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Functions of violaxanthin de-epoxidase-related (VDR) in the photoprotective response to high-light stress

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Abstract

The xanthophyll cycle plays a pivotal role in protecting plants and algae against photodamage. Although the resistance of the violaxanthin de-epoxidase enzyme (VDE) to high light stress in the xanthophyll cycle has been extensively studied, there is limited knowledge about VDE-related (VDR) proteins, which exhibit a close homologous relationship with VDEs. In this study, we preliminary investigated VDR protein, focusing on basic bioinformatics, spatiotemporal gene expression patterns, and high light stress treatment. VDR exhibited a significant homology with VDE, and the CsVDR protein was localized in the chloroplasts. CsVDR was expressed in all tissues of Arabidopsis and cucumber, with the highest expression level observed in mature leaves cultivated for 20 days in cucumber. Interestingly, both CsVDR and AtVDR were identified as high light response genes. Under high light stress, the non-photochemical quenching and Fv/Fm exhibited a decrease in both the Atvdr mutants and TRSV::CsVDR lines compared to the WT. Additionally, the de-epoxidation ratio (A + Z)/(A + Z + V) of the Atvdr mutants was significantly reduced. This suggested that the xanthophyll cycle in Atvdr mutants and TRSV::CsVDR lines were less effective and more susceptible to photoinhibition of PSII under high light stress. Our findings provide compelling evidence for the involvement of VDR proteins in regulating plant response to high light, thereby offering a theoretical basis for further investigation into plant photoprotective pathways.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. Zhenxian Zhang (College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University) for providing the initial idea for this paper

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 31801850), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2019YFD1000300), the 111 Project (B17043), and the Construction of Beijing Science and Technology Innovation and Service Capacity in Top Subjects (CEFF-PXM2019_014207_000032). Beijing Innovation Consortium of Agriculture Research System (BAIC12-2024, BAIC01-2024). China Agriculture Research System (CAS-23).

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  1. Jingwei Wei and Hongyu Huang have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops, College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People’s Republic of China

    Jingwei Wei, Shi Zhang, Jing Zhang, Weike Sun, Yichao Huang, Si Ma, Syed Aizaz Ali Shah, Yongqiang Tian, Zhenxian Zhang, Lihong Gao & Xin Li

  2. State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Cucumber Research, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, 300192, China

    Hongyu Huang

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  1. Jingwei Wei
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Contributions

Zhenxian Zhang and Xin Li contributed to the study conception. Lihong Gao, Yongqiang Tian, and Si Ma participated in the experimental design. Jing Zhang and Shi Zhang performed the experiment. Weike Sun, Yichao Huang and Syed Aizaz Ali Shah collected samples and statistical data. Hongyu Huang provided the necessary resources for research completion. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Shi Zhang, Xin Li, and Jingwei Wei reviewed the draft. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submission.

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Correspondence to Xin Li.

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10725_2024_1158_MOESM1_ESM.xlsx

Supplementary file1 (XLSX 27 kb)—The sequence information of proteins used for the phylogenetic 602 development analysis within algae and terrestrial plants.

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Wei, J., Huang, H., Zhang, S. et al. Functions of violaxanthin de-epoxidase-related (VDR) in the photoprotective response to high-light stress. Plant Growth Regul (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-024-01158-6

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