Redox regulation in chloroplast thylakoid lumen: The pmf changes
everything, again.
Abstract
Photosynthesis is the foundation of all life on Earth, providing oxygen
and energy. However, if not well regulated, it can also generate toxic
reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause photodamage. Regulation
of photosynthesis is highly dynamic, responding to both environmental
and metabolic cues, and occurs at many levels, from light capture to
energy storage and metabolic processes. One general mechanism of
regulation involves the reversible oxidation and reduction of protein
thiol groups, which can affect the activity of enzymes and the stability
of proteins. Such redox regulation has been well studied in stromal
enzymes, but more recently evidence has emerged of redox control of
thylakoid lumenal enzymes. This review/hypothesis paper summarizes the
latest research and discusses several open questions and challenges to
achieving effective redox control in the lumen, focusing on the distinct
environments and regulatory components of the thylakoid lumen, including
the need to transport electrons across the thylakoid membrane, the
effects of pH changes in the stromal and lumenal compartments, and the
observed differences in redox states. These constraints suggest that
activated oxygen species are likely to be major regulatory contributors
to lumenal thiol redox regulation, with key components and processes yet
to be discovered.