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Light intensity-dependent retrograde signalling in higher plants
Magdalena Szechyńska-Hebda1, Stanisław Karpiński
1Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 30-239 Kraków, Poland; Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Landscape Architecture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776 Warszawa, Poland.
Journal of Plant Physiology
|July 16, 2013
Summary
Plants utilize chloroplast retrograde signaling for light acclimation. This review details how chloroplasts sense light changes and darkness, coordinating responses across leaves and developmental stages.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Photosynthesis Research
- Molecular Signaling
Background:
- Plants possess short- and long-term acclimatory responses to fluctuating light.
- These responses are critically dependent on chloroplast retrograde signaling pathways.
- Chloroplasts act as central integrators of light signals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current evidence on chloroplasts as sensors of light intensity and darkness.
- To elucidate the regulation of intra- and inter-cellular chloroplast retrograde signaling.
- To analyze gene expression patterns under different signaling conditions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent evidence.
- Meta-analysis of multiple microarray experiments.
- Discussion of signal transduction pathways.
Main Results:
- Chloroplasts sense light intensity (low, high, excess) and darkness, initiating retrograde signals.
- Signaling regulation varies with plastid developmental and functional stages (biogenesis, mature, senescence).
- Meta-analysis revealed specific gene expression patterns linked to signal types and light conditions.
Conclusions:
- Chloroplast retrograde signaling is crucial for plant acclimation to diverse light environments.
- Understanding these signals provides insights into plant adaptation and stress responses.
- Photo-electrochemical signaling offers alternative pathways for signal transduction coordination.
Keywords:
Antioxidative enzymesChloroplast retrograde signallingEEEGSH and GSSHIntra- and inter-cellular signallingLight intensityNPQPCDPETPQPSI and PSIIPhoto-electrochemical signallingROSSAASARexcess excitation energynonphotochemical quenchingphotosynthetic electron transportphotosystems I and IIplastoquinoneprogrammed cell deathreactive oxygen speciesreduced and oxidised glutathione formssystemic acquired acclimationsystemic acquired resistance.
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