Optimization of Light-Harvesting Pigment Improves Photosynthetic Efficiency.
Maximizing light capture by light-harvesting pigment optimization represents an attractive but challenging strategy to improve photosynthetic efficiency. Here, we report that loss of a previously uncharacterized gene, HIGH PHOTOSYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY1 (HPE1), optimizes light-harvesting pigments, leading to improved photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) hpe1 mutants show faster electron transport and increased contents of carbohydrates. HPE1 encodes a chloroplast protein containing an RNA recognition motif that directly associates with and regulates the splicing of target RNAs of plastid genes. HPE1 also interacts with other plastid RNA-splicing factors, including CAF1 and OTP51, which share common targets with HPE1. Deficiency of HPE1 alters the expression of nucleus-encoded chlorophyll-related genes, probably through plastid-to-nucleus signaling, causing decreased total content of chlorophyll (a+b) in a limited range but increased chlorophyll a/b ratio. Interestingly, this adjustment of light-harvesting pigment reduces antenna size, improves light capture, decreases energy loss, mitigates photodamage, and enhances photosynthetic quantum yield during photosynthesis. Our findings suggest a novel strategy to optimize light-harvesting pigments that improves photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production in higher plants.
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Honglei
H
Jin
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Mengshu
M
Li
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Sujuan
S
Duan
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Mei
M
Fu
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Xiaoxiao
X
Dong
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Bing
0000-0003-2074-9126
B
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Dongru
D
Feng
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China lsswjf@mail.sysu.edu.cn wanghb@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Jinfa
J
Wang
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, People's Republic of China lsswjf@mail.sysu.edu.cn wanghb@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Hong-Bin
0000-0003-4957-0509
HB
Wang
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008027:Light; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes / Q000378:metabolism*; D055442:Metabolome / Q000528:radiation effects; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000378:metabolism*; D018087:Plastids / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D020524:Thylakoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D002734:Chlorophyll