Significant linear relationships between photosynthetic capacity and principal components loaded by phloem cell numbers and tracheary elements per minor vein as well as the latter two normalized for vein density (proxy for apoplastic phloem loading capacity involving membrane transporters) were revealed for all apoplastic loaders (summer annuals and winter annual Arabidopsis thaliana). In addition, significant linear relationships between photosynthetic capacity and a principal component loaded by tracheary element cross-sectional areas and volumes per unit of leaf area (water flux capacity proxy) was present for symplastic and apoplastic loaders. Lastly, a significant linear relationship between photosynthetic capacity and a principal component loaded by phloem cell cross-sectional areas and volumes per unit of leaf area (proxy for symplastic loading capacity involving cytosolic enzymes for companion cells) was revealed for summer annual symplastic loaders as well as for A. thaliana (in the case of sieve elements, a proxy for sugar export capacity from the leaves)., S. K. Polutchko, J. J. Stewart, B. Demmig-Adams, W. W. Adams., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Growth of the tocopherol-deficient vte1 mutant and Col-0 wild type of Arabidopsis thaliana in a sunlit glasshouse revealed both similarities and differences between genotypes. Photosynthetic capacity and leaf mesophyll features did not differ between mutant and wild type. Likewise, the total volume of water conduits (tracheary elements, TEs), sugar conduits (sieve elements, SEs), and sugar-loading cells (companion and phloem parenchyma cells) on a leaf area basis were unaffected by tocopherol deficiency. However, tocopherol deficiency yielded smaller and more numerous minor veins with fewer phloem cells and smaller TEs, resulting in greater ratios of TEs to SEs. The smaller TEs in the vte1 mutant may present a decreased risk for cavitation under high evaporative demand or in response to freezing. In turn, compensation for fewer phloem cells and smaller TEs by more numerous veins may bolster resistance to cavitation at no cost to photosynthetic capacity., J. J. Stewart, W. W. Adams, C. M. Cohu, B. Demmig-Adams., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy