Photosynthetica 2010, 48(1):16-22 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-010-0004-9

Light-independent accumulation of essential chlorophyll biosynthesis- and photosynthesis-related proteins in Pinus mugo and Pinus sylvestris seedlings

K. Breznenová1,*, V. Demko1, A. Pavlovič1, E. Gálová2, R. Balážová1, J. Hudák1
1 Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
2 Department of Genetics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Dark-grown seedlings of Pinus mugo Turra and Pinus sylvestris L. accumulate chlorophyll (Chl) and its precursor protochlorophyllide (Pchlide). Pchlide reduction is a key regulatory step in Chl biosynthesis. In the dark, Pchlide is reduced by light-independent Pchlide oxidoreductase (DPOR) encoded by three plastid genes chlL, chlN, and chlB (chlLNB). To investigate the differences in chlLNB gene expressions, we compared the dark-grown and 24-h illuminated seedlings of P. mugo and P. sylvestris. Expression of these genes was found constitutive in all analyzed samples. We report light-independent accumulation of important proteins involved in Chl biosynthesis (glutamyl-tRNA reductase) and photosystem formation (D1 and LHCI). Chl and Pchlide content and plastid ultrastructure studies were also performed.

Keywords: chlorophyll biosynthesis; conifer seedlings; plastid gene expression; plastid ultrastructure; protochlorophyllide reduction

Received: July 16, 2009; Accepted: December 14, 2009; Published: March 1, 2010Show citation

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Breznenová, K., Demko, V., Pavlovič, A., Gálová, E., Balážová, R., & Hudák, J. (2010). Light-independent accumulation of essential chlorophyll biosynthesis- and photosynthesis-related proteins in Pinus mugo and Pinus sylvestris seedlings. Photosynthetica, 48(1), 16-22. doi: 10.1007/s11099-010-0004-9.
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