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Impaired carotenogenesis can affect organization and functionality of etioplast membranes
Author(s) -
Moro Isabella,
Dalla Vecchia Francesca,
La Rocca Nicoletta,
NavariIzzo Flavia,
Quartacci Mike Frank,
Di Baccio Daniela,
Rüdiger Wolfhart,
Rascio Nicoletta
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.2004.00376.x
Subject(s) - protochlorophyllide , etiolation , phytoene , biology , biochemistry , carotenoid , membrane , lycopene , chloroplast , biophysics , gene , enzyme
The effects of impaired carotenogenesis on plastid membrane organization, functionality and stability were studied in etiolated barley plants grown at 20 and 30°C. The plants were treated with norflurazon or amitrole, two herbicides affecting phytoene desaturation and lycopene cyclization, respectively. At 20°C, the amitrole‐treated etioplasts, which accumulated lycopene in their inner membranes, exhibited disorganized prolamellar bodies, containing a prevalent form of non‐phototransformable protochlorophyllide (Pchlide). They also showed a certain difficulty in reducing the phototransformable pigment to chlorophyllide when exposed to light, and were unable to reform the active ternary complex [protochlorophyllide–oxidoreductase (POR)–Pchlide–NADPH] when placed back in darkness. No ultrastructural alterations were found in norflurazon‐treated etioplasts, with carotenogenesis inhibited at the phytoene desaturation step. In these latter organelles, Pchlide, whose forms were comparable with those of the control etioplasts, was photoreduced quickly after illumination and the ternary complex was reformed during a subsequent dark period. Thus, the impaired carotenogenesis leading to the accumulation of lycopene showed greater interference with the etioplast membrane arrangement and functionality than did the earlier interruption of the biosynthetic pathway at the phytoene level. This might be due to the different interactions of the distinct carotenoid precursors with other membrane components. However, in etioplasts of norflurazon‐treated plants, a rise in growth temperature caused a partial demolition of prolamellar bodies, showing a lowered thermostability of the carotenoid‐deficient membranes. This latter effect strengthens the concept that a correct and complete carotenogenesis pathway, leading to the synthesis of polar carotenoids (i.e. xanthophylls), is required for the maintenance of stable plastid membranes.