The evolutionarily conserved tetratrico peptide repeat protein pale yellow green7 is required for photosystem I accumulation in Arabidopsis and copurifies with the complex

Pale yellow green7-1 (pyg7-1) is a photosystem I (PSI)-deficient Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutant. PSI subunits are synthesized in the mutant, but do not assemble into a stable complex. In contrast, light-harvesting antenna proteins of both photosystems accumulate in the mutant. Deletion of Pyg7 results in severely reduced growth rates, alterations in leaf coloration, and plastid ultrastructure. Pyg7 was isolated by map-based cloning and encodes a tetratrico peptide repeat protein with homology to Ycf37 from Synechocystis. The protein is localized in the chloroplast associated with thylakoid membranes and copurifies with PSI. An independent pyg7 T-DNA insertion line, pyg7-2, exhibits the same phenotype. pyg7 gene expression is light regulated. Comparison of the roles of Ycf37 in cyanobacteria and Pyg7 in higher plants suggests that the ancient protein has altered its function during evolution. Whereas the cyanobacterial protein mediates more efficient PSI accumulation, the higher plant protein is absolutely required for complex assembly or maintenance.