ß-Cyclocitral Does Not Contribute to Singlet Oxygen-Signalling in Algae, but May Down-Regulate Chlorophyll Synthesis.

Light stress signalling in algae and plants is partially orchestrated by singlet oxygen (1O2), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) that causes significant damage within the chloroplast, such as lipid peroxidation. In the vicinity of the photosystem II reaction centre, a major source of 1O2, are two ß-carotene molecules that quench 1O2 to ground-state oxygen. 1O2 can oxidise ß-carotene to release ß-cyclocitral, which has emerged as a 1O2-mediated stress signal in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We investigated if ß-cyclocitral can have similar retrograde signalling properties in the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Using RNA-Seq, we show that genes up-regulated in response to exogenous ß-cyclocitral included CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE DIOXYGENASE 8 (CCD8), while down-regulated genes included those associated with porphyrin and chlorophyll anabolism, such as tetrapyrrole-binding protein (GUN4), magnesium chelatases (CHLI1, CHLI2, CHLD, CHLH1), light-dependent protochlorophyllide reductase (POR1), copper target 1 protein (CTH1), and coproporphyrinogen III oxidase (CPX1). Down-regulation of this pathway has also been shown in ß-cyclocitral-treated A. thaliana, indicating conservation of this signalling mechanism in plants. However, in contrast to A. thaliana, a very limited overlap in differential gene expression was found in ß-cyclocitral-treated and 1O2-treated C. reinhardtii. Furthermore, exogenous treatment with ß-cyclocitral did not induce tolerance to 1O2. We conclude that while ß-cyclocitral may down-regulate chlorophyll synthesis, it does not seem to contribute to 1O2-mediated high light stress signalling in algae.

Distress and eustress of reactive electrophiles and relevance to light stress acclimation via stimulation of thiol/disulphide-based redox defences.

Photosynthetic organisms suffering from light stress have to cope with an increased formation of reactive short-chain aldehydes. Singlet oxygen generated from highly-charged reaction centres can peroxidise the poly-unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich thylakoid membranes they are embedded in. Lipid peroxides decay to release α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes that are reactive electrophile species (RES). Acrolein is one of the most abundant and reactive RES produced in chloroplasts. Here, in the model chlorophyte alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a clear concentration-dependent "distress" induced by acrolein intoxication was observed in conjunction with depletion of the glutathione pool. The glutathione redox state (EGSSG/2GSH) strongly correlated (R2 = 0.95) with decreasing Fv/Fm values of chlorophyll fluorescence. However, treatment of C. reinhardtii with sub-toxic acrolein concentrations increased glutathione concentrations and raised the protein levels of a glutathione-S-transferase (GSTS1), mimicking the response to excess light, indicating that at lower concentrations, acrolein may contribute to high light acclimation, which could be interpreted as "eustress". Furthermore, similar patterns of chloroplastic protein carbonylation occurred under light stress and in response to exogenous acrolein. Priming cells by low doses of acrolein increased the alga's resistance to singlet oxygen. A RNA seq. analysis showed a large overlap in gene regulation under singlet oxygen and acrolein stresses. Particularly enriched were transcripts of enzymes involved in thiol/disulphide exchanges. Some of the genes are regulated by the SOR1 transcription factor, but acrolein treatment still induced an increase in glutathione contents and enhanced singlet oxygen tolerance of the sor1 mutant. The results support a role for RES in chloroplast-to-nucleus retrograde signalling during high light acclimation, with involvement of SOR1 and other pathways.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii responding to high light: a role for 2-propenal (acrolein).

High light causes photosystem II to generate singlet oxygen (1 O2 ), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can react with membrane lipids, releasing reactive electrophile species (RES), such as acrolein. To investigate how RES may contribute to light stress responses, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was high light-treated in photoautotrophic and mixotrophic conditions and also in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere to elevate ROS production. The responses were compared to exogenous acrolein. Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was higher in photoautotrophic cells, as a consequence of a more de-epoxidized state of the xanthophyll cycle pool and more LHCSR3 protein, showing that photosynthesis was under more pressure than in mixotrophic cells. Photoautotrophic cells had lowered α-tocopherol and ß-carotene contents and a higher level of protein carbonylation, indicators of elevated 1 O2 production. Levels of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase (GPX5) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST1), important antioxidants against RES, were also increased in photoautotrophic cells. In parallel to the wild-type, the LHCSR3-deficient npq4 mutant was high light-treated, which in photoautotrophic conditions exhibited particular sensitivity under elevated oxygen, the treatment that induced the highest RES levels, including acrolein. The npq4 mutant had more GPX5 and GST1 alongside higher levels of carbonylated protein and a more oxidized glutathione redox state. In wild-type cells glutathione contents doubled after 4 h treatment, either with high light under elevated oxygen or with a non-critical dose (600 ppm) of acrolein. Exogenous acrolein also increased GST1 levels, but not GPX5. Overall, RES-associated oxidative damage and glutathione metabolism are prominently associated with light stress and potentially in signaling responses of C. reinhardtii.

Impact of functional satellite groups on the antimicrobial activity and hemocompatibility of telechelic poly(2-methyloxazoline)s.

Polyoxazolines with a biocidal quarternary ammonium end-group are potent biocides. Interestingly, the antimicrobial activity of the whole macromolecule is controlled by the nature of the group at the distal end. These nonreactive groups are usually introduced via the initiator. Here we present a study with a series of polymethyloxazolines with varying satellite groups introduced upon termination of the polymerization reaction. This allowed us to introduce a series of functional satellites, including hydroxy, primary amino, and double-bond-containing groups. The resulting telechelic polyoxazolines were explored regarding their antimicrobial activity and toxicity. It was found that the functional satellite groups greatly controlled the minimal inhibitory concentrations against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in a range of 10 to 2500 ppm. Surprisingly, the satellite groups also controlled the hemotoxicity but in a different way than the antimicrobial efficiency.