NADPH oxidases in Eukaryotes: red algae provide new hints!

The red macro-alga Chondrus crispus is known to produce superoxide radicals in response to cell-free extracts of its green algal pathogenic endophyte Acrochaete operculata. So far, no enzymes involved in this metabolism have been isolated from red algae. We report here the isolation of a gene encoding a homologue of the respiratory burst oxidase gp91(phox) in C. crispus, named Ccrboh. This single copy gene encodes a polypeptide of 825 amino acids. Search performed in available genome and EST algal databases identified sequences showing common features of NADPH oxidases in other algae such as the red unicellular Cyanidioschyzon merolae, the economically valuable red macro-alga Porphyra yezoensis and the two diatoms Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Thalassiosira pseudonana. Domain organization and phylogenetic relationships with plant, animal, fungal and algal NADPH oxidase homologues were analyzed. Transcription analysis of the C. crispus gene revealed that it was over-transcribed during infection of C. crispus gametophyte by the endophyte A. operculata, and after incubation in presence of atrazine, methyl jasmonate and hydroxyperoxides derived from C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). These results also illustrate the interest of exploring the red algal lineage for gaining insight into the deep evolution of NADPH oxidases in Eukaryotes.