A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Flavodiiron proteins act as safety valve for electrons in Physcomitrella patens




AuthorsGerotto C, Alboresi A, Meneghesso A, Jokel M, Suorsa M, Aro EM, Morosinotto T

PublisherNATL ACAD SCIENCES

Publication year2016

JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Journal name in sourcePROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Journal acronymP NATL ACAD SCI USA

Volume113

Issue43

First page 12322

Last page12327

Number of pages6

ISSN0027-8424

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1606685113(external)


Abstract
Photosynthetic organisms support cell metabolism by harvesting sunlight to fuel the photosynthetic electron transport. The flow of excitation energy and electrons in the photosynthetic apparatus needs to be continuously modulated to respond to dynamics of environmental conditions, and Flavodiiron (FLV) proteins are seminal components of this regulatory machinery in cyanobacteria. FLVs were lost during evolution by flowering plants, but are still present in nonvascular plants such as Physcomitrella patens. We generated P. patens mutants depleted in FLV proteins, showing their function as an electron sink downstream of photosystem I for the first seconds after a change in light intensity. flv knock-out plants showed impaired growth and photosystem I photoinhibition when exposed to fluctuating light, demonstrating FLV's biological role as a safety valve from excess electrons on illumination changes. The lack of FLVs was partially compensated for by an increased cyclic electron transport, suggesting that in flowering plants, the FLV's role was taken by other alternative electron routes.



Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 15:55