Group 2 Sigma Factor Mutant ΔsigCDE of the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 Reveals Functionality of Both Carotenoids and Flavodiiron Proteins in Photoprotection of Photosystem II (original) (raw)

2013, Plant and Cell Physiology

Adjustment of gene expression during acclimation to stress conditions, such as bright light, in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 depends on four group 2 s factors (SigB, SigC, SigD, SigE). A ÁsigCDE strain containing the stress-responsive SigB as the only functional group 2 s factor appears twice as resistant to photoinhibition of photosystem II (PSII) as the control strain. Microarray analyses of the ÁsigCDE strain indicated that 77 genes in standard conditions and 79 genes in high light were differently expressed compared with the control strain. Analysis of possible photoprotective mechanisms revealed that high carotenoid content and up-regulation of the photoprotective flavodiiron operon flv4-sll0218-flv2 protected PSII in ÁsigCDE, while up-regulation of pgr5-like, hlipB or isiA genes in the mutant strain did not offer particular protection against photoinhibition. Photoinhibition resistance was lost if ÁsigCDE was grown in high CO 2 , where carotenoid and Flv4, Sll0218, and Flv2 contents were low. Additionally, photoinhibition resistance of the ÁrpoZ strain (lacking the omega subunit of RNA polymerase), with high carotenoid but low Flv4-Sll0218-Flv2 content, supported the importance of carotenoids in PSII protection. Carotenoids likely protect mainly by quenching of singlet oxygen, but efficient nonphotochemical quenching in ÁsigCDE might offer some additional protection. Comparison of photoinhibition kinetics in control, ÁsigCDE, and ÁrpoZ strains showed that protection by the flavodiiron operon was most efficient during the first minutes of highlight illumination.