Expression of xanthophyll biosynthetic genes during light-dependent chloroplast differentiation

In higher plants, etioplast to chloroplast differentiation is characterized by dramatic ultrastructural changes of the plastid and a concomitant increase in chlorophylls and carotenoids. Whereas the formation and function of carotenes and their oxygenated derivatives, the xanthophylls, have been well studied, little is known about the regulation of the genes involved in xanthophyll biosynthesis. Here, we analyze the expression of three xanthophyll biosynthetic genes (i.e. beta-carotene hydroxylase [bhy], zeaxanthin epoxidase [zep], and violaxanthin de-epoxidase [vde]) during de-etiolation of seedlings of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Samsun) under different light conditions. White-light illumination caused an increase in the amount of all corresponding mRNAs. The expression profiles of bhy and zep not only resembled each other but were also similar to the pattern of a gene encoding a major light-harvesting protein of photosystem II. This finding indicates a coordinated synthesis during formation of the antenna complex. In contrast, the expression pattern of vde was clearly different. Furthermore, the gene expression of bhy was shown to be modulated after illumination with different white-light intensities. The expression of all xanthophyll biosynthetic genes under examination was up-regulated upon exposure to red, blue, and white light. Gene expression of bhy and vde but not of zep was more pronounced under red-light illumination, pointing at an involvement of the phytochrome system. Expression analysis in the presence of the photosynthetic electron transport inhibitors 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl-urea and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone indicated a redox control of transcription of two of the xanthophyll biosynthetic genes (bhy and zep).