The role of the electron‐transfer flavoprotein: ubiquinone oxidoreductase following carbohydrate starvation in Arabidopsis cell cultures

• Published in: Plant cell reports 2022-02, Vol.41 (2), p.431-446
• Main Authors: Brito, Danielle S., Quinhones, Carla G. S., Neri-Silva, Roberto, Heinemann, Björn, Schertl, Peter, Cavalcanti, João Henrique F., Eubel, Holger, Hildebrandt, Tatjana, Nunes-Nesi, Adriano, Braun, Hans-Peter, Araújo, Wagner L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino acids; Amino Acids, Branched-Chain - pharmacology; Arabidopsis - cytology; Arabidopsis - drug effects; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Carbohydrates; Carbon; Cell Biology; Cell culture; Cell Culture Techniques; Constraining; Electron transfer; Electron transport; Electron transport chain; Electron Transport Complex IV - genetics; Electron Transport Complex IV - metabolism; Electron-Transferring Flavoproteins - genetics; Electron-Transferring Flavoproteins - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase; Isovaleryl-CoA Dehydrogenase - genetics; Isovaleryl-CoA Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Life Sciences; Mitochondria; Mitochondria - genetics; Mitochondria - metabolism; Mutants; Mutation; Original Article; Plant Biochemistry; Plant Sciences; Proteins; Respiration; Substrates; Ubiquinone oxidoreductase
• ISSN: 0721-7714; 1432-203X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00299-021-02822-1

Key message The functional absence of the electron‐transfer flavoprotein: ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETFQO) directly impacts electrons donation to the mitochondrial electron transport chain under carbohydrate-limiting conditions without major impacts on the respiration of cell cultures. Alternative substrates (e.g., amino acids) can directly feed electrons into the mitochondrial electron transport chain (mETC) via the electron transfer flavoprotein/electron-transfer flavoprotein: ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF/ETFQO) complex, which supports plant respiration during stress situations. By using a cell culture system, here we investigated the responses of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants deficient in the expression of ETFQO ( etfqo- 1) following carbon limitation and supplied with amino acids. Our results demonstrate that isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase (IVDH) activity was induced during carbon limitation only in wild-type and that these changes occurred concomit with enhanced protein content. By contrast, neither the activity nor the total amount of IVDH was altered in etfqo- 1 mutants. We also demonstrate that the activities of mitochondrial complexes in etfqo- 1 mutants, display a similar pattern as in wild-type cells. Our findings suggest that the defect of ETFQO protein culminates with an impaired functioning of the IVDH, since no induction of IVDH activity was observed. However, the functional absence of the ETFQO seems not to cause major impacts on plant respiration under carbon limiting conditions, most likely due to other alternative electron entry pathways.