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The importance of flavodoxin for environmental stress tolerance in photosynthetic microorganisms and transgenic plants. Mechanism, evolution and biotechnological potential
Author(s) -
Lodeyro Anabella F.,
Ceccoli Romina D.,
Pierella Karlusich Juan J.,
Carrillo Néstor
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.07.026
Subject(s) - flavodoxin , ferredoxin , cyanobacteria , biology , photosynthesis , chloroplast , iron–sulfur cluster , spirogyra , flavoprotein , biochemistry , botany , genetics , bacteria , algae , gene , enzyme
Ferredoxins are electron shuttles harboring iron–sulfur clusters which participate in oxido‐reductive pathways in organisms displaying very different lifestyles. Ferredoxin levels decline in plants and cyanobacteria exposed to environmental stress and iron starvation. Flavodoxin is an isofunctional flavoprotein present in cyanobacteria and algae (not plants) which is induced and replaces ferredoxin under stress. Expression of a chloroplast‐targeted flavodoxin in plants confers tolerance to multiple stresses and iron deficit. We discuss herein the bases for functional equivalence between the two proteins, the reasons for ferredoxin conservation despite its susceptibility to aerobic stress and for the loss of flavodoxin as an adaptive trait in higher eukaryotes. We also propose a mechanism to explain the tolerance conferred by flavodoxin when expressed in plants.