Lateral heterogeneity in the distribution of thylakoid membrane lipid and protein components and its implications for the molecular organisation of photosynthetic membranes

During a five-year period, components of the thylakoid membrane in needles of the second generation of undamaged and damaged trees of Norway spruce were studied at three different mountain sites in West Germany. Visible signs of damage at these sites are a yellowing of the light-exposed sides of the needles as well as the loss of needles. The goal of this study was to determine damage-induced alterations in composition and physiological reactions of the thylakoid membranes in spruce needles. In order to meet this purpose, contents of chlorophyll a and b, electron transport rate of photosystem II, contents of the D 1 protein, cytochrome f, as well as P-700 were measured. The chlorophyll content in the needles of the damaged spruce trees was significantly lower than in the needles of the undamaged trees. In addition to this, the typical annual course of chlorophyll content was exclusively observed in the needles of the undamaged spruce trees. If related to dry weight, a drastic reduction of the electron transport rate and of the redox components of the thylakoid membrane was observed due to damage, indicating a degeneration of the photosynthetic membranes. The contents of D1 protein and the photosynthetic electron transport rates were also markedly reduced in the needles of the damaged trees, when related to chlorophyll content of thylakoids, suggesting an early and particular impairment of photosystem II. The comparison of spruce trees showing different signs of damage demonstrates that certain biochemical parameters concerning the photosynthetic membranes (chlorophyll, cytochrome f, ratio photosystem II/I) reflect the extent of damage and are suitable for an early indication of a beginning, but still invisible damage of spruce trees.

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The molecular organisation of the photosynthetic membranes of higher plants

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Biomembranes ◽

10.1016/0304-4157(86)90015-8 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 864 (1) ◽

pp. 33-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 170

Author(s):

Denis J. Murphy

Keyword(s):

Higher Plants ◽

Photosynthetic Membranes ◽

Molecular Organisation

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Role of lipids in the translocation of proteins across membranes

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj3470601 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 347 (3) ◽

pp. 601-612 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Frank VAN VOORST ◽

Ben DE KRUIJFF

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Biochemical Characterization ◽

Protein Translocation ◽

Intimate Relationship ◽

Membrane Lipid ◽

Membrane Lipid Composition ◽

Sorting Signals ◽

Membrane Bound ◽

Protein Components

The architecture of cells, with various membrane-bound compartments and with the protein synthesizing machinery confined to one location, dictates that many proteins have to be transported through one or more membranes during their biogenesis. A lot of progress has been made on the identification of protein translocation machineries and their sorting signals in various organelles and organisms. Biochemical characterization has revealed the functions of several individual protein components. Interestingly, lipid components were also found to be essential for the correct functioning of these translocases. This led to the idea that there is a very intimate relationship between the lipid and protein components that enables them to fulfil their intriguing task of transporting large biopolymers through a lipid bilayer without leaking their contents. In this review we focus on the Sec translocases in the endoplasmic reticulum and the bacterial inner membrane. We also highlight the interactions of lipids and proteins during the process of translocation and integrate this into a model that enables us to understand the role of membrane lipid composition in translocase function.

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Post-genomic insight into thylakoid membrane lateral heterogeneity and redox balance

FEBS Letters ◽

10.1016/j.febslet.2012.07.035 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 586 (18) ◽

pp. 2911-2916 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Mikko Tikkanen ◽

Marjaana Suorsa ◽

Peter J. Gollan ◽

Eva-Mari Aro

Keyword(s):

Thylakoid Membrane ◽

Redox Balance ◽

Lateral Heterogeneity ◽

Insight Into

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Inhibition of Photosystem II Precedes Thylakoid Membrane Lipid Peroxidation in Bisulfite-Treated Leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY ◽

10.1104/pp.90.4.1492 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 90 (4) ◽

pp. 1492-1497 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

P. S. Covello ◽

A. Chang ◽

E. B. Dumbroff ◽

J. E. Thompson

Keyword(s):

Lipid Peroxidation ◽

Phaseolus Vulgaris ◽

Photosystem Ii ◽

Thylakoid Membrane ◽

Membrane Lipid ◽

Membrane Lipid Peroxidation

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Supramolecular structure of the thylakoid membrane of Prochlorothrix hollandica: a chlorophyll b-containing prokaryote

Journal of Cell Science ◽

10.1242/jcs.91.4.577 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 91 (4) ◽

pp. 577-586

Author(s):

K.R. Miller ◽

J.S. Jacob ◽

T. Burger-Wiersma ◽

H.C. Matthijs

Keyword(s):

Thylakoid Membrane ◽

Freeze Fracture ◽

Thylakoid Membranes ◽

Chlorophyll B ◽

Photosynthetic Membranes ◽

Green Plants ◽

Membrane Surfaces ◽

Chlorophylls A And B ◽

Inner Surface ◽

Etched Membrane

Prochlorothrix hollandica is a newly described photosynthetic prokaryote, which contains chlorophylls a and b. In this paper we report the results of freeze fracture and freeze etch studies of the organization of the photosynthetic thylakoid membranes of Prochlorothrix. These membranes exhibit four distinct fracture faces in freeze fractured preparations, two of which are derived from membrane splitting in stacked regions of the thylakoid membrane, and two of which are derived from nonstacked regions. The existence of these four faces confirms that the thylakoid membranes of Prochlorothrix, like those of green plants, display true membrane stacking and have different internal composition in stacked and non-stacked regions, a phenomenon that has been given the name lateral heterogeneity. The general details of these fracture faces are similar to those of green plants, although the intramembrane particles of Prochlorothrix are generally smaller than those of green plants by as much as 30%. Freeze etched membrane surfaces have also been studied, and the results of these studies confirm freeze fracture observations. The outer surface of the thylakoid membrane displays both small (less than 8.0 nm) and large (greater than 10.0 nm) particles. The inner surface of the thylakoid membrane is covered with tetrameric particles, which are concentrated into stacked membrane regions, a situation that is similar to the inner surfaces of the thylakoid membranes of green plants. These tetramers have never before been reported in a prokaryote. The photosynthetic membranes of Prochlorothrix therefore represent a prokaryotic system that is remarkably similar, in structural terms, to the photosynthetic membranes found in chloroplasts of green plants.

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