Optimization of Light-Harvesting Pigment Improves Photosynthetic Efficiency  . Issue 3 (8th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jin, Honglei; Li, Mengshu; Duan, Sujuan; Fu, Mei; Dong, Xiaoxiao; Liu, Bing; Feng, Dongru; Wang, Jinfa; Wang, Hong-Bin
• Is Part Of: Plant physiology. Volume 172:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 1720
• Page End: 1731
• Publication Date: 2016-09-08
• Subjects: Plant physiology -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 571.2
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.16.00698
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-0889

Abstract

Abstract : Characterization of Arabidopsis hpe1 mutants revealed a novel strategy to optimize light-harvesting pigments that improved photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production. Abstract: Maximizing light capture by light-harvesting pigment optimization represents an attractive but challenging strategy to improve photosynthetic efficiency. Here, we report that loss of a previously uncharacterized gene, HIGH PHOTOSYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY1 ( HPE1 ), optimizes light-harvesting pigments, leading to improved photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production. Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) hpe1 mutants show faster electron transport and increased contents of carbohydrates. HPE1 encodes a chloroplast protein containing an RNA recognition motif that directly associates with and regulates the splicing of target RNAs of plastid genes. HPE1 also interacts with other plastid RNA-splicing factors, including CAF1 and OTP51, which share common targets with HPE1. Deficiency of HPE1 alters the expression of nucleus-encoded chlorophyll-related genes, probably through plastid-to-nucleus signaling, causing decreased total content of chlorophyll ( a + b ) in a limited range but increased chlorophyll a / b ratio. Interestingly, this adjustment of light-harvesting pigment reduces antenna size, improves light capture, decreases energy loss, mitigates photodamage, and enhances photosynthetic quantum yield during photosynthesis. Our findings suggest a novel strategy to optimize light-harvesting pigments that improves photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production in higher plants.