Light-harvesting Chlorophyll A/b-binding Protein Research Articles

The role of chloroplast SRP54 domains and its C-terminal tail region in post- and co-translational protein transport in vivo.

In the chloroplast, the 54 kDa subunit of the signal recognition particle (cpSRP54) is involved in the post-translational transport of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins (LHCPs) and the co-translational transport of plastid-encoded subunits of the photosynthetic complexes to the thylakoid membrane. It forms a high-affinity complex with plastid-specific cpSRP43 for post-translational transport, while a ribosome-associated pool coordinates its co-translational function. CpSRP54 constitutes a conserved multidomain protein, comprising a GTPase (NG) and a methionine-rich (M) domain linked by a flexible region. It is further characterized by a plastid-specific C-terminal tail region containing the cpSRP43-binding motif. To characterize the physiological role of the various regions of cpSRP54 in thylakoid membrane protein transport, we generated Arabidopsis cpSRP54 knockout (ffc1-2) lines producing truncated cpSRP54 variants or a GTPase point mutation variant. Phenotypic characterization of the complementation lines demonstrated that the C-terminal tail region of cpSRP54 plays an important role exclusively in post-translational LHCP transport. Furthermore, we show that the GTPase activity of cpSRP54 plays an essential role in the transport pathways for both nuclear as well as plastid-encoded proteins. In addition, our data revealed that plants expressing cpSRP54 without the C-terminal region exhibit a strongly increased accumulation of a photosystem I assembly intermediate.

CpSRP43 Is Both Highly Flexible and Stable: Structural Insights Using a Combined Experimental and Computational Approach.

The novel multidomain protein, cpSRP43, is a unique subunit of the post-translational chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP) targeting pathway in higher plants. The cpSRP pathway is responsible for targeting and insertion of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (LHCPs) to the thylakoid membrane. Upon emergence into the stroma, LHCPs form a soluble transit complex with the cpSRP heterodimer, which is composed of cpSRP43 and cpSRP54. cpSRP43 is irreplaceable as a chaperone to LHCPs in their translocation to the thylakoid membrane and remarkable in its ability to dissolve aggregates of LHCPs without the need for external energy input. In previous studies, cpSRP43 has demonstrated significant flexibility and interdomain dynamics. In this study, we explore the structural stability and flexibility of cpSRP43 using a combination of computational and experimental techniques and find that this protein is concurrently highly stable and flexible. In addition to microsecond-level unbiased molecular dynamics (MD), biased MD simulations based on system-specific collective variables are used along with biophysical experimentation to explain the basis of the flexibility and stability of cpSRP43, showing that the free and cpSRP54-bound cpSRP43 has substantially different conformations and conformational dynamics.

Two distinct sites of client protein interaction with the chaperone cpSRP43

Integral membrane proteins are prone to aggregation and misfolding in aqueous environments and therefore require binding by molecular chaperones during their biogenesis. Chloroplast signal recognition particle 43 (cpSRP43) is an ATP-independent chaperone required for the biogenesis of the most abundant class of membrane proteins, the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins (LHCPs). Previous work has shown that cpSRP43 specifically recognizes an L18 loop sequence conserved among LHCP paralogs. However, how cpSRP43 protects the transmembrane domains (TMDs) of LHCP from aggregation was unclear. In this work, alkylation-protection and site-specific cross-linking experiments found that cpSRP43 makes extensive contacts with all the TMDs in LHCP. Site-directed mutagenesis identified a class of cpSRP43 mutants that bind tightly to the L18 sequence but are defective in chaperoning full-length LHCP. These mutations mapped to hydrophobic surfaces on or near the bridging helix and the β-hairpins lining the ankyrin repeat motifs of cpSRP43, suggesting that these regions are potential sites for interaction with the client TMDs. Our results suggest a working model for client protein interactions in this membrane protein chaperone.

Anionic Phospholipids and the Albino3 Translocase Activate Signal Recognition Particle-Receptor Interaction during Light-harvesting Chlorophyll a/b-binding Protein Targeting

The universally conserved signal recognition particle (SRP) co-translationally delivers newly synthesized membrane and secretory proteins to the target cellular membrane. The only exception is found in the chloroplast of green plants, where the chloroplast SRP (cpSRP) post-translationally targets light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins (LHCP) to the thylakoid membrane. The mechanism and regulation of this post-translational mode of targeting by cpSRP remain unclear. Using biochemical and biophysical methods, here we show that anionic phospholipids activate the cpSRP receptor cpFtsY to promote rapid and stable cpSRP54·cpFtsY complex assembly. Furthermore, the stromal domain of the Alb3 translocase binds with high affinity to and regulates GTP hydrolysis in the cpSRP54·cpFtsY complex, suggesting that cpFtsY is primarily responsible for initial recruitment of the targeting complex to Alb3. These results suggest a new model for the sequential recruitment, remodeling, and unloading of the targeting complex at membrane translocase sites in the post-translational cpSRP pathway.

The Chloroplast SRP Systems of Chaetosphaeridium globosum and Physcomitrella patens as Intermediates in the Evolution of SRP-Dependent Protein Transport in Higher Plants.

The bacterial signal recognition particle (SRP) mediates the cotranslational targeting of membrane proteins and is a high affinity complex consisting of a SRP54 protein subunit (Ffh) and an SRP RNA. The chloroplast SRP (cpSRP) pathway has adapted throughout evolution to enable the posttranslational targeting of the light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (LHCPs) to the thylakoid membrane. In spermatophytes (seed plants), the cpSRP lacks the SRP RNA and is instead formed by a high affinity interaction of the conserved 54-kD subunit (cpSRP54) with the chloroplast-specific cpSRP43 protein. This heterodimeric cpSRP recognizes LHCP and delivers it to the thylakoid membrane. However, in contrast to spermatophytes, plastid SRP RNAs were identified within all streptophyte lineages and in all chlorophyte branches. Furthermore, it was shown that cpSRP43 does not interact with cpSRP54 in chlorophytes (e.g., Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). In this study, we biochemically characterized the cpSRP system of the charophyte Chaetosphaeridium globosum and the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens. Interaction studies demonstrate low affinity binding of cpSRP54 to cpSRP43 (Kd ~10 μM) in Chaetosphaeridium globosum and Physcomitrella patens as well as relatively low affinity binding of cpSRP54 to cpSRP RNA (Kd ~1 μM) in Physcomitrella patens. CpSRP54/cpSRP43 complex formation in charophytes is supported by the finding that specific alterations in the second chromodomain of cpSRP43, that are conserved within charophytes and absent in land plants, do not interfere with cpSRP54 binding. Furthermore, our data show that the elongated apical loop structure of the Physcomitrella patens cpSRP RNA contributes to the low binding affinity between cpSRP54 and the cpSRP RNA.

YGL9, encoding the putative chloroplast signal recognition particle 43 kDa protein in rice, is involved in chloroplast development

The nuclear-encoded light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins (LHCPs) are specifically translocated from the stroma into the thylakoid membrane through the chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP) pathway. The cpSRP is composed of a cpSRP43 protein and a cpSRP54 protein, and it forms a soluble transit complex with LHCP in the chloroplast stroma. Here, we identified the YGL9 gene that is predicted to encode the probable rice cpSRP43 protein from a rice yellow-green leaf mutant. A phylogenetic tree showed that an important conserved protein family, cpSRP43, is present in almost all green photosynthetic organisms such as higher plants and green algae. Sequence analysis showed that YGL9 comprises a chloroplast transit peptide, three chromodomains and four ankyrin repeats, and the chromodomains and ankyrin repeats are probably involved in protein-protein interactions. Subcellular localization showed that YGL9 is localized in the chloroplast. Expression pattern analysis indicated that YGL9 is mainly expressed in green leaf sheaths and leaves. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of genes associated with pigment metabolism, chloroplast development and photosynthesis were distinctly affected in the ygl9 mutant. These results indicated that YGL9 is possibly involved in pigment metabolism, chloroplast development and photosynthesis in rice.

Conformational dynamics of a membrane protein chaperone enables spatially regulated substrate capture and release

Membrane protein biogenesis poses enormous challenges to cellular protein homeostasis and requires effective molecular chaperones. Compared with chaperones that promote soluble protein folding, membrane protein chaperones require tight spatiotemporal coordination of their substrate binding and release cycles. Here we define the chaperone cycle for cpSRP43, which protects the largest family of membrane proteins, the light harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins (LHCPs), during their delivery. Biochemical and NMR analyses demonstrate that cpSRP43 samples three distinct conformations. The stromal factor cpSRP54 drives cpSRP43 to the active state, allowing it to tightly bind substrate in the aqueous compartment. Bidentate interactions with the Alb3 translocase drive cpSRP43 to a partially inactive state, triggering selective release of LHCP's transmembrane domains in a productive unloading complex at the membrane. Our work demonstrates how the intrinsic conformational dynamics of a chaperone enables spatially coordinated substrate capture and release, which may be general to other ATP-independent chaperone systems.

Structural basis for cpSRP43 chromodomain selectivity and dynamics in Alb3 insertase interaction.

Canonical membrane protein biogenesis requires co-translational delivery of ribosome-associated proteins to the Sec translocase and depends on the signal recognition particle (SRP) and its receptor (SR). In contrast, high-throughput delivery of abundant light-harvesting chlorophyll a,b-binding proteins (LHCPs) in chloroplasts to the Alb3 insertase occurs post-translationally via a soluble transit complex including the cpSRP43/cpSRP54 heterodimer (cpSRP). Here we describe the molecular mechanisms of tethering cpSRP to the Alb3 insertase by specific interaction of cpSRP43 chromodomain 3 with a linear motif in the Alb3 C-terminal tail. Combining NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography and biochemical analyses, we dissect the structural basis for selectivity of chromodomains 2 and 3 for their respective ligands cpSRP54 and Alb3, respectively. Negative cooperativity in ligand binding can be explained by dynamics in the chromodomain interface. Our study provides a model for membrane recruitment of the transit complex and may serve as a prototype for a functional gain by the tandem arrangement of chromodomains.

Chloroplast SRP54 Was Recruited for Posttranslational Protein Transport via Complex Formation with Chloroplast SRP43 during Land Plant Evolution

In bacteria, membrane proteins are targeted cotranslationally via a signal recognition particle (SRP). During the evolution of higher plant chloroplasts from cyanobacteria, the SRP pathway underwent striking adaptations that enable the posttranslational transport of the abundant light-harvesting chlorophyll-a/b-binding proteins (LHCPs). The conserved 54-kDa SRP subunit in higher plant chloroplasts (cpSRP54) is not bound to an SRP RNA, an essential SRP component in bacteria, but forms a stable heterodimer with the chloroplast-specific cpSRP43. This heterodimeric cpSRP recognizes LHCP and delivers it to the thylakoid membrane whereby cpSRP43 plays a central role. This study shows that the cpSRP system in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii differs significantly from that of higher plants as cpSRP43 is not complexed to cpSRP54 in Chlamydomonas and cpSRP54 is not involved in LHCP recognition. This divergence is attributed to altered residues within the cpSRP54 tail and the second chromodomain of cpSRP43 that are crucial for the formation of the binding interface in Arabidopsis. These changes are highly conserved among chlorophytes, whereas all land plants contain cpSRP proteins with typical interaction motifs. These data demonstrate that the coevolution of LHCPs and cpSRP43 occurred independently of complex formation with cpSRP54 and that the interaction between cpSRP54 and cpSRP43 evolved later during the transition from chlorophytes to land plants. Furthermore, our data show that in higher plants a heterodimeric form of cpSRP is required for the formation of a low molecular weight transit complex with LHCP.

Stay-Green Not Always Stays Green

Senescence is a highly regulated recycling process in which nutrients are translocated from deteriorating leaves to newly developing leaves, flowers, seeds, or roots (Lim et al., 2007; Gregersen et al., 2013). Chloroplast dismantling, a major event during senescence, involves the degradation of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins (LHCPs) and the release of free chlorophyll (Chl) which is catabolized to phototoxic, cell-damaging Chl breakdown intermediates.

Light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins, positively involved in abscisic acid signalling, require a transcription repressor, WRKY40, to balance their function

The light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding (LHCB) proteins are the apoproteins of the light-harvesting complex of photosystem II. In the present study, we observed that downregulation of any of the six LHCB genes resulted in abscisic acid (ABA)-insensitive phenotypes in seed germination and post-germination growth, demonstrating that LHCB proteins are positively involved in these developmental processes in response to ABA. ABA was required for full expression of different LHCB members and physiologically high levels of ABA enhanced LHCB expression. The LHCB members were shown to be targets of an ABA-responsive WRKY-domain transcription factor, WRKY40, which represses LHCB expression to balance the positive function of the LHCBs in ABA signalling. These findings revealed that ABA is an inducer that fine-tunes LHCB expression at least partly through repressing the WRKY40 transcription repressor in stressful conditions in co-operation with light, which allows plants to adapt to environmental challenges.

Nucleus-Encoded Light-Harvesting Chlorophyll a/b Proteins are Imported Normally into Chlorophyll b-Free Chloroplasts of Arabidopsis

Chloroplast-located proteins which are encoded by the nuclear genome have to be imported from the cytosol into the organelle in a posttranslational manner. Among these nuclear-encoded chloroplast proteins are the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins (LHCPs). After translation in the cytosol, precursor proteins of LHCPs are imported via the TOC/TIC translocase, processed to their mature size to insert into thylakoid membranes where they recruit chlorophylls a and b to form pigment-protein complexes. The translocation of proteins is a highly regulated process which employs several regulators. To analyze whether CAO (chlorophyll a oxigenase) which converts chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b at the inner chloroplast membrane, is one of these regulators, we performed import reactions utilizing a homozygous loss-of-function mutant (cao-1). We imported in vitro translated and (35)S-labeled precursor proteins of light-harvesting proteins of photosystem II LHCB1, LHCB4, and LHCB5 into chloroplasts isolated from cao-1 and show that import of precursor proteins and their processing to mature forms are not impaired in the mutant. Therefore, regulation of the import machinery cannot be responsible for the decreased steady-state levels of light-harvesting complex (LHC) proteins. Regulation does not take place at the transcriptional level either, because Lhcb mRNAs are not down-regulated. Additionally, reduced steady-state levels of LHCPs also do not occur due to posttranslational turnover of non-functional LHCPs in chloroplasts. Taken together, our data show that plants in the absence of CAO and therefore devoid of chlorophyll b are not influenced in their import behavior of LHC proteins.

Allelic Variations of a Light Harvesting Chlorophyll A/B-Binding Protein Gene (Lhcb1) Associated with Agronomic Traits in Barley

Light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (LHCP) is one of the most abundant chloroplast proteins in plants. Its main function is to collect and transfer light energy to photosynthetic reaction centers. However, the roles of different LHCPs in light-harvesting antenna systems remain obscure. Exploration of nucleotide variation in the genes encoding LHCP can facilitate a better understanding of the functions of LHCP. In this study, nucleotide variations in Lhcb1, a LHCP gene in barley, were investigated across 292 barley accessions collected from 35 different countries using EcoTILLING technology, a variation of the Targeting Induced Local Lesions In Genomes (TILLING). A total of 23 nucleotide variations were detected including three insert/deletions (indels) and 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Among them, 17 SNPs were in the coding region with nine missense changes. Two SNPs with missense changes are predicted to be deleterious to protein function. Seventeen SNP formed 31 distinguishable haplotypes in the barley collection. The levels of nucleotide diversity in the Lhcb1 locus differed markedly with geographic origins and species of accessions. The accessions from Middle East Asia exhibited the highest nucleotide and haplotype diversity. H. spontaneum showed greater nucleotide diversity than H. vulgare. Five SNPs in Lhcb1 were significantly associated with at least one of the six agronomic traits evaluated, namely plant height, spike length, number of grains per spike, thousand grain weight, flag leaf area and leaf color, and these SNPs may be used as potential markers for improvement of these barley traits.

In vitro conditions affect photosynthetic performance and crassulacean acid metabolism in Mammillaria gracilis Pfeiff. tissues

Mammillaria gracilis Pfeiff. plants cultivated in the pot (pot plants, PP), as well as in vitro-grown normal shoots (NS), habituated callus (HC), hyperhydric shoots (HS), and tumour tissue (TT) were investigated in order to reveal the influence of in vitro culture on functionality of the photosynthetic apparatus and CAM photosynthesis in cactus M. gracilis Pfeiff. Photosynthetic pigments content as well as maximum (Fv/Fm) and effective (ΦPSII) quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) decreased in all in vitro-grown tissues in comparison to PP. The decrease observed in hyperhydric HC, HS and TT correlated with a low expression of Rubisco large subunit (RbcL) and β subunit of ATP synthase (β ATP synt) and almost undetectable levels of protein D1, light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (LHCII) and cytochrome f protein of thylakoid Cyt b6/f-complex (Cyt f) found in these tissues. As for crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) pattern, PP and NS expressed diurnal acid fluctuation, while HC, HS and TT failed to show it. Nevertheless, all M. gracilis tissues exhibited diurnal changes of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity indicating the typical CAM physiology. In conclusion, the photosynthesis was down-regulated in all in vitro-grown tissues. NS maintained typical CAM photosynthesis, while HC, HS and TT withheld PEPC activity, but not acid accumulation specific for CAM. Minor changes observed in NS in comparison to PP could be attributed to the sugar supplementation while the more prominent deviations found in HC, HS and TT could be correlated with hyperhydricity and the loss of characteristic tissue organisation pattern.

A Rice Stromal Processing Peptidase Regulates Chloroplast and Root Development

The stromal processing peptidase (SPP) is a metalloendopeptidase that cleaves a broad range of precursor substrates. In this study, we isolated a rice mutant showing leaf chlorosis at the early seedling stage but inhibition of root growth during the whole growth period. Genetic analysis demonstrates that the phenotypes of the mutant were caused by a recessive single gene mutation. The mutated gene was cloned by map-based cloning, and was shown to encode an SPP. Sequence analysis showed a glutamate deletion in the highly conserved C-terminus of SPP in the mutant. The mutation of SPP in the mutant was verified by transgenic complementation. SPP is constitutively expressed in all tissues. Subcellular localization analysis indicates that SPP is targeted to the chloroplast. The expression of some genes associated with chloroplast development was decreased in young seedlings of the spp mutant, but not in 14-day-old seedlings. Western blot analysis revealed that the Rubisco small subunit is not precisely processed in the spp mutant in 7-day-old seedlings, but the processing activity in the spp mutant is restored in 14-day-old seedlings. Moreover, the expression levels of Cab1R and Cab2R for the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (LHCP) were highly up-regulated in the transgenic plants with overexpression of SPP. The present results reveal that SPP is essential for chloroplast biogenesis at the early growth stage and for rice root development; this is the first report on the function of SPP in monocot plants.

Porphyrins Promote the Association of GENOMES UNCOUPLED 4 and a Mg-chelatase Subunit with Chloroplast Membranes

In plants, chlorophylls and other tetrapyrroles are synthesized from a branched pathway that is located within chloroplasts. GUN4 (GENOMES UNCOUPLED 4) stimulates chlorophyll biosynthesis by activating Mg-chelatase, the enzyme that commits porphyrins to the chlorophyll branch. GUN4 stimulates Mg-chelatase by a mechanism that involves binding the ChlH subunit of Mg-chelatase, as well as a substrate (protoporphyrin IX) and product (Mg-protoporphyrin IX) of Mg-chelatase. We chose to test whether GUN4 might also affect interactions between Mg-chelatase and chloroplast membranes, the site of chlorophyll biosynthesis. To test this idea, we induced chlorophyll precursor levels in purified pea chloroplasts by feeding these chloroplasts with 5-aminolevulinic acid, determined the relative levels of GUN4 and Mg-chelatase subunits in soluble and membrane-containing fractions derived from these chloroplasts, and quantitated Mg-chelatase activity in membranes isolated from these chloroplasts. We also monitored GUN4 levels in the soluble and membrane-containing fractions derived from chloroplasts fed with various porphyrins. Our results indicate that 5-aminolevulinic acid feeding stimulates Mg-chelatase activity in chloroplast membranes and that the porphyrin-bound forms of GUN4 and possibly ChlH associate most stably with chloroplast membranes. These findings are consistent with GUN4 stimulating chlorophyll biosynthesis not only by activating Mg-chelatase but also by promoting interactions between ChlH and chloroplast membranes.

The Membrane-binding Motif of the Chloroplast Signal Recognition Particle Receptor (cpFtsY) Regulates GTPase Activity

The chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP) and its receptor (cpFtsY) function in thylakoid biogenesis to target integral membrane proteins to thylakoids. Unlike cytosolic SRP receptors in eukaryotes, cpFtsY partitions between thylakoid membranes and the soluble stroma. Based on sequence alignments, a membrane-binding motif identified in Escherichia coli FtsY appears to be conserved in cpFtsY, yet whether the proposed motif is responsible for the membrane-binding function of cpFtsY has yet to be shown experimentally. Our studies show that a small N-terminal region in cpFtsY stabilizes a membrane interaction critical to cpFtsY function in cpSRP-dependent protein targeting. This membrane-binding motif is both necessary and sufficient to direct cpFtsY and fused passenger proteins to thylakoids. Our results demonstrate that the cpFtsY membrane-binding motif may be functionally replaced by the corresponding region from E. coli, confirming that the membrane-binding motif is conserved among organellar and prokaryotic homologs. Furthermore, the capacity of cpFtsY for lipid binding correlates with liposome-induced GTP hydrolysis stimulation. Mutations that debilitate the membrane-binding motif in cpFtsY result in higher rates of GTP hydrolysis, suggesting that negative regulation is provided by the intact membrane-binding region in the absence of a bilayer. Furthermore, NMR and CD structural studies of the N-terminal region and the analogous region in the E. coli SRP receptor revealed a conformational change in secondary structure that takes place upon lipid binding. These studies suggest that the cpFtsY membrane-binding motif plays a critical role in the intramolecular communication that regulates cpSRP receptor functions at the membrane.

Structural Basis for Specific Substrate Recognition by the Chloroplast Signal Recognition Particle Protein cpSRP43

Secretory and membrane proteins carry amino-terminal signal sequences that, in cotranslational targeting, are recognized by the signal recognition particle protein SRP54 without sequence specificity. The most abundant membrane proteins on Earth are the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (LHCPs). They are synthesized in the cytoplasm, imported into the chloroplast, and posttranslationally targeted to the thylakoid membrane by cpSRP, a heterodimer formed by cpSRP54 and cpSRP43. We present the 1.5 angstrom crystal structure of cpSRP43 characterized by a unique arrangement of chromodomains and ankyrin repeats. The overall shape and charge distribution of cpSRP43 resembles the SRP RNA, which is absent in chloroplasts. The complex with the internal signal sequence of LHCPs reveals that cpSRP43 specifically recognizes a DPLG peptide motif. We describe how cpSPR43 adapts the universally conserved SRP system to posttranslational targeting and insertion of the LHCP family of membrane proteins.

Regulation of the GTPase Cycle in Post-translational Signal Recognition Particle-based Protein Targeting Involves cpSRP43

The chloroplast signal recognition particle consists of a conserved 54-kDa GTPase and a novel 43-kDa chromodomain protein (cpSRP43) that together bind light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (LHCP) to form a soluble targeting complex that is subsequently directed to the thylakoid membrane. Homology-based modeling of cpSRP43 indicates the presence of two previously identified chromodomains along with a third N-terminal chromodomain. Chromodomain deletion constructs were used to examine the role of each chromodomain in mediating distinct steps in the LHCP localization mechanism. The C-terminal chromodomain is completely dispensable for LHCP targeting/integration in vitro. The central chromodomain is essential for both targeting complex formation and integration because of its role in binding the M domain of cpSRP54. The N-terminal chromodomain (CD1) is unnecessary for targeting complex formation but is required for integration. This correlates with the ability of CD1 along with the ankyrin repeat region of cpSRP43 to regulate the GTPase cycle of the cpSRP-receptor complex.

NaCl-induced phosphorylation of light harvesting chlorophyll a/b proteins in thylakoid membranes from the halotolerant green alga, Dunaliella salina

Light could induce phosphorylation of light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (LHCII) in Dunaliella salina and spinach thylakoid membranes. We found that neither phosphorylation was affected by glycerol, whereas treatment with NaCl significantly enhanced light-induced LHCII phosphorylation in D. salina thylakoid membranes and inhibited that in spinach. Furthermore, even in the absence of light, NaCl and several other salts induced LHCII phosphorylation in D. salina thylakoid membranes, but not in spinach thylakoid membranes. In addition, hypertonic shock induced LHCII phosphorylation in intact D. salina under dark conditions and cells adapted to different NaCl concentrations exhibited similar LHCII phosphorylation levels. Taken together, these results show for the first time that while LHCII phosphorylation of D. salina thylakoid membranes resembles that of spinach thylakoid membranes in terms of light-mediated control, the two differ with respect to NaCl sensitivity under light and dark conditions.