The influence of photosynthetic electron flow in chloroplasts on the expression and enzyme activity of the cytosolic nitrate reductase (NR) was studied. Using light sources that predominantly excite either photosystem I (PSI) or photosystem II (PSII), we modulated photosynthetic electron transport in tobacco, Arabidopsis, and Lemna sprouts. In all instances, oxidation of components of photosynthetic electron flow by PSI light correlated with an increase in NR activity and/or transcription. This is confirmed by experiments with electron transport inhibitors 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-pbenzoquinone. In addition, a Lemna mutant deficient in the cytochrome b 6 /f complex failed to respond to the different light sources and exhibited a constitutively high level of NR activity. These data indicate that NR is activated by the oxidized state of an electron transport component located after the plastoquinone pool. An involvement of the cytoplasmic photoreceptor phytochrome A in this light regulation could be excluded, since an Arabidopsis phytochrome A mutant exhibited a wild-type like response. The observation that NR activity in the cytoplasm and the expression of its gene in the nucleus is controlled by signals from photosynthetic electron flow adds a new facet to the intracellular crosstalk between chloroplasts and the nucleus.

The basidiomycete Piriformospora indica interacts with Arabidopsis roots and mimics an arbuscular mycorrhiza. A MATH [meprin and TRAF (tumour necrosis factor receptor‐associated factor) homology] domain‐containing (MATH) protein at the plasma membrane of Arabidopsis roots is one of the first components to respond to the presence of this fungus. MATH proteins are involved in nodule formation in Medicago and protein degradation in the Arabidopsis cytosol. They exhibit sequence similarities to meprins, extracellular peptidases which cleave (signal) peptides, and to TRAFs, intracellular proteins which interact with receptor kinases at the plasma membrane. Fifty‐nine genes for MATH proteins are present in the Arabidopsis genome. Members of this protein family are predicted to be found in the ER–plasma membrane–extracellular space continuum, in the nucleus–cytosol compartment and in organelles. In this article, we describe this novel class of plant genes. We also use MS‐MS analyses to identify the subcellular localization of individual members of the MATH protein family in Arabidopsis thaliana.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract