Redox signalling and the structural basis of regulation of photosynthesis by protein phosphorylation

In photosynthesis in chloroplasts and cyanobacteria, redox control of thylakoid protein phosphorylation regulates distribution of absorbed excitation energy between the two photosystems. When electron transfer through chloroplast photosystem II (PSII) proceeds at a rate higher than that through photosystem I (PSI), chemical reduction of a redox sensor activates a thylakoid protein kinase that catalyses phosphorylation of light-harvesting complex II (LHCII). Phosphorylation of LHCII increases its affinity for PSI and thus redistributes light-harvesting chlorophyll to PSI at the expense of PSII. This short-term redox signalling pathway acts by means of reversible, post-translational modification of pre-existing proteins. A long-term equalisation of the rates of light utilisation by PSI and PSII also occurs: by means of adjustment of the stoichiometry of PSI and PSII. It is likely that the same redox sensor controls both state transitions and photosystem stoichiometry. A specific mechanism for integration of these short- and long-term adaptations is proposed. Recent evidence shows that phosphorylation of LHCII causes a change in its 3-D structure, which implies that the mechanism of state transitions in chloroplasts involves control of recognition of PSI and PSII by LHCII. The distribution of LHCII between PSII and PSI is therefore determined by the higher relative affinity of phospho-LHCII for PSI, with lateral movement of the two forms of the LHCII being simply a result of their diffusion within the membrane plane. Phosphorylation-induced dissociation of LHCII trimers may induce lateral movement of monomeric phospho-LHCII, which binds preferentially to PSI. After dephosphorylation, monomeric, unphosphorylated LHCII may trimerize at the periphery of PSII.     

Modification of excitation energy distribution to photosystem I by protein phosphorylation and cation depletion during thylakoid biogenesis in wheat

The effects of protein phosphorylation and cation depletion on the electron transport rate and fluorescence emission characteristics of photosystem I at two stages of chloroplast development in light-grown wheat leaves are examined. The light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein complex associated with photosystem I (LHC I) was absent from the thylakoids at the early stage of development, but that associated with photosystem II (LHC II) was present. Protein phosphorylation produced an increase in the light-limited rate of photosystem I electron transport at the early stage of development when chlorophyll b was preferentially excited, indicating that LHC I is not required for transfer of excitation energy from phosphorylated LHC II to the core complex of photosystem I. However, no enhancement of photosystem I fluorescence at 77 K was observed at this stage of development, demonstrating that a strict relationship between excitation energy density in photosystem I pigment matrices and the long-wavelength fluorescence emission from photosystem I at 77 K does not exist. Depletion of Mg²⁺ from the thylakoids produced a stimulation of photosystem I electron transport at both stages of development, but a large enhancement of the photosystem I fluorescence emission was observed only in the thylakoids containing LHC I. It is suggested that the enhancement of PS I electron transport by Mg²⁺-depletion and phosphorylation of LHC II is associated with an enhancement of fluorescence at 77 K from LHC I and not from the core complex of PS I.     

Plastoquinone redox control of chloroplast thylakoid protein phosphorylation and distribution of excitation energy between photosystems: discovery,background, implications

Chloroplast thylakoid protein phosphorylation was discovered, and the most conspicuous phosphoproteins identified, by John Bennett at Warwick University. His initial findings were published in 1977. The phosphoproteins included apoproteins of chloroplast light harvesting complex II. Thylakoid protein phosphorylation was shown to influence distribution of excitation energy between Photosystems I and II in 1979, during a visit by Bennett to the laboratory of Charles J. Arntzen at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. That work was published by Bennett, Katherine E. Steinback and Arntzen in 1980. Control of both protein phosphorylation and excitation energy distribution by the redox state of the plastoquinone pool was first established in 1980 during the author's visit to Arntzen's laboratory. The experiments were prompted by the realization that coupling between redox state of an inter-photosystem electron carrier and excitation energy distribution provides a concrete mechanism for adaptations known as state transitions. This work was published by Allen, Bennett, Steinback, and Arntzen in 1981. This discovery and its background are discussed, together with some implications for photosynthesis and for research generally. This minireview is a personal account of the Urbana-Warwick and related collaborations in 1979–83: it includes impressions, conjectures, and acknowledgements for which the author is solely responsible. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Acclimation of photosynthesis, H2O2 content and antioxidants in maize (Zea mays) grown at sub-optimal temperatures

Maize plants were grown at 14, 18 and 20 °C until the fourth leaf had emerged. Leaves from plants grown at 14 and 18 °C had less chlorophyll than those grown at 20 °C. Maximal extractable ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity was decreased at 14 °C compared with 20 °C, but the activation state was highest at 14 °C. Growth at 14 °C increased the abundance (but not the number) of Rubisco breakdown products. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity was decreased at 14 °C compared with 20 °C but no chilling-dependent effects on the abundance of the PEPC protein were observed. Maximal extractable NADP-malate dehydrogenase activity increased at 14 °C compared with 20 °C whereas the glutathione pool was similar in leaves from plants grown at both temperatures. Foliar ascorbate and hydrogen peroxide were increased at 14 °C compared with 20 °C. The foliar hydrogen peroxide content was independent of irradiance at both growth temperatures. Plants grown at 14 °C had decreased rates of CO₂ fixation together with decreased quantum efficiencies of photosystem (PS) II in the light, although there was no photo-inhibition. Growth at 14 °C decreased the abundance of the D1 protein of PSII and the PSI psaB gene product but the psaA gene product was largely unaffected by growth at low temperatures. The relationships between the photosystems and the co-ordinate regulation of electron transport and CO₂ assimilation were maintained in plants grown at 14 °C.     

Cloning and expression of a gene coding for the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein of photosystem II in the green alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dunaliella salina</Emphasis>

Genes encoding proteins of the major light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHCII) in higher plants are well studied. However, little is known about the corresponding genes in the green alga Dunaliella salina, although this knowledge might provide valuable information about the respective roles of each LHCII protein at the molecular level under extreme environmental conditions. Here, we describe an additional LhcII gene from D. salina. An LhcII cDNA cloned by screening a D. salina cDNA library contains an open reading frame encoding a protein of 261 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 27.8 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence shows high homology with other LHCII proteins. Genomic DNA—obtained by PCR using a specific primer set corresponding to the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions—was used to determine the intron-exon structure. Short-term changes in mRNA levels after a shift from low-light to high-light or dark conditions were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR, and indicated that this gene expresses different mRNA levels under different light conditions.     

Fe deficiency induces phosphorylation and translocation of Lhcb1 in barley thylakoid membranes

HvLhcb1 a major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein in barley, is a critical player in sustainable growth under Fe deficiency. Here, we demonstrate that Fe deficiency induces phosphorylation of HvLhcb1 proteins leading to their migration from grana stacks to stroma thylakoid membranes. HvLhcb1 remained phosphorylated even in the dark and apparently independently of state transition, which represents a mechanism for short-term acclimation. Our data suggest that the constitutive phosphorylation-triggered translocation of HvLhcb1 under Fe deficiency contributes to optimization of the excitation balance between photosystem II and photosystem I, the latter of which is a main target of Fe deficiency.     

Genomic structure of the rice aldolase isozyme C-1 gene and its regulation through a Ca2+-mediated protein kinase-phosphatase pathway

Complementary and genomic DNA clones coding for aldolase C-1, the fourth-type isozyme of aldolase in rice Oryza sativa L., have been characterized. The organization of the gene is quite similar to those encoding rice aldolase C-a and a maize cytoplasmic-type aldolase, in that introns are located in the same position. Amino acid sequences are highly conserved among cytoplasmic aldolases in plants. Expression of the gene in rice callus is activated by a protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid, and is inhibited in the presence of thapsigargin, a reagent which increases calcium influx into the cytoplasm. The inhibition is rescued by the simultaneous addition of protein kinase inhibitor H-7. Thus, it is suggested that expression of the aldolase C-1 gene is regulated through a signal transduction pathway involving a Ca²⁺-mediated protein kinase-protein phosphatase system.     

Bidirectional electron transfer in photosystem I: Replacement of the symmetry-breaking tryptophan close to the PsaB-bound phylloquinone (A1B) with a glycine residue alters the redox properties of A1B and blocks forward electron transfer at cryogenic temperatures

A conserved tryptophan residue located between the A_1B and F_X redox centres on the PsaB side of the Photosystem I reaction centre has been mutated to a glycine in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, thereby matching the conserved residue found in the equivalent position on the PsaA side. This mutant (PsaB:W669G) was studied using EPR spectroscopy with a view to understanding the molecular basis of the reported kinetic differences in forward electron transfer from the A_1A and the A_1B phyllo(semi)quinones. The kinetics of A₁⁻ reoxidation due to forward electron transfer or charge recombination were measured by electron spin echo spectroscopy at 265 K and 100 K, respectively. At 265 K, the reoxidation kinetics are considerably lengthened in the mutant in comparison to the wild-type. Under conditions in which F_X is initially oxidised the kinetics of charge recombination at 100 K are found to be biphasic in the mutant while they are substantially monophasic in the wild-type. Pre-reduction of F_X leads to biphasic kinetics in the wild-type, but does not alter the already biphasic kinetic properties of the PsaB:W669G mutant. Reduction of the [4Fe-4S] clusters F_A and F_B by illumination at 15 K is suppressed in the mutant. The results provide further support for the bi-directional model of electron transfer in Photosystem I of C. reinhardtii, and indicate that the replacement of the tryptophan residue with glycine mainly affects the redox properties of the PsaB bound phylloquinone A_1B.     

Cloning,expression and genomic structure of a novel human GNB2L1 gene,which encodes a receptor of activated protein kinase C (RACK)*

During a large-scale screen of a human fetal brain cDNA library, a novel human gene GNB2L1 encoding a novel RACK (receptor of activated protein kinase C) protein was isolated and sequenced. The cDNA is 1142 bp long and has a predicted open reading frame encoding 316 aa. The predicted protein shows higher similarity to rat RACK1 and many RACK proteins of different organisms including Drosophila, C. elegans, mouse, rat, human, C. fasciculata, zebrafish, A. thaliana, S. cerevisiae and so on, suggesting it is conserved during evolution. The gene was mapped to human chromosome 5q35.3, the telomer position of chromosome 5q, in which the disease gene for early-onset primary congenital lymphedema was mapped. Also, 5q35.3 is a frequently reported location for cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities in renal cell carcinomas. The gene has 8 exons and 7 introns. It is expressed ubiquitously in many human tissues detected by northern blot analysis and RT-PCR.     

苜蓿盲蝽气味结合蛋白基因Alin-OBP1的克隆及表达谱分析

有证据表明昆虫气味结合蛋白(odorant binding proteins, OBPs)与其嗅觉识别密切相关,起着运输外界脂溶性气味分子通过嗅觉感器淋巴液到达嗅觉受体的关键作用.为了更好地了解OBPs在苜蓿盲蝽Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze)嗅觉识别中的作用,本研究首次克隆了苜蓿盲蝽气味结合蛋白基因Alin-OBP1 (GenBank序列号GQ477022). 测序和序列分析结果表明,该基因开放阅读框长438 bp, 编码145个氨基酸,预测分子量为15.69 kDa,等电点为5.01,N-末端疏水区包含由18个氨基酸组成的信号肽.蛋白特征分析表明,该基因翻译后的蛋白质具有昆虫气味结合蛋白的典型特征,即氨基酸序列中有6个保守的半胱氨酸残基.利用RT-PCR和Real-time PCR技术对Alin OBP1在苜蓿盲蝽成虫不同组织和各个发育阶段的表达水平进行了测定,结果显示Alin-OBP1几乎全部在触角中表达.不同发育阶段Alin-OBP1表达量不同,在5龄若虫和成虫阶段表达水平最高.结果提示Alin-OBP1可能在苜蓿盲蝽感受包括性信息素在内的外界化合物的过程中发挥着重要作用.     

Murine expression and mutation analyses of the prostate androgen-regulated mucin-like protein 1 (Parm1) gene, a candidate for human epispadias

Background

Epispadias is the mildest phenotype of the human bladder exstrophy–epispadias complex (BEEC), and presents with varying degrees of severity. This urogenital birth defect results from a disturbance in the septation process, during which separate urogenital and anorectal components are formed through division of the cloaca. This process is reported to be influenced by androgen signaling. The human PARM1 gene encodes the prostate androgen-regulated mucin-like protein 1, which is expressed in heart, kidney, and placenta.

Methods

We performed whole mount in situ hybridization analysis of Parm1 expression in mouse embryos between gestational days (GD) 9.5 and 12.5, which are equivalent to human gestational weeks 4–6. Since the spatio-temporal localization of Parm1 corresponded to tissues which are affected in human epispadias, we sequenced PARM1 in 24 affected patients.

Results

We found Parm1 specifically expressed in the region of the developing cloaca, the umbilical cord, bladder anlage, and the urethral component of the genital tubercle. Additionally, Parm1 expression was detected in the muscle progenitor cells of the somites and head mesenchyme. PARM1 gene analysis revealed no alterations in the coding region of any of the investigated patients.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that PARM1 does not play a major role in the development of human epispadias. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that a larger sample size would enable detection of rare mutations in this gene.     

Glycerate-3-phosphate, produced by CO2 fixation in the Calvin cycle, is critical for the synthesis of the D1 protein of photosystem II

We demonstrated recently that, in intact cells of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, interruption of CO₂ fixation via the Calvin cycle inhibits the synthesis of proteins in photosystem II (PSII), in particular, synthesis of the D1 protein, during the repair of PSII after photodamage. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism responsible for this phenomenon using intact chloroplasts isolated from spinach leaves. When CO₂ fixation was inhibited by exogenous glycolaldehyde, which inhibits the phosphoribulokinase that synthesizes ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, the synthesis de novo of the D1 protein was inhibited. However, when glycerate-3-phosphate (3-PGA), which is a product of CO₂ fixation in the Calvin cycle, was supplied exogenously, the inhibitory effect of glycolaldehyde was abolished. A reduced supply of CO₂ also suppressed the synthesis of the D1 protein, and this inhibitory effect was also abolished by exogenous 3-PGA. These findings suggest that the supply of 3-PGA, generated by CO₂ fixation, is important for the synthesis of the D1 Protein. It is likely that 3-PGA accepts electrons from NADPH and decreases the level of reactive oxygen species, which inhibit the synthesis of proteins, such as the D1 protein.     

IR-inducible clusterin gene expression: a protein with potential roles in ionizing radiation-induced adaptive responses, genomic instability, and bystander effects

Clusterin (CLU) plays numerous roles in mammalian cells after stress. A review of the recent literature strongly suggests potential roles for CLU proteins in low dose ionizing radiation (IR)-inducible adaptive responses, bystander effects, and delayed death and genomic instability. Its most striking and evident feature is the inducibility of the CLU promoter after low, as well as high, doses of IR. Two major forms of CLU, secreted (sCLU) and nuclear (nCLU), possess opposite functions in cellular responses to IR: sCLU is cytoprotective, whereas nCLU (a byproduct of alternative splicing) is a pro-death factor. Recent studies from our laboratory and others demonstrated that down-regulation of sCLU by specific siRNA increased cytotoxic responses to chemotherapy and IR. sCLU was induced after low non-toxic doses of IR (0.02-0.5 Gy) in human cultured cells and in mice in vivo. The low dose inducibility of this survival protein suggests a possible role for sCLU in radiation adaptive responses, characterized by increased cell radioresistance after exposure to low adapting IR doses. Although it is still unclear whether the adaptive response is beneficial or not to cells, survival of damaged cells after IR may lead to genomic instability in the descendants of surviving cells. Recent studies indicate a link between sCLU accumulation and cancer incidence, as well as aging, supporting involvement of the protein in the development of genomic instability. Secreted after IR, sCLU may also alter intracellular communication due to its ability to bind cell surface receptors, such as the TGF-beta receptors (types I and II). This interference with signaling pathways may contribute to IR-induced bystander effects. We hypothesize that activation of the TGF-beta signaling pathway, which often occurs after IR exposure, can in turn activate the CLU promoter. TGF-beta and IR-inducible de novo synthesized sCLU may then bind the TGF-beta receptors and suppress downstream growth arrest signaling. This complicated negative feedback regulation most certainly depends on the cellular microenvironment, but undoubtedly represents a potential link between IR-induced adaptive responses, genomic instability and bystander effects. Further elucidation of clusterin protein functions in IR responses are clearly warranted.     

东亚飞蝗UBX结构域包含蛋白基因 LmUBX2 的克隆和表达分析

【目的】UBX结构域包含蛋白是p97/CDC48的辅助因子。p97在泛素化相关的多种细胞过程中起着重要的作用,如依赖泛素 蛋白酶体系统的蛋白质降解和同型膜融合等。本研究旨在克隆东亚飞蝗 Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen)的UBX结构域包含蛋白基因,分析其组织和发育表达格局,为进一步研究UBX结构域包含蛋白基因的功能奠定基础。【方法】通过分析东亚飞蝗的转录组数据克隆UBX结构域包含蛋白基因,采用实时定量PCR技术分析该基因在不同发育时期和成虫不同组织中的表达水平。【结果】克隆到东亚飞蝗的一个UBX结构域包含蛋白基因,命名为 LmUBX2。 LmUBX2 开放阅读框长1 020 bp,编码399个氨基酸,预测分子量和等电点分别为37.8 kDa和6.03,与其他UBX结构域包含蛋白的氨基酸一致性为37%~64%,N端和C端分别有一个保守的UBA结构域和UBX结构域。序列比较和系统发育分析发现 LmUBX2 属于SAKS1亚家族。定量分析发现,LmUBX2 在整个生命周期中都有表达,但成虫期的表达水平最高;在检测的所有组织中都有表达,但在精巢和卵巢中表达水平最高。【结论】研究结果说明 LmUBX2 可能参与东亚飞蝗多种生理过程,尤其可能与东亚飞蝗的生殖有关,但还需深入研究。     

Quality control of Photosystem II: Cleavage and aggregation of heat-damaged D1 protein in spinach thylakoids

Moderate heat stress (40 °C, 30 min) on spinach thylakoids induced cleavage of the D1 protein, producing an N-terminal 23-kDa fragment, a C-terminal 9-kDa fragment, and aggregation of the D1 protein. A homologue of Arabidopsis FtsH2 protease, which is responsible for degradation of the damaged D1 protein, was abundant in the stroma thylakoids. Two processes occurred in the thylakoids in response to heat stress: dephosphorylation of the D1 protein in the stroma thylakoids, and aggregation of the phosphorylated D1 protein in the grana. Heat stress also induced the release of the extrinsic PsbO, P and Q proteins from Photosystem II, which affected D1 degradation and aggregation significantly. The cleavage and aggregation of the D1 protein appear to be two alternative processes influenced by protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation, distribution of FtsH, and intactness of the thylakoids.