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Updated Inventory and Refined Classification of the Ferredoxin Family in Archaeplastida.
Yanis Aoudache1,2, Sofia Inturri1,2, Benjamin Das Neves1
1Université de Lorraine, INRAE, IAM, Nancy, France.
Physiologia Plantarum
|March 13, 2026
Summary
Ferredoxins (FDXs) are diverse proteins involved in electron transfer. This study reveals significant differences in FDX content and distribution across Archaeplastida, refining their classification and suggesting novel functions for uncharacterized FDXs.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Ferredoxins (FDXs) are crucial proteins binding iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters for electron transfer reactions.
- Eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms possess numerous plastidial and mitochondrial FDXs, mostly redox-active, with one exception in respiratory complex I.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a phylogenomic analysis of Ferredoxin (FDX) content and distribution within the Archaeplastida clade.
- To refine the classification of FDXs and identify potential novel functions based on evolutionary patterns.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenomic analysis of FDXs in Archaeplastida, including model organisms Arabidopsis thaliana and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
- Sequence characteristic analysis and phylogenetic clustering.
- Expression pattern analysis and physiological/biochemical studies of specific FDXs (FDX5, FDX9).
Main Results:
- FDX content varies significantly (4-19 proteins) across Archaeplastida.
- FDXs cluster into 10 clades: 8 plastidial and 2 mitochondrial.
- Four plastidial FDX clades (FDX5, FDX7, FDX8, FDX9) are restricted to specific lineages, particularly algae and lower Embryophytes.
- FDX5 and FDX9 show lineage-specific distribution (Chlorophyceae) and suggest roles in anoxia and darkness, respectively.
- Structural analyses support functional divergence among plastidial FDXs.
Conclusions:
- Significant diversity exists within the FDX family in Archaeplastida.
- The study refines FDX classification and highlights lineage-specific FDX evolution.
- Provides a foundation for future research into the functions of uncharacterized FDXs.
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