Expression of psbA genes is regulated at multiple levels in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942

In cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 the photosystem II reaction-center protein D1 is encoded by three psbA genes. The psbAI gene encodes D1:1 protein, the form used for acclimated growth, and psbAII and psbAIII genes encode the stress-induced form, D1:2 protein. Strong light and low temperature have been shown to induce the expression of psbAII/III genes and down-regulate the expression of psbAI gene. Recently, we reported the involvement of reduced thiols in the up-regulation of psbAII/III genes. In this study, we have analyzed the regulation of psbA gene expression in Synechococcus further, at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. We show that the inhibitors of the photosynthetic electron-transfer chain, which have different effects on the redox state of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool, have similar effect on the transcription of psbA genes. The inhibitors 3-(3,4 dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone (DBMIB) do not cause any changes in psbA gene expression when added under low-light conditions, but dramatically reduce the high-light induction of psbAII/III genes when added upon a high-light shift. Moreover, when the thiol reductant, dithiothreitol, is added to Synechococcus cells together with DCMU concomitant with the high-light shift, no inhibition of psbAII/III gene up-regulation takes place, indicating that the thiol redox state rather than the redox state of the PQ pool regulates psbA gene transcription. We also provide evidence for post-transcriptional regulation of psbA gene expression, particularly, inhibition of translation of psbAI transcripts at high light, and demonstrate that the D1 protein synthesis and degradation processes are coregulated in Synechococcus.