钠不能显著地改变SQDG中C16：0的百分含量,加入葡萄糖时能降低C16：0的百分含量。这些结果说明硫代硫酸钠可能充当一种还原剂使膜脂处于一种低的不饱和状态,同时加入葡萄糖时能降低硫代硫酸钠的还原力。此外,硫代硫酸钠还可作为SQDG合成中的硫供体。     

硫代硫酸钠和葡萄糖对Synechocystis sp.PCC 6803细胞甘油酯及其脂肪酸组成的影响

对生长在添加有不同浓度的葡萄糖、硫代硫酸钠培养基中的蓝细菌Synechocystis sp.PCC 6803中的甘油酯及其脂肪酸组成进行比较.结果表明:硫代硫酸钠能有效地增加膜脂中硫代异鼠李糖二酰基甘油(SQDG)和磷脂酰甘油(PG)的百分含量,培养基中同时添加葡萄糖时能抵消硫代硫酸钠的这一效应.此外,硫代硫酸钠能显著增加单半乳糖甘油二酯(MGDG)、双半乳糖甘油二酯(DGDG)中十六碳酸(C16:0)的百分含量,这一效应也能为葡萄糖消除.硫代硫酸钠不能显著地改变SQDG中C16:0的百分含量,加入葡萄糖时能降低C16:0的百分含量.这些结果说明硫代硫酸钠可能充当一种还原剂使膜脂处于一种低的不饱和状态,同时加入葡萄糖时能降低硫代硫酸钠的还原力.此外,硫代硫酸钠还可作为SQDG合成中的硫供体.     

光合膜膜脂双半乳糖二酰基甘油的研究进展

本文综述了光合膜膜脂双半乳糖二酰基甘油（DGDG）的生物合成和生理功能的研究进展。DGDG是光合膜中惟一的双半乳糖脂类,在光合膜的不同膜区均有分布。在高等植物叶绿体中,存在着两条不同的DGDG生物合成途径,即原核合成途径和真核合成途径。原核途径只限于在质体内进行,而真核途径还包括一些在内质网内发生的反应。DGDG在维持光系统II捕光色素蛋白复合体的寡聚体结构、调控光系统II和光系统II核心复合物的放氧活性等方面起着重要作用。     

光合膜膜脂双半乳糖二酰基甘油的研究进展

本文综述了光合膜膜脂双半乳糖二酰基甘油(DGDG)的生物合成和生理功能的研究进展。DGDG是光合膜中惟一的双半乳糖脂类,在光合膜的不同膜区均有分布。在高等植物叶绿体中,存在着两条不同的DGDG生物合成途径,即原核合成途径和真核合成途径。原核途径只限于在质体内进行,而真核途径还包括一些在内质网内发生的反应。DGDG在维持光系统Ⅱ捕光色素蛋白复合体的寡聚体结构、调控光系统Ⅱ和光系统Ⅱ核心复合物的放氧活性等方面起着重要作用。     

磷缺失引起小麦叶片中脂含量的变化与脂的合成和磷脂酰甘油的降解有关

对生长在不同磷营养水平条件下小麦(Triticum aestivum var.Zhongyou 9507)叶片中光合膜脂含量变化的原因进行了研究.通过对生长在不同磷营养水平条件下9 d龄和16 d龄小麦叶片中光合膜脂含量的分析,发现在磷缺失培养条件下,小麦光合膜脂的相对含量发生了很大变化,这种变化与小麦叶龄密切相关.在16d龄小麦植株中,第一片叶为老叶,第二片叶为较老叶,而第三片叶为新叶,PG和MGDG在叶片中的相对含量从新叶到老叶逐渐下降,而DGDG和SQDG含量逐渐上升;在磷缺失条件下,16 d龄小麦第一叶片中PG的含量(2.5%)远远低于其在9 d龄第一叶片中的含量(5.5%).以上结果说明,磷缺失引起小麦叶片中脂含量的变化不仅与脂合成有关,而且与PG的降解有关;新生叶片中PG含量减少的主要原因是由于磷供应不足,从而影响了PG的合成;而PG的降解则是老叶中PG含量下降的主要原因.     

高等植物铁氧还蛋白-NADP＋氧化还原酶研究进展

高等植物叶绿体定位的铁氧还蛋白-NADP＋氧化还原酶（LFNR）负责催化光合线性电子传递的最后一步反应,催化电子由还原态的铁氧还蛋白（Fd）传递给NADP＋。LFNR分布在叶绿体的3个不同的组分中,即叶绿体基质中、类囊体膜上和叶绿体内膜上。最近的研究表明,大多数膜定位的LFNR并非光合作用所必需的,叶绿体基质中的LFNR足以维持光合作用的正常进行。叶绿体中的两个蛋白——Tic62和TROL作为LFNR的锚定蛋白,可以与LFNR在类囊体膜上形成高分子量的蛋白复合体。Tic62-LFNR复合体主要负责在夜间保护LFNR的活性,但它不直接在光合作用中起作用。然而,TROL-LFNR复合体对植物的光合作用有一定的影响。本文将概述植物LFNR的最新研究进展。     

高等植物铁氧还蛋白-NADP~+氧化还原酶研究进展

高等植物叶绿体定位的铁氧还蛋白-NADP+氧化还原酶(LFNR)负责催化光合线性电子传递的最后一步反应,催化电子由还原态的铁氧还蛋白(Fd)传递给NADP+。LFNR分布在叶绿体的3个不同的组分中,即叶绿体基质中、类囊体膜上和叶绿体内膜上。最近的研究表明,大多数膜定位的LFNR并非光合作用所必需的,叶绿体基质中的LFNR足以维持光合作用的正常进行。叶绿体中的两个蛋白——Tic62和TROL作为LFNR的锚定蛋白,可以与LFNR在类囊体膜上形成高分子量的蛋白复合体。Tic62-LFNR复合体主要负责在夜间保护LFNR的活性,但它不直接在光合作用中起作用。然而,TROL-LFNR复合体对植物的光合作用有一定的影响。本文将概述植物LFNR的最新研究进展。     

膜脂对菠菜细胞色素b6f复合体电子传递活性的影响

利用从菠菜(Spinacia oleracea L.)叶绿体分离、纯化出的缺失膜脂的细胞色素b6f蛋白复合体(Cyt b6f)制剂与从菠菜类囊体分离、纯化的膜脂进行体外重组,检测了不同膜脂对Cyt b6f催化电子传递活性的影响.结果表明:被检测的5种膜脂,即单半乳糖基甘油二酯(MGDG)、双半乳糖基甘油二酯(DGDG)、磷脂酰胆碱(PC)、磷脂酰甘油(PG)和硫代异鼠李糖基甘油二酯(SQDG)对Cyt b6f催化电子传递的活性均有明显的促进作用,但促进的程度各不相同,这可能与这些膜脂分子的带电性质密切相关.不带电荷的MGDG和DGDG及分子整体呈电中性的PC对促进Cyt b6f催化电子传递的活性非常有效,可分别使其活性提高89%、75%和77%;而带负电荷的PG和SQDG对活性的促进作用则相对较弱,仅可使其活性分别提高43%和26%.     

核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶的光活化

用分光光度法测定了菠菜重组叶绿体中的核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶(RuBPCase,E.G.4.1.1.39)活性。酶可被光活化,酶活性随光强度增加而增加,在200Klux下酶活力增加2.9倍。在重组叶绿体中加入硫氧还蛋白,则光还原的硫氧还蛋白能增强酶的光活化作用。改变叶绿体层膜和可溶部分的比例以及使硫氧还蛋白与层膜预温等实验的结果,提供了在叶绿体层膜中存在有部分核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶和硫氧还蛋白的证据。本报告的实验结果指出硫氧还蛋白可能与光系统有联系;光合作用中CO_2的固定不取决于叶绿体中RuBPCase的总量,而决定于活化的RuBPCase的量。     

Sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol bilayers share biophysical properties and are good mutual substitutes in photosynthetic membranes

From cyanobacteria to higher plants, photosynthetic membranes are composed of two galactolipids, mono- and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG and DGDG, respectively), and two negatively charged lipids, sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). In many environments, plants and algae grow in a shortage of nutrients, leading to the development of nutrient-saving mechanisms. For example, at the cellular level, in phosphate starvation, these mechanisms include conversion of phospholipids into phosphorus-free lipids. In photosynthetic membranes, PG is supposed to be replaced by SQDG in phosphate starvation whereas the opposite occurs in sulfur deprivation. All biological data confirm a complementary relationship between SQDG and PG and suggest the importance of maintaining the total amount of anionic lipids in photosynthetic membranes. Using neutron diffraction on reconstituted SQDG or PG lipid membranes, we demonstrate that, despite chemically different headgroups, PG and SQDG have similar physicochemical properties. With an equivalent diacylglycerol backbone, PG and SQDG membranes have a similar bilayer thickness and bending rigidity. They also have essentially the same response to hydration in terms of repulsion and interaction forces. The results presented here establish that SQDG and PG are good substitutes to each other in nutrient starvation conditions to maintain the chloroplast functional organization and its photosynthesis activity.     

Roles of the acidic lipids sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol in photosynthesis: their specificity and evolution

Sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) are lipids with negative charges, distributed among membranes of chloroplasts of plants and their postulated progenitors, cyanobacteria, and also widely among membranes of anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria. Thus, these acidic lipids are of great interest in terms of their roles in the function and evolution of the photosynthetic membranes. The physiological significance of these lipids in photosynthesis has been examined through characterization of mutants defective in their abilities to synthesize SQDG or PG, and through characterization of isolated thylakoid membranes or photosynthetic particles, the acidic lipid contents of which were manipulated in vitro, for example, on treatment with phospholipase to degrade PG. Responsibility of SQDG or PG has been clarified so far in terms of the structural and/or functional integrity of photosystems I and/or II in cyanobacterial, green algal, and higher plant species. Also implied were distinct levels of the responsibility in the different photosynthetic organisms. Extreme cases involved the indispensability of SQDG for photosynthesis and growth in two prokaryotic, photosynthetic organisms and the contribution of PG to construction of the photosystem-I trimer exclusively in cyanobacteria. Here, roles of these acidic lipids are discussed with a focus on their specificity and the evolution of photosynthetic membranes.Norihiro Sato is the recipient of the Botanical Society Award for Young Scientist, 2003.     

Anionic lipids are required for chloroplast structure and function in Arabidopsis

Photosynthetic membranes of plants primarily contain non-phosphorous glycolipids. The exception is phosphatidylglycerol (PG), which is an acidic/anionic phospholipid. A second major anionic lipid in chloroplasts is the sulfolipid sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG). It is hypothesized that under severe phosphate limitation, SQDG substitutes for PG, ensuring a constant proportion of anionic lipids even under adverse conditions. A newly constructed SQDG and PG-deficient double mutant supports this hypothesis. This mutant, sqd2 pgp1-1, carries a T-DNA insertion in the structural gene for SQDG synthase (SQD2) and a point mutation in the structural gene for phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase (PGP1). In the sqd2 pgp1-1 double mutant, the fraction of total anionic lipids is reduced by approximately one-third, resulting in pale yellow cotyledons and leaves with reduced chlorophyll content. Photoautotrophic growth of the double mutant is severely compromised, and its photosynthetic capacity is impaired. In particular, photosynthetic electron transfer at the level of photosystem II (PSII) is affected. Besides these physiological changes, the mutant shows altered leaf structure, a reduced number of mesophyll cells, and ultrastructural changes of the chloroplasts. All observations on the sqd2 pgp1-1 mutant lead to the conclusion that the total content of anionic thylakoid lipids is limiting for chloroplast structure and function, and is critical for overall photoautotrophic growth and plant development.     

The phase behavior of lipids in photosynthetic membranes

The phase behavior of the main classes of polar lipids found in the photosynthetic membranes of higher plants and algae is reviewed and compared to that of binary lipid mixtures and total lipid extracts of such membranes. Particular interest is paid to the way in which factors such as temperature and acyl chain saturation influence the phase behavior of these lipids and the implications this has in terms of the ability of photosynthetic membranes to resist environmental stress.     

Plant sulfolipids

Plant sulpholipid, sulphoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG), represents about 12% of the lipid mass in higher plants and as the lipid with net negative charge is capable to play a specific role in the structural organisation of the membrane. SQDG appears to be concentrated mainly in the plant chloroplasts, as in envelope so and in lamellar membranes; higher plant chloroplasts are considered to be completely autonomous for SQDG synthesis both the DAG moiety and the head group. The possible pathway of SQDG biosyntheses and functions are discussed.     

The sulfolipids 2'-O-acyl-sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol are absent from a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutant deleted in SQD1

The biosynthesis of thylakoid lipids in eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms often involves enzymes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the chloroplast envelopes. Two pathways of thylakoid lipid biosynthesis, the ER and the plastid pathways, are present in parallel in many species, including Arabidopsis, but in other plants, e.g. grasses, only the ER pathway is active. The unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii diverges from plants like Arabidopsis in a different way because its membranes do not contain phosphatidylcholine, and most thylakoid lipids are derived from the plastid pathway. Here, we describe an acylated derivative of sulfolipid, 2'-O-acyl-sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (ASQD), which is present in C. reinhardtii. Although the fatty acids of sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG) were mostly saturated, ASQD molecular species carried predominantly unsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, directly attached to the head group of ASQD was preferentially an 18-carbon fatty acid with four double bonds. High-throughput robotic screening led to the isolation of a plasmid disruption mutant of C. reinhardtii, designated Deltasqd1, which lacks ASQD as well as SQDG. In this mutant, the SQD1 ortholog was completely deleted and replaced by plasmid sequences. It is proposed that ASQD arises from the sugar nucleotide pathway of sulfolipid biosynthesis by acylation of the 2'-hydroxyl of the sulfoquinovosyl head group. At the physiological level, the mutant showed increased sensitivity to a diuron herbicide and reduced growth under phosphate limitation, suggesting a role for SQDG and/or ASQD in photosynthesis as conducted by C. reinhardtii, particularly under phosphate-limited conditions.     

Effect of Temperature on Growth of Bacillus sp. T-4, a Thermophilic Acidophilic Bacterium

The lipid distribution and function in the thylakoid membranes from a thermophilic cyanobacterium, Mastigocladus laminosus, were investigated. The thylakoid membranes were treated with digitonin and separated on a DEAE-cellulose column into fractions enriched in photosystem I or II complex. Lipid analyses showed a specific distribution of anionic lipids among the fractions. A mild delipidation of the membranes with cholate indicates that monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (MGDG) and sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG) are released rapidly, while the major parts of digalactosyl diacylglycerol (DGDG) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) are tightly associated with membranes, suggesting a different distribution between the two groups of lipids. Measurements of fluorescence of delipidated and reconstituted thylakoids showed the contribution of lipids to energy transfer. MGDG enhanced all the original fluorescence of thylakoids, while acidic PG and SQDG stimulated fluorescence of photosystem I and antena chlorophyll-protein complexes. DGDG was less effective under the conditions tested.     

Genomic and biochemical analysis of lipid biosynthesis in the unicellular rhodophyte Cyanidioschyzon merolae: lack of a plastidic desaturation pathway results in the coupled pathway of galactolipid synthesis

The acyl lipids making up the plastid membranes in plants and algae are highly enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids and are synthesized by two distinct pathways, known as the prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathways, which are located within the plastids and the endoplasmic reticulum, respectively. Here we report the results of biochemical as well as genomic analyses of lipids and fatty acids in the unicellular rhodophyte Cyanidioschyzon merolae. All of the glycerolipids usually found in photosynthetic algae were found, such as mono- and digalactosyl diacylglycerol, sulfolipid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol. However, the fatty acid composition was extremely simple. Only palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids were found as major acids. In addition, 3-trans-hexadecanoic acid was found as a very minor component in phosphatidylglycerol. Unlike the case for most other photosynthetic eukaryotes, polyenoic fatty acids having three or more double bonds were not detected. These results suggest that polyunsaturated fatty acids are not necessary for photosynthesis in eukaryotes. Genomic analysis suggested that C. merolae lacks acyl lipid desaturases of cyanobacterial origin as well as stearoyl acyl carrier protein desaturase, both of which are major desaturases in plants and green algae. The results of labeling experiments with radioactive acetate showed that the desaturation leading to linoleic acid synthesis occurs on phosphatidylcholine located outside the plastids. Monogalactosyl diacylglycerol is therefore synthesized by the coupled pathway, using plastid-derived palmitic acid and endoplasmic reticulum-derived linoleic acid. These results highlight essential differences in lipid biosynthetic pathways between the red algae and the green lineage, which includes plants and green algae.     

Diversity and distribution of a key sulpholipid biosynthetic gene in marine microbial assemblages

Sulphoquinovosyldiacylglycerols (SQDG) are polar sulphur‐containing membrane lipids, whose presence has been related to a microbial strategy to adapt to phosphate deprivation. In this study, we have targeted the sqdB gene coding the uridine 5′‐diphosphate‐sulphoquinovose (UDP‐SQ) synthase involved in the SQDG biosynthetic pathway to assess potential microbial sources of SQDGs in the marine environment. The phylogeny of the sqdB‐coding protein reveals two distinct clusters: one including green algae, higher plants and cyanobacteria, and another one comprising mainly non‐photosynthetic bacteria, as well as other cyanobacteria and algal groups. Evolutionary analysis suggests that the appearance of UDP‐SQ synthase occurred twice in cyanobacterial evolution, and one of those branches led to the diversification of the protein in members of the phylum Proteobacteria. A search of homologues of sqdB‐proteins in marine metagenomes strongly suggested the presence of heterotrophic bacteria potential SQDG producers. Application of newly developed sqdB gene primers in the marine environment revealed a high diversity of sequences affiliated to cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria in microbial mats, while in North Sea surface water, most of the detected sqdB genes were attributed to the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. Lipid analysis revealed that specific SQDGs were characteristic of microbial mat depth, suggesting that SQDG lipids are associated with specific producers.