Deletion of an electron donor-binding subunit of the NDH-1 complex, NdhS, results in a heat-sensitive growth phenotype in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

In cyanobacteria and higher plants, NdhS is suggested to be an electron donor-binding subunit of NADPH dehydrogenase(NDH-1) complexes and its absence impairs NDH-1-dependent cyclic electron transport around photosystem I(NDH-CET). Despite significant advances in the study of NdhS during recent years, its functional role in resisting heat stress is poorly understood.Here, our results revealed that the absence of NdhS resulted in a serious heat-sensitive growth phenotype in the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803. Furthermore, the rapid and significant increase in NDH-CET caused by heat treatment was completely abolished, and the repair of photosystem II under heat stress conditions was greatly impaired when compared to that of other photosynthetic apparatus in the thylakoid membrane. We therefore conclude that NdhS plays an important role in resistance to heat stress, possibly by stabilizing the electron input module of cyanobacterial NDH-1 complexes.

In cyanobacteria and higher plants, NdhS is suggested to be an electron donor-binding subunit of NADPH dehydrogenase （NDH-1） complexes and its absence impairs NDH-l-dependent cyclic electron trans- port around photosystem I （NDH-CET）. Despite significant advances in the study of NdhS during recent years, its functional role in resisting heat stress is poorly understood. Here, our results revealed that the absence of NdhS resulted in a serious heat-sensitive growth phenotype in the uni- cellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. Furthermore, the rapid and significant increase in NDH-CET caused by heat treatment was completely abolished, and the repair of photosystem II under heat stress conditions was greatly impaired when compared to that of other photosynthetic apparatus in the thylakoid membrane. We therefore conclude that NdhS plays an important role in resistance to heat stress, possibly by stabilizing the electron input module of cyanobacterial NDH-1 complexes.