Systematic monitoring of 2-Cys peroxiredoxin-derived redox signals unveiled its role in attenuating carbon assimilation rate.

Transmission of reductive and oxidative cues from the photosynthetic electron transport chain to redox regulatory protein networks plays a crucial role in coordinating photosynthetic activities. The tight balance between these two signals dictates the cellular response to changing light conditions. While the role of reductive signals in activating chloroplast metabolism is well established, the role of their counterbalanced oxidative signals is still unclear, mainly due to monitoring difficulties. Here, we introduced chl-roGFP2-PrxΔCR, a 2-Cys peroxiredoxin-based biosensor, into Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplasts to monitor the dynamic changes in photosynthetically derived oxidative signaling. We showed that chl-roGFP2-PrxΔCR oxidation states reflected oxidation patterns similar to those of endogenous 2-Cys peroxiredoxin under varying light conditions. By employing a set of genetically encoded biosensors, we showed the induction of 2-Cys peroxiredoxin-dependent oxidative signals, throughout the day, under varying light intensities and their inverse relationship with NADPH levels, unraveling the combined activity of reducing and oxidizing signals. Furthermore, we demonstrated the induction of 2-Cys peroxiredoxin-derived oxidative signals during a dark­to­low-light transition and uncovered a faster increase in carbon assimilation rates during the photosynthesis induction phase in plants deficient in 2-Cys peroxiredoxins compared with wild type, suggesting the involvement of oxidative signals in attenuating photosynthesis. The presented data highlight the role of oxidative signals under nonstress conditions and suggest that oxidative signals measured by peroxiredoxin-based biosensors reflect the limitation to photosynthesis imposed by the redox regulatory system.

Early detection of late blight in potato by whole-plant redox imaging.

Late blight caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans is a most devastating disease of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). Its early detection is crucial for suppressing disease spread. Necrotic lesions are normally seen in leaves at 4 days post-inoculation (dpi) when colonized cells are dead, but early detection of the initial biotrophic growth stage, when the pathogen feeds on living cells, is challenging. Here, the biotrophic growth phase of P. infestans was detected by whole-plant redox imaging of potato plants expressing chloroplast-targeted reduction-oxidation sensitive green fluorescent protein (chl-roGFP2). Clear spots on potato leaves with a lower chl-roGFP2 oxidation state were detected as early as 2 dpi, before any visual symptoms were recorded. These spots were particularly evident during light-to-dark transitions, and reflected the mislocalization of chl-roGFP2 outside the chloroplasts. Image analysis based on machine learning enabled systematic identification and quantification of spots, and unbiased classification of infected and uninfected leaves in inoculated plants. Comparing redox with chlorophyll fluorescence imaging showed that infected leaf areas that exhibit mislocalized chl-roGFP2 also showed reduced non-photochemical quenching and enhanced quantum PSII yield (ΦPSII) compared with the surrounding leaf areas. The data suggest that mislocalization of chloroplast-targeted proteins is an efficient marker of late blight infection, and demonstrate how it can be utilized for non-destructive monitoring of the disease biotrophic stage using whole-plant redox imaging.

Resolving diurnal dynamics of the chloroplastic glutathione redox state in Arabidopsis reveals its photosynthetically derived oxidation.

Plants are subjected to fluctuations in light intensity, and this might cause unbalanced photosynthetic electron fluxes and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Electrons needed for ROS detoxification are drawn, at least partially, from the cellular glutathione (GSH) pool via the ascorbate-glutathione cycle. Here, we explore the dynamics of the chloroplastic glutathione redox potential (chl-EGSH) using high-temporal-resolution monitoring of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) lines expressing the reduction-oxidation sensitive green fluorescent protein 2 (roGFP2) in chloroplasts. This was carried out over several days under dynamic environmental conditions and in correlation with PSII operating efficiency. Peaks in chl-EGSH oxidation during dark-to-light and light-to-dark transitions were observed. Increasing light intensities triggered a binary oxidation response, with a threshold around the light saturating point, suggesting two regulated oxidative states of the chl-EGSH. These patterns were not affected in npq1 plants, which are impaired in non-photochemical quenching. Oscillations between the two oxidation states were observed under fluctuating light in WT and npq1 plants, but not in pgr5 plants, suggesting a role for PSI photoinhibition in regulating the chl-EGSH dynamics. Remarkably, pgr5 plants showed an increase in chl-EGSH oxidation during the nights following light stresses, linking daytime photoinhibition and nighttime GSH metabolism. This work provides a systematic view of the dynamics of the in vivo chloroplastic glutathione redox state during varying light conditions.

Sensing stress responses in potato with whole-plant redox imaging.

Environmental stresses are among the major factors that limit crop productivity and plant growth. Various nondestructive approaches for monitoring plant stress states have been developed. However, early sensing of the initial biochemical events during stress responses remains a significant challenge. In this work, we established whole-plant redox imaging using potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants expressing a chloroplast-targeted redox-sensitive green fluorescence protein 2 (roGFP2), which reports the glutathione redox potential (EGSH). Ratiometric imaging analysis demonstrated the probe response to redox perturbations induced by H2O2, DTT, or a GSH biosynthesis inhibitor. We mapped alterations in the chloroplast EGSH under several stress conditions including, high-light (HL), cold, and drought. An extremely high increase in chloroplast EGSH was observed under the combination of HL and low temperatures, conditions that specifically induce PSI photoinhibition. Intriguingly, we noted a higher reduced state in newly developed compared with mature leaves under steady-state and stress conditions, suggesting a graded stress sensitivity as part of the plant strategies for coping with stress. The presented observations suggest that whole-plant redox imaging can serve as a powerful tool for the basic understanding of plant stress responses and applied agricultural research, such as toward improving phenotyping capabilities in breeding programs and early detection of stress responses in the field.