Thioredoxins m are major players in the multifaceted light-adaptive response in Arabidopsis thaliana

Thioredoxins (TRXs) are well-known redox signalling players which carry out post-translational modifications in target proteins. Chloroplast TRXs are divided into different types and have central roles in light energy uptake and the regulation of primary metabolism. The isoforms TRXs m1, m2 and m4 from Arabidopsis thaliana are considered functionally related. Knowing their key position in the hub of plant metabolism, we hypothesized that the impairment of the TRX-m signalling would not only have harmful consequences on chloroplast metabolism but also at different levels of plant development. To uncover the physiological and developmental processes which depend on TRX-m signalling, we carried out a comprehensive study of Arabidopsis single, double and triple mutants defective in the TRXs m1, m2 and m4 proteins. As light and redox signalling are closely linked, we investigated the response to high light (HL) of the plants that are gradually compromised in TRX-m signalling. We provide experimental evidence relating the lack of TRXs m and the appearance of novel phenotypic features concerning mesophyll structure, stomata biogenesis and stomatal conductance. We also report new data indicating that the isoforms of TRXs m fine-tune the response to HL including the accumulation of the protective pigment anthocyanin. These results reveal novel signalling functions for the TRXs m and underline their importance for plant growth and fulfilment of the acclimation/response to HL conditions. SUPPORTING Information.