Photosynthetic organisms require rapid and reversible down-regulation of light harvesting to avoid photodamage. Response to unpredictable light fluctuations is achieved by inducing energy-dependent quenching, qE, which is the major component of the process known as non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll fluorescence. qE is controlled by the operation of the xanthophyll cycle and accumulation of specific types of proteins, upon thylakoid lumen acidification. The protein cofactors so far identified to modulate qE in photosynthetic eukaryotes are the photosystem II subunit S (PsbS) and light-harvesting complex stress-related (LHCSR/LHCX) proteins. A transition from LHCSR- to PsbS-dependent qE took place during the evolution of the Viridiplantae (also known as ‘green lineage’ organisms), such as green algae, mosses and vascular plants. Multiple studies showed that LHCSR and PsbS proteins have distinct functions in the mechanism of qE. LHCX(-like) proteins are closely related to LHCSR proteins and found in ‘red lineage’ organisms that contain secondary red plastids, such as diatoms. Although LHCX proteins appear to control qE in diatoms, their role in the mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we present the current knowledge on the functions and evolution of these crucial proteins, which evolved in photosynthetic eukaryotes to optimise light harvesting.
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October 2018
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Cover Image
Cover Image
In this issue, Mahkoul et al. discuss the relationship between the architecture of the Golgi, the cytoskeleton and the regulation of signalling networks in the cytoplasm and nucleus. The cover image, provided by the authors, shows fluorescently labelled cells: actin (magenta), Golgi (red) late endosomes/lysosomes (green) and nucleus (blue). For further details see pages 1063–1072.
Review Article|
August 28 2018
The evolution of the photoprotective antenna proteins in oxygenic photosynthetic eukaryotes
Vasco Giovagnetti;
Vasco Giovagnetti
1School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K.
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Alexander V. Ruban
1School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K.
Correspondence: Alexander V. Ruban (a.ruban@qmul.ac.uk) and Vasco Giovagnetti (v.giovagnetti@qmul.ac.uk)
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Biochem Soc Trans (2018) 46 (5): 1263–1277.
Article history
Received:
May 01 2018
Revision Received:
July 02 2018
Accepted:
July 04 2018
Citation
Vasco Giovagnetti, Alexander V. Ruban; The evolution of the photoprotective antenna proteins in oxygenic photosynthetic eukaryotes. Biochem Soc Trans 19 October 2018; 46 (5): 1263–1277. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20170304
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