title: How sugars might coordinate chloroplast and nuclear gene expression during acclimation to high light intensities.
abstract: The concept of retrograde control of nuclear gene expression assumes the generation of signals inside the chloroplasts, which are either released from or sensed inside of the organelle. In both cases, downstream signaling pathways lead eventually to a differential regulation of nuclear gene expression and the production of proteins required in the chloroplast. This concept appears reasonable as the majority of the over 3000 predicted plastidial proteins are encoded by nuclear genes. Hence, the nucleus needs information on the status of the chloroplasts, such as during acclimation responses, which trigger massive changes in the protein composition of the thylakoid membrane and in the stroma. Here, we propose an additional control mechanism of nuclear- and plastome-encoded photosynthesis genes, taking advantage of pathways involved in sugar- or hormonal signaling. Sugars are major end products of photosynthesis and their contents respond very sensitively to changes in light intensities. Based on recent findings, we ask the question as to whether the carbohydrate status outside the chloroplast can be directly sensed within the chloroplast stroma. Sugars might synchronize the responsiveness of both genomes and thereby help to coordinate the expression of plastome- and nuclear-encoded photosynthesis genes in concert with other, more specific retrograde signals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany II, Cologne Biocenter, University of Cologne, Zülpicherstr. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany rainer.haeusler@uni-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Rainer E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Häusler
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany II, Cologne Biocenter, University of Cologne, Zülpicherstr. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heinrichs
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany II, Cologne Biocenter, University of Cologne, Zülpicherstr. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany Present address: Plant Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany II, Cologne Biocenter, University of Cologne, Zülpicherstr. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulf-Ingo
authors.initials: UI
authors.lastname: Flügge
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008027:Light; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects
keywords: Arabidopsis.; acclimation; assimilate allocation/partitioning; carbohydrate metabolism; membrane proteins; molecular physiology; physiological