Photosynthesis in the smallest free-living eukaryotic organism: light utilisation and capture in the picoeukaryote Ostreococcus

Peer reviewe

A forward genetic screen to identify hydrogenase-deficient mutants in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The ability of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to evolve molecular hydrogen (H2) is due to the presence of oxygen-sensitive Fe-hydrogenases (HydA1/2), expressed in anoxic conditions that drive the photosynthetic electron flow to reduce protons into H2. In order to identify new players involved in H2 photoproduction in Chlamydomonas, an insertion mutant library was generated using cassettes conferring resistance to hygromycin or paromomycin. Hydrogenase activity is physiologically relevant during a transition from dark anoxia to light. In dark anoxic conditions, the cellular redox poise is high and the photosynthetic electron transport chain is fully reduced. Upon illumination, hydrogenase activity allows the reoxidation of photosynthetic intersystem electron carriers until oxic conditions and carbon fixation ability are restored. We thus designed an in vivo fluorescence imaging screen based on the different kinetics of photosynthesis induction between wild type and hydrogenase-deficient mutants [1]. At this stage, three putative hydrogenase mutants have been identified on 10,000 transformants. Molecular characterization of the insertion site of the resistance cassette by TAIL-PCR and genetic analyses of the linkage between the antibiotic resistance and the fluorescence phenotype showed that one mutant was untagged with the resistance while two tagged mutants were deficient for the HydG assembly factor

Inactivation of genes coding for mitochondrial Nd7 and Nd9 complex I subunits in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Impact of complex I loss on respiration and energetic metabolism.

In Chlamydomonas, unlike in flowering plants, genes coding for Nd7 (NAD7/49kDa) and Nd9 (NAD9/30kDa) core subunits of mitochondrial respiratory-chain complex I are nucleus-encoded. Both genes possess all the features that facilitate their expression and proper import of the polypeptides in mitochondria. By inactivating their expression by RNA interference or insertional mutagenesis, we show that both subunits are required for complex I assembly and activity. Inactivation of complex I impairs the cell growth rate, reduces the respiratory rate, leads to lower intracellular ROS production and lower expression of ROS scavenging enzymes, and is associated to a diminished capacity to concentrate CO2 without compromising photosynthetic capacity.Peer reviewe

Respiratory-deficient mutants of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas: A review.

Genetic manipulation of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is straightforward. Nuclear genes can be interrupted by insertional mutagenesis or targeted by RNA interference whereas random or site-directed mutagenesis allows the introduction of mutations in the mitochondrial genome. This, combined with a screen that easily allows discriminating respiratory-deficient mutants, makes Chlamydomonas a model system of choice to study mitochondria biology in photosynthetic organisms. Since the first description of Chlamydomonas respiratory-deficient mutants in 1977 by random mutagenesis, many other mutants affected in mitochondrial components have been characterized. These respiratory-deficient mutants increased our knowledge on function and assembly of the respiratory enzyme complexes. More recently some of these mutants allowed the study of mitochondrial gene expression processes poorly understood in Chlamydomonas. In this review, we update the data concerning the respiratory components with a special focus on the assembly factors identified on other organisms. In addition, we make an inventory of different mitochondrial respiratory mutants that are inactivated either on mitochondrial or nuclear genes

Inactivation of genes coding for mitochondrial Nd7 and Nd9 complex I subunits in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Impact of complex I loss on respiration and energetic metabolism.

In Chlamydomonas, unlike in flowering plants, genes coding for Nd7 (NAD7/49kDa) and Nd9 (NAD9/30kDa) core subunits of mitochondrial respiratory-chain complex I are nucleus-encoded. Both genes possess all the features that facilitate their expression and proper import of the polypeptides in mitochondria. By inactivating their expression by RNA interference or insertional mutagenesis, we show that both subunits are required for complex I assembly and activity. Inactivation of complex I impairs the cell growth rate, reduces the respiratory rate, leads to lower intracellular ROS production and lower expression of ROS scavenging enzymes, and is associated to a diminished capacity to concentrate CO2 without compromising photosynthetic capacity.Peer reviewe

Response of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) cell quotas to oxidative stress in three phytoplankton species

peer reviewedSeveral phytoplankton species produce the metabolites dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) but their intracellular roles need to be better understood. To improve the understanding of the DMSP antioxidant function suggested by Sunda et al. (2002), we exposed the diatom Skeletonema costatum, the Prymnesiophyceae Phaeocystis globosa and the dinoflagellate Heterocapsa triquetra to experimental treatments known to cause potential oxidative stress (high light intensities (HL); HL with 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU); menadione sodium bisulfite (MSB)). DMSP and DMSO concentrations decreased after 6h in all treatments indicating an interaction with Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) produced. DMSP and DMSO-to-cell ratios in control conditions were higher for H. triquetra, while being unable to grow under HL. DMSP and DMSO-to-cell carbon were the highest for P. globosa while the other species had similar values. During long-term treatment, these ratios were not increased in high-light grown cells of P. globosa and S. costatum. Overall, this illustrates that (1) the DMSP- and DMSO-to-cell or carbon seems to be not indicative of the capability of the species to tolerate an oxidative stress, (2) these molecules could react with ROS and lower their cellular concentration, but no clues demonstrated that these molecules are part of the antioxidant response of the cell

Subunit Asa1 spans all the peripheral stalk of the mitochondrial ATP synthase of the chlorophycean alga Polytomella sp.

peer reviewedMitochondrial F1FO-ATP synthase of chlorophycean algae is dimeric. It contains eight orthodox subunits (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, OSCP, a and c) and nine atypical subunits (Asa1 to 9). These subunits build the peripheral stalk of the enzyme and stabilize its dimeric structure. The location of the 66.1kDa subunit Asa1 has been debated. On one hand, it was found in a transient subcomplex that contained membrane-bound subunits Asa1/Asa3/Asa5/Asa8/a (Atp6)/c (Atp9). On the other hand, Asa1 was proposed to form the bulky structure of the peripheral stalk that contacts the OSCP subunit in the F1 sector. Here, we overexpressed and purified the recombinant proteins Asa1 and OSCP and explored their interactions in vitro, using immunochemical techniques and affinity chromatography. Asa1 and OSCP interact strongly, and the carboxy-terminal half of OSCP seems to be instrumental for this association. In addition, the algal ATP synthase was partially dissociated at relatively high detergent concentrations, and an Asa1/Asa3/Asa5/Asa8/a/c10 subcomplex was identified. Furthermore, Far-Western analysis suggests an Asa1-Asa8 interaction. Based on these results, a model is proposed in which Asa1 spans the whole peripheral arm of the enzyme, from a region close to the matrix-exposed side of the mitochondrial inner membrane to the F1 region where OSCP is located. 3D models show elongated, helix-rich structures for chlorophycean Asa1 subunits. Asa1 subunit probably plays a scaffolding role in the peripheral stalk analogous to the one of subunit b in orthodox mitochondrial enzymes

Cell adaptation of the extremophilic red microalga Galdieria sulphuraria to the availability of carbon sources.

peer reviewedGlobal energy demand and fossil fuels impact on climate can be partially managed by an increase in the use of biofuels for transports and industries. Biodiesel production is generally preceded by a transesterification process of the green biomass triacylglycerols that generates large amounts of glycerol as a by-product. In this study, the extremophilic red microalga Galdieria sulphuraria 074W was cultivated in heterotrophy. The microalgal growth parameters and biomass composition were compared when grown on an equivalent molar concentration of carbon of either glucose or glycerol as unique carbon source. The maximal biomass reached in these two conditions was not significantly different (∼2.5 g.L-1). Fatty acid profile, protein and storage carbohydrate contents were also statistically similar, irrespectively of the metabolized carbon source. We also observed that the pigment content of G. sulphuraria cells decreased during heterotrophic growth compared to photoautotrophic cultivated cells, and that this diminution was more important in the presence of glucose than glycerol: cells were yellowish in the presence of glucose and green in the presence of glycerol. The pigmentation was restored when glucose was totally consumed in the medium, suggesting that the presence of glucose repressed pigment synthesis. Based on this observation, a transcriptome analysis was performed in order to better understand the mechanisms involved in the loss of color mediated by darkness and by glucose in G. sulphuraria. Three conditions were analyzed: heterotrophy with glycerol or glucose and phototrophy. This allowed us to understand the transcriptional response of cells to light and dark environments both at the nuclear and chloroplast levels, and to show that transcription of gene families, acquired by horizontal gene transfer, such as sugar, amino acid, or acetate transporters, were involved in the response to the availability of different (in)organic sources