The light-induced transthylakoid membrane potential (ΔΨ) can not only drive the ATP synthesis through the ATP-synthase in chloroplasts but serve as an essential modifier in the acclimation of photosynthesis to fluctuating light conditions. It has been manifested that during photosynthesis, the light-induced ΔΨ is responsive to multiple factors among which the ion channels/transporters (e.g., V-K+, VCCN1, and KEA3) are key to adjust the ion distribution on the two sides of the thylakoid membrane and hence shape the kinetics of ΔΨ. However, an in-depth mechanistic understanding of ion fluxes on adjusting the transthylakoid electric potentials is still unclear. This lack of a mechanistic understanding is due to the experimental difficulty of closely observing ion fluxes in vivo and also hacking the evolution of parameters in a highly intertwined photosynthetic network. In this work, a computer model was applied to investigate the roles of ion fluxes on adjusting transthylakoid electric potentials upon a temporal cycle of a period of high illumination followed by a dark-adapted phase. The computing data revealed that, firstly, upon illumination, the dissipation of the steady-ΔΨ by ∼10 mV is contributed from the V-K+-driven K+ flux whilst ∼8 mV of the steady-ΔΨ is dissipated by the VCCN1-pumped Cl- flux, but there were no appreciable KEA3-evoked variations on ΔΨ; secondly, on transition from high light to darkness, V-K+ and KEA3 are serving as major contributors whereas VCCN1 taking a counterbalancing part in shaping a standard trace of ECS (electrochromic shift), which commonly shows a sharp fall to a minimum before returning to the baseline in darkness. Besides, the functional consequences on components of ΔΨ adjusted by every particular ion channel/transporter were also explored. By employing the model, we bring evidence that particular thylakoid-harbored proteins, namely V-K+, VCCN1, and KEA3, function by distinct mechanisms in the dynamic adjustment of electric potential, which might be mainly importnat under fluctuating light conditions.

Department of Biophysics Faculty of Science Palacký University Olomouc Czech Republic

School of Biological Science and Agriculture Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities Duyun China

Citace poskytuje Crossref.org

From leaf to multiscale models of photosynthesis: applications and challenges for crop improvement