Functional Aspects of Early Light-Induced Protein (ELIP) Genes from the Desiccation-Tolerant Moss .

The early light-induced proteins (ELIPs) are postulated to act as transient pigment-binding proteins that protect the chloroplast from photodamage caused by excessive light energy. Desert mosses such as h, that are desiccation-tolerant and homoiochlorophyllous, are often exposed to high-light conditions when both hydrated and dry transcripts are accumulated in response to dehydration. To gain further insights into gene function in the moss , two cDNAs cloned from , and and both sequences were used as the basis of a transcript abundance assessment in plants exposed to high-light, UV-A, UV-B, red-light, and blue-light. were expressed separately in an mutant . Transcript abundance for s in gametophytes respond to each of the light treatments, in similar but not in identical ways. Ectopic expression of either protected PSII against photoinhibition and stabilized leaf chlorophyll content and thus partially complementing the loss of 2. Ectopic expression of also complements the germination phenotype of the mutant and improves protection of the photosynthetic apparatus of transgenic from high-light stress. Our study extends knowledge of bryophyte photoprotection and provides further insight into the molecular mechanisms related to the function of ELIPs.