The N-terminal domain of chlorophyllide a oxygenase confers protein instability in response to chlorophyll B accumulation in Arabidopsis

Plant Cell. 2005 May;17(5):1585-97. doi: 10.1105/tpc.105.031518. Epub 2005 Apr 1.

Abstract

Plants acclimate to variations in light intensity by changing the antenna size of photosystems. This acclimation allows them to undergo efficient photosynthesis and creates a protective strategy to minimize photodamage. Chlorophyll b synthesis by chlorophyllide a oxygenase (CAO) is a key regulatory step in the control of antenna size. Recently, we found that higher plant CAOs consist of three domains (A, B, and C domains) and confirmed that the C domain possesses catalytic function. To investigate the function of the A domain, we fused various combinations of these three domains with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and introduced them into Arabidopsis thaliana. When a full-length CAO-GFP fusion protein was introduced into a chlorophyll b-less chlorina1-1 mutant, chlorophyll b accumulated to almost the same levels as in the chlorophyll b-containing Columbia wild type, but the CAO-GFP could not be detected by immunoblotting. By contrast, when a GFP-C domain fusion was introduced into chlorina1-1 or Columbia wild type, a large amount of GFP-C domain protein accumulated and the chlorophyll a/b ratio decreased drastically from 3.6 to 2.2 in Columbia wild type. When an A domain-GFP was introduced into Columbia wild type, A domain-GFP levels were very low. Conversely, a large amount of the protein accumulated when it was introduced into the chlorina1-1 mutant. These results indicate that the A domain may sense the presence of chlorophyll b and regulate the accumulation of CAO protein in the chloroplasts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Chlorophyll / metabolism*
  • Chloroplasts / genetics
  • Chloroplasts / metabolism*
  • Feedback, Physiological / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Mutation / physiology
  • Oxygenases / metabolism*
  • Photosynthesis / physiology
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / physiology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Chlorophyll
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • chlorophyll b
  • Oxygenases
  • chlorophyll a oxygenase