Role of the two PsaE isoforms on O2 reduction at photosystem I in Arabidopsis thaliana

Leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown in short days (8 h light) generate more reactive oxygen species in the light than leaves of plants grown in long days (16 h light). The importance of the two PsaE isoforms of photosystem I, PsaE1 and PsaE2, for O2 reduction was studied in plants grown under these different growth regimes. In short day conditions a mutant affected in the amount of PsaE1 (psae1-1) reduced more efficiently O2 than a mutant lacking PsaE2 (psae2-1) as shown by spin trapping EPR spectroscopy on leaves and by following the kinetics of P700+ reduction in isolated photosystem I. In short day conditions higher O2 reduction protected photosystem II against photoinhibition in psae1-1. In contrast in long day conditions the presence of PsaE1 was clearly beneficial for photosynthetic electron transport and for the stability of the photosynthetic apparatus under photoinhibitory conditions. We conclude that the two PsaE isoforms have distinct functions and we propose that O2 reduction at photosystem I is beneficial for the plant under certain environmental conditions. •Plants grown in short day generate more ROS at photosystem I than in long day.•The subunit PsaE2 of photosystem I facilitates the reduction of oxygen.•Reduction of oxygen at PSI lowers the susceptibility of PSII to photoinhibition.