A red/blue optoswitch for temporal control of chloroplast transcription and biogenesis in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Abstract Photosynthesis genes in plant chloroplasts are transcribed by the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase called PEP. Consequently, PEP-deficient mutants cannot generate a photosynthetic apparatus and develop non-viable albino seedlings. Inducible complementation of such mutants thus could provide interesting insights in PEP action and chloroplast biogenesis. Here we show the effects of photo-inducible complementation in the albino Arabidopsis mutant pap7-1 using a red/blue optoswitch with monochromatic LEDs. Expression of a blue-light-induced PAP7 construct that is silent under red light reconstitutes PEP at any time point of pap7-1 development resulting in proper chloroplast biogenesis that rescues the non-viable mutant. Induction of chloroplast biogenesis, however, can only occur in very young leaf tissues indicating the existence of a cell-autonomous, biogenic coupling between cell and organelle development. We further uncover that initial PEP formation and function is independent of photosynthesis. The optoswitch termed blue-light valved biogenesis opens experimental avenues to study non-viable plant mutants.