Biology subjects

Giustini, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Giustini, C..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Thylakoid plasticity primes photoprotection in diatoms

For many millions of years, diatoms have been major primary producers in marine ecosystems, supporting food webs and contributing to carbon sequestration through the export of photosynthetically fixed carbon to the deep ocean, mitigating atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and global climate. A key factor in their ecological success is their ability to rapidly adapt to fluctuating light, balancing efficient light harvesting under dim conditions with energy dissipation under excess light. However, the mechanisms behind this regulation have not been fully elucidated. This study shows that several processes contribute to dissipating excess excitation energy in diatoms exposed to light stress: (i) the detachment of the oxygen-evolving complex proteins from the PSII core, leading to energy dissipation via charge recombination, (ii) Non-Photochemical Quenching (NPQ) in the antenna, i.e., thermal dissipation of excited states and (iii) excitation energy transfer from PSII to PSI via energy spillover. The latter process is observed in parallel with high light-induced topological changes of the thylakoids that may favor transient interactions between the photosystems. Along with the accumulation of light-stress-protecting carotenoids on longer time-scales, this ensemble of photoprotective mechanisms provides a dynamic and flexible response to the light challenges expected in coastal marine habitats.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2025

Deciphering Photosynthetic Protein Networks: A Crosslinking-MS Strategy for Studying Functional Thylakoid Membranes

Photosynthesis, which sustains life on Earth, depends on organized and yet adaptable protein assemblies embedded in specialized membranes known as thylakoids. Understanding how these complexes interact and reorganize within functional photosynthetic membranes is essential to reveal the molecular basis of energy conversion in cells. Here, we present an improved crosslinking mass spectrometry strategy that captures native protein interactions in photosynthetically active thylakoid membranes from Arabidopsis thaliana and Spinacia oleracea. By monitoring photosynthetic performance during crosslinking, we show that electron transport remains active, allowing structural analysis under physiological conditions. Moreover, we show that trimethylphenylammonium chloride (TMPAC) as an adjuvant charged compound does not impair physiological activity, while boosting and diversifying crosslink identifications. Mapping crosslinks onto known structures confirms the integrity of major photosynthetic complexes and uncovers previously uncharacterized assemblies involving regulatory and structural proteins. Integration with structural modeling and interaction network analysis identifies novel protein players within the photosynthetic machinery, providing molecular insights into their potential roles. This approach offers a broadly applicable framework for studying membrane protein organization and dynamics in functional bioenergetic systems. Significance StatementPhotosynthesis relies on dynamic protein interactions within thylakoid membranes, yet capturing these networks under physiological conditions remains challenging. We establish a crosslinking mass spectrometry workflow that maps native protein interactions in plant thylakoids while preserving photosynthetic activity. By bridging structural and functional biology, this approach enables in situ exploration of membrane protein networks and advances our understanding of photosynthetic regulation

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Photoreceptor-induced LHL4 protects photosystem II in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Photosynthesis, the fundamental process using light energy to convert CO2 to organic matter, is vital for life on Earth. It relies on capturing light through light-harvesting complexes in evolutionarily well-conserved photosystems (PS) I and II and on the conversion of light energy into chemical energy. Composition and organization of both photosystem core complexes are well conserved across evolution. PSII is particularly sensitive to photodamage but benefits from a large diversity of photoprotective mechanisms, finely tuned for the specific light conditions. Light Harvesting Complex protein family members (LHC and LHC-like families) have acquired a dual function during evolution. Members of the LHC antenna complexes of photosystems capture light energy whereas others dissipate excess energy that cannot be harnessed for photosynthesis. This process mainly occurs through non photochemical quenching (NPQ). In this work, we focus on the LHL4 protein, which is a LHC-like protein induced by UV-B and blue light photoreceptor signaling pathways in the model green microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We demonstrate that alongside established NPQ effectors, LHL4 plays a key role in photoprotection, preventing singlet oxygen accumulation in PSII and promoting cell survival upon light stress. LHL4 protective function is distinct from that of NPQ-related proteins, as it specifically and uniquely binds to the transient monomeric form of the core PSII complex, safeguarding its integrity. LHL4 characterization expands our understanding of the interplay between light harvesting and photoprotection mechanisms upon light stress in photosynthetic microalgae.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Tailoring confocal microscopy for in-cell photophysiology studies

Photoautotrophs environmental responses have been extensively studied at the organism and ecosystem level. However, less is known about their photosynthesis at the single cell level. This information is needed to understand photosynthetic acclimation processes, as light changes as it penetrates cells, layers of cells or organs. Furthermore, cells within the same tissue may behave differently, being at different developmental/physiological stages. Here we describe a new approach for single-cell and subcellular photophysiology based on the customisation of confocal microscopy to assess chlorophyll fluorescence quenching by the saturation pulse method. We exploit this setup to: i. reassess the specialisation of photosynthetic activities in developing tissues of non-vascular plants; ii. identify a specific subpopulation of phytoplankton cells in marine photosymbiosis, which are consolidating metabolic connections with their animal hosts, and iii. testify to the link between light penetration and photoprotection responses inside the different tissues that constitute a plant leaf anatomy. MotivationVisualising photosynthetic responses in 3D is essential for understanding most acclimation processes, as light changes within photosynthetic tissues as it penetrates the absorbing/diffusing layers of the cells. To achieve this goal, we developed a new imaging workflow merging confocal microscopy and saturating pulse chlorophyll fluorescence detection. This method applies to samples characterised by increasing complexity and its simplicity will contribute to its widespread use in plant and microalgae photoacclimation studies.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Impaired photoprotection in Phaeodactylum tricornutum KEA3 mutants reveals the proton regulatory circuit of diatoms light acclimation.

Diatoms are amongst the most successful clades of oceanic phytoplankton, significantly contributing to photosynthesis on Earth. Their ecological success likely stems from their ability to acclimate to changing environmental conditions, including e.g. variable light intensity. Diatoms are outstanding at dissipating light energy exceeding the maximum photosynthetic electron transfer (PET) capacity of via Non Photochemical Quenching (NPQ). While the molecular effectors of this process, as well as the role of the Proton Motive Force (PMF) in its regulation are known, the putative regulators of the PET/PMF relationship in diatoms remain unidentified. Here, we demonstrate that the H+/K+ antiporter KEA3 is the main regulator of the coupling between PMF and PET in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. By controlling the PMF, it modulates NPQ responses at the onset of illumination, during transients and in steady state conditions. Under intermittent light KEA3 absence results in reduced fitness. Using a parsimonious model including only two components, KEA3 and the diadinoxanthin de-epoxidase, we can describe most of the feedback loops observed between PET and NPQ. This two-components regulatory system allows for efficient responses to fast (minutes) or slow (e.g. diel) changes in light environment, thanks to the presence of a regulatory Ca2+-binding domain in KEA3 that controls its activity. This circuit is likely finely tuned by the NPQ effector proteins LHCX, providing diatoms with the required flexibility to thrive in different ocean provinces. One sentence summaryThe author(s) responsible for distribution of materials integral to the findings presented in this article in accordance with the policy described in the Instructions for Authors (https://academic.oup.com/plcell/pages/General-Instructions) is Giovanni Finazzi.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Identification of the Calmodulin-dependent NAD+ kinase sustaining the elicitor-induced oxidative burst in plants

NADP(H) is an essential cofactor ofmultiple metabolic processes in all living organisms. While NADP+ production in plants has long been known to involve a Calmodulin (CaM)/Ca2+-dependent NAD+ kinase, the nature of the enzyme catalyzing this activity has remained enigmatic, as well as its role in plant physiology. Here, we identify an Arabidopsis P-loop ATPase (Atlg04280) with a bacterial type II zeta toxin domain, that catalyzes NADP+ production upon binding of CaM/Ca2+ to a domain located in its N-terminal region. The encoded protein (NADKc-1) is associated with the mitochondria and amplifies the elicitor-induced oxidative burst in Arabidopsis leaves representing the missing link between calcium signalling and metabolism in the response to pathogen elicitor. By analysis of various plants and algae, we show that NADKc is well conserved in the plant lineage and present in basal plants. Our data allows proposing that the CaM-dependent NAD kinase activity is only found in photosynthetic species carrying NADKc-1 related proteins, which would represent the only proteins harboring CaM-dependent NAD kinase activity in plants and algae.

plant biology↗