Unraveling the mechanism of the scaffold of photosynthesis, the foundation of life

April 14, 2025

Controlling the number of assembled membrane peptides to create new functions

A joint research group from Okayama University, Osaka University, the RIKEN CSRS, and Kyoto Sangyo University has elucidated in detail the function of the protein VIPP1 (vesicle-inducing protein in plastid 1), which is has been recognized as essential for the formation and maintenance of thylakoid membranes in chloroplasts, using transmission electron microscopy. The research group also found that increasing the expression of this protein in plants enhances their tolerance to high temperatures.

Photosynthesis is the chemical process by which light energy is used to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon compounds. The initial stage of this process takes place in the thylakoid membranes located within chloroplasts. While VIPP1 has been considered essential for the formation and maintenance of these thylakoid membranes as the scaffold of photosynthesis, its precise role had remained unclear. This study advances our understanding of photosynthesis, the foundation of life, and is expected to contribute to the development of plants with improved environmental resilience.

 

Original article

Plant Physiology doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf137

S. W. Gachie, A. Muhire, D. Li, A. Kawamoto, N. Takeda-Kamiya, Y. Goto, M. Sato, K. Toyooka, R. Yoshimura, T. Takami, L. Zhang, G. Kurisu, T. Terachi, W. Sakamoto,

"The thylakoid membrane remodeling protein VIPP1 forms bundled oligomers in tobacco chloroplsts".

Contact

Kiminori Toyooka
Senior Technical Scientist
Mass Spectrometry and Microscopy Unit