A research team in China has reviewed the role of light-dependent protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (LPOR) in chlorophyll synthesis and chloroplast development, particularly during the dark-light transition in plants.
Their review highlights LPOR’s importance in optimizing chlorophyll production under varying environmental conditions, such as light intensity and quality. The analysis provides insights for breeding stress-tolerant plant varieties by unraveling the regulatory mechanisms of LPOR, paving the way for innovations in plant germplasm resource development.
The growing global population has sharply increased the demand for food, making the improvement of light use efficiency (LUE) in crops a primary strategy for enhancing yield potential. LUE refers to the efficiency by which a crop produces biomass from absorbed light energy, heavily relying on photosynthetic efficiency, where chlorophyll plays a vital role.
Current research highlights the essential role of LPOR in chlorophyll synthesis and chloroplast development, especially in angiosperms. Research shows that LPOR is vital in the response to abiotic stress. Therefore, a comprehensive review of research on LPOR is essential for advancing the development of stress-resistant plant germplasm.
A review article published in Technology in Agronomy aims to offer references for cultivating and innovating plant germplasm resources with enhanced stress tolerance.
The review looks at the characteristics of LPOR, including its gene expression patterns, structural characteristics and its essential role in the light-induced reduction of protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) to chlorophyllide (Chlide). Different types of LPOR were identified in multiple species, with varying expression patterns. These variations in expression and substrate-dependent LPOR activity optimize dark preparations to ensure efficient chlorophyll synthesis with minimal impact on photosynthesis.
LPOR relies on conserved cysteine residues for substrate binding and catalytic activity. The review explores regulation of LPOR by environmental factors, including light–dark transition and abiotic stress. Research on light signal regulation of LPOR primarily focuses on plants turning green during the transition from darkness to light. Stress factors such as water, salt/drought, cold, heat, and shade have varying effects on LPOR activity, protein, and transcriptional levels.
Despite significant advancements in understanding LPOR’s function, the review identifies gaps in knowledge, particularly regarding the regulatory mechanisms of LPOR at the posttranslational level and its precise regulation under fluctuating environmental conditions. Researchers stress that addressing these gaps is crucial for optimizing chlorophyll synthesis, enhancing light energy utilization, and developing stress-tolerant plant varieties, which could have significant implications for crop yield and agricultural sustainability.
The study’s lead researcher, Wen-yu Yang, said: “Here, a perspective on chlorophyll synthesis and the development of chloroplasts is offered, the importance of LPOR in safeguarding plant light energy utilization is summarized, the gene expression pattern and structural-functional features of LPOR are outlined, as well as the role of LPOR in abiotic stress tolerance response, the catalytic mechanism of LPOR as well as the modulation of LPOR by light signals and other environmental factors are discussed.”
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