PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION 5 contributes to ferredoxin-dependent cyclic phosphorylation in ruptured chloroplasts

Highlights

• The Arabidopsis pgr5 mutant is defective in cyclic phosphorylation in ruptured chloroplasts.

• Linear electron flow-dependent ATP synthesis is not affected in the pgr5 mutant.

• Contribution of chloroplast NDH to cyclic phosphorylation is not significant.

• Antimycin A mimics the pgr5 defect in cyclic phosphorylation although it also impairs other process related to ATP synthesis.

Abstract

Antimycin A-sensitive cyclic electron flow (CEF) was discovered as cyclic phosphorylation by Arnon et al. (1954). Because of its sensitivity to antimycin A, PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION 5 (PGR5)/PGR5-like Photosynthetic Phenotype 1 (PGRL1)-dependent CEF has been considered identical to the CEF of Arnon et al. However, this conclusion still needs additional supportive evidence, mainly because of the absence of definitive methods of evaluating CEF activity. In this study, we revisited the classical method of monitoring cyclic phosphorylation in ruptured chloroplasts to characterize two Arabidopsis mutants: pgr5, which is defective in antimycin A-sensitive CEF, and chlororespiratory reduction 2-1 (crr2-1), which is defective in chloroplast NDH-dependent CEF. We observed a significant reduction in CEF-dependent pmf formation and consequently ATP synthesis in the pgr5 mutant, although LEF-dependent pmf formation and ATP synthesis were not impaired at photosynthetic photon flux densities below 130 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. In contrast, the contribution of chloroplast NDH complex to pmf formation and ATP synthesis was not significant. Antimycin A partially inhibited CEF-dependent pmf formation, although there may be further inhibition sites. Unlike in the observation in leaves, the proton conductivity of ATP synthase, monitored as g_H⁺, was not enhanced in ruptured chloroplasts of the pgr5 mutant.