EXECUTER2 modulates the EXECUTER1 signalosome through its singlet oxygen-dependent oxidation.

ABSTRACT

Oxidative post-translational modifications of specific chloroplast proteins contribute to the initiation of retrograde signaling. The Arabidopsis thaliana EXECUTER1 (EX1) protein, a chloroplast-localized singlet oxygen (1O2) sensor, undergoes tryptophan (Trp) 643 oxidation by 1O2, a chloroplast-derived and light-dependent reactive oxygen species. The indole side chain of Trp is vulnerable to 1O2, leading to the generation of oxidized Trp variants and priming EX1 for degradation by a membrane-bound FtsH protease. The perception of 1O2 via Trp643 oxidation and subsequent EX1 proteolysis facilitate chloroplast-to-nucleus retrograde signaling. In this study, we discovered that the EX1-like protein EX2 also undergoes 1O2-dependent Trp530 oxidation and FtsH-dependent turnover, which attenuates 1O2 signaling by decelerating EX1-Trp643 oxidation and subsequent EX1 degradation. Consistent with this finding, the loss of EX2 function reinforces EX1-dependent retrograde signaling by accelerating EX1-Trp643 oxidation and subsequent EX1 proteolysis, whereas overexpression of EX2 produces molecular phenotypes opposite to those observed in the loss-of- function mutants of EX2. Intriguingly, phylogenetic analysis suggests that EX2 may have emerged evolutionarily to attenuate the sensitivity of EX1 toward 1O2. Collectively, these results suggest that EX2 functions as a negative regulator of the EX1 signalosome through its own 1O2-dependent oxidation, providing a new mechanistic insight into the regulation of EX1-mediated 1O2 signaling.