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The plastid NAD(P)H dehydrogenase-like complex: structure, function and evolutionary dynamics.

Deserah D Strand1, Lucio D'Andrea1, Ralph Bock1

  • 1Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.

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|October 27, 2019
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The thylakoid NAD(P)H dehydrogenase-like (NDH) complex, crucial for photosynthesis, has been independently lost in various plant lineages. This study explores the evolutionary reasons behind the loss of chloroplast-encoded NDH subunits.

Keywords:
NADPH dehydrogenase-like complexevolutionary biologyphotosynthesis

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Area of Science:

  • Plant molecular biology
  • Photosynthesis research
  • Evolutionary biology

Background:

  • The thylakoid NAD(P)H dehydrogenase-like (NDH) complex is vital for photosynthesis, involved in plastoquinone reduction and proton pumping.
  • This complex comprises nuclear and chloroplast-encoded subunits, with the latter showing frequent evolutionary loss across plant species.
  • Previous hypotheses regarding the necessity of NDH for stress tolerance and ATP generation are being re-evaluated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary patterns and potential drivers behind the loss of chloroplast-encoded NDH subunits in plants.
  • To analyze the phylogenetic distribution of NDH gene loss to identify relaxed selection pressures.
  • To discuss the biochemical implications for chloroplasts that have lost NDH functionality.

Main Methods:

  • Phylogenetic analysis was employed to construct a comprehensive evolutionary tree of NDH gene presence and loss.
  • Comparative genomics and evolutionary history were used to identify independent loss events in various plant lineages.
  • Biochemical pathways and known NDH functions were reviewed to understand the consequences of gene loss.

Main Results:

  • A phylogenetic tree revealed multiple, independent losses of chloroplast-encoded NDH subunits across diverse plant groups.
  • The study identified specific phylogenetic lineages where NDH gene loss has occurred, suggesting varied evolutionary contexts.
  • Several long-standing explanations for NDH retention were critically examined and found to be insufficient.
  • The research provides a framework for understanding the biochemical adaptations required for chloroplasts lacking NDH.

Conclusions:

  • The loss of chloroplast-encoded NDH subunits is a recurrent evolutionary event in plants, not tied to a single lifestyle.
  • Understanding the relaxed selection pressures and biochemical adaptations associated with NDH loss is crucial for plant evolution studies.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the specific environmental or metabolic factors that permit NDH loss.