The photochemical reflectance index (PRI), based on reflectance signatures at 531 and 570 nm, and associated with xanthophyll pigment inter-conversion and related thylakoid energisation, was evaluated as an indicator of photosynthetic function in a Mediterranean holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) coppice. The chlorophyll fluorescence pulse-amplitude-modulation and the eddy correlation techniques were used to estimate the photosystem 2 photochemical efficiency of leaves and the CO2 flux over the canopy, respectively. The reflectance and fluorescence techniques yielded identical estimates of the photosynthetic activity in leaves exposed to dark-light-dark cycles or to a variable irradiance in laboratory. However, there was no such correlation between photosynthetic performance and PRI when applied to a sun-exposed canopy in field conditions. Fluorescence profiles inside the canopy and especially a helpful use of multispectral reflectance imaging highlight the limitations of such method.
Six barley chlorophyll (Chl) mutants, viridis, flavoviridis, chlorina, xanhta, lutea, and albina, differed in the contents of Chl (a+b) and carotenoids (Cars). In accordance with their Chl-deficient phenotype, the Chl a and b and Car contents of mutants decreased from viridis to albina, only xantha had the same or even higher concentration of Cars as the wild type plant. The albina mutant completely lacked and xantha had a significantly reduced photosynthetic activity. We found quantitative differences in protein contents between wild type and mutant plants, with the lowest concentration per fresh mass in the albina mutant. Chl fluorescence analysis revealed that heat-treated barley leaves of both the wild type and Chl mutants had a lower photosystem 2 efficiency than the untreated ones. With 35S-methionine labelling and SDS-PAGE we found that six to nine de novo synthetized proteins appeared after heat shock (2 h, 42 °C) in the wild type and Chl mutants. In albina the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) was reduced to 50 % of that in the wild type. Hence mainly albina mutants, with a completely destroyed proteosynthetic apparatus of the chloroplasts, are able to synthesize a small set of HSPs. The albina mutant is a very useful tool for the study of different gene expression of chloroplast and nuclear DNA. and E. Gálová, B. Böhmová, A. Ševčovičová.
During a 5-20 d growth at moderate salinity (7 dS m‘i) in rice seedlings of salt sensitive cultivars Ratna and Jaya a larger decrease in chlorophyll (Chl) a and b contents was observed than in tolerant cvs. CSR-1 and CSR-3. At higher salinity (14 dS m'i) about 40 % declines in both whole chain electron transport and photosystem (PS) 2 activities were observed in the tolerant cvs. and about 62 to 67 % declines in the sensitive ones. No apparent change in PSI activity was observed due to salinization in the both sets of cultivars. Higher rate of Hill reaction was observed in chloroplasts ffom salt stressed seedlings of tolerant cultivars whereas inhibition in this activity was found in the sensitive ones. Chloroplasts isolated from stressed seedlings of sensitive cultivars showed about 31 % reduction in fluorescence emission at 685 nm as well as a major decrease in absorption with shifts in peaks in the visible region of spectrum. Thus salt sensitivity in rice is associated with decreased contents of Chls and carotenoids, PS2 and Hill reaction activities, and fluorescence emission.
We tested whether cheap and quick chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence can be used in ecophysiological field studies as proxies for
gas-exchange measurements. We measured net photosynthetic rate at saturating irradiance and ambient atmospheric CO2 concentrations (PNsat), maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax), maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm), the performance index (PIabs), leaf nitrogen (Narea), and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) within four herbaceous species along two elevational gradients. We analysed the relationship between Chl fluorescence and gas-exchange parameters and their link to indirect assessment of plant performance via ecophysiological traits. Fv/Fm showed no relationship to PNsat and only weak relationships to Vcmax. PIabs was positively related to PNsat and Vcmax. PIabs, PNsat, and Vcmax were positively associated with Narea and negatively to Δ13C, whereas Fv/Fm showed no relationship to Narea and a positive to Δ13C. Thus, PIabs might be suitable to characterize the photosynthetic activity when aiming on large numbers of samples., S. F. Bucher, M. Bernhardt-Römermann, C. Römermann., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Photosynthetic fluorescence emission spectra measurement at the temperature of 77 K (-196°C) is an often-used technique in photosynthesis research. At low temperature, biochemical and physiological processes that modulate fluorescence are mostly abolished, and the fluorescence emission of both PSI and PSII become easily distinguishable. Here we briefly review the history of low-temperature chlorophyll fluorescence methods and the characteristics of the acquired emission spectra in oxygen-producing organisms. We discuss the contribution of different photosynthetic complexes and physiological processes to fluorescence emission at 77 K in cyanobacteria, green algae, heterokont algae, and plants. Furthermore, we describe practical aspects for obtaining and presenting 77 K fluorescence spectra., J. J. Lamb, G. Røkke, M. F. Hohmann-Marriott., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
We compared the responses of wild type (WT) and three mutants including npq1 (lutein-replete and violaxanthin deepoxidase-deficient), lut2 (lutein-deficient), and lut2-npq1 (double mutant) to high irradiance (HI, 2 000 μmol m-2 s-1) at both low (LT, 5 °C) and room (25 °C) temperature. Xanthophyll-dependent energy dissipation was highest in the WT, followed by the lut2, npq1, and npq1-lut2. At 25 °C the relative stress tolerance expressed by Fv/Fm was consistent with the energy dissipation capacity for the first 2 h of treatment. After 3-4 h, the Fv/Fm levels in lut2 and npq1 converged. Under combined LT and HI the relative tolerance sequence was in contrast to the energy dissipation capacity being WT > npq1> lut2 > lut2-npq1. There were little or no significant change in the contents of xanthophylls and carotenes or the chlorophyll (Chl) a/b ratio in any of the materials. Thus lutein (L) substitution possibly alters the conformation/organisation of L binding proteins to enhance damage susceptibility under HI at LT. The enhanced vulnerability is not compensated for the energy dissipation capacity in the lut2 background at LT. and Chang-Lian Peng, A. M. Gilmore.
In canopy shade leaves of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Moscato giallo) grown in the field the contents of chlorophyll (Chl), carotenoids (Car), and soluble protein per fresh mass were lower than in sun leaves. RuBPC activity, in vivo nitrate reductase activity (indicator of nitrate utilisation), apparent electron transport rate, and photochemical fluorescence quenching were also significantly reduced in canopy shade leaves. When various photosynthetic activities were followed in isolated thylakoids, canopy shade leaves exerted a marked inhibition of whole chain and photosystem (PS) 2 activity. Smaller inhibition of PS1 activity was observed even in high-level canopy shade (HS) leaves. The artificial exogenous electron donors, DPC and NH2OH, significantly restored the loss of PS2 activity in HS leaves. Similar results were obtained when Fv/Fm was evaluated by Chl fluorescence measurements. The marked loss of PS2 activity in canopy shade leaves was due to the loss of 47, 43, 33, 28-25, 23, 17, and 10 kDa polypeptides. and M. Bertamini, N. Nedunchezhian.
Vegetation in grasslands is changing at an unprecedented rate. In the Nebraska Sandhills, this shift is attributed in part to encroachment of the woody species Juniperus virginiana. We investigated changes in resource availability and their feedback on seasonal trends in photosynthetic characteristics of J. virginiana trees scattered in open grasslands vs. a dense 57-year-old stand. Dense stand exhibited lower volumetric soil water content, NH4+, NO3-, and δ13C, as well as foliage δ13C, δ15N, and N content, compared to grasslands. Water potential was higher in trees in grasslands compared to dense stand. J. virginiana in dense stand exhibited similar trends to trees in grasslands for net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance, transpiration, maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, maximum carboxylation velocity, and maximum rate of electron transport. PN peaked early summer and declined in the fall, with trees in open grasslands lagging behind those in dense stand. Plasticity of this species may place it at a competitive advantage in the Sandhills, further altering grasslands vegetation and ecosystem processes., J. Msanne, T. Awada, N. M. Bryan, W. Schacht, R. Drijber, Y. Li, X. Zhou, J. Okalebo, D. Wedin, J. Brandle, J. Hiller., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The effect of iron deficiency on photosynthetic pigments, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPC), and photosystem activities were investigated in field grown grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot noir) leaves. The contents of chlorophyll (Chl) (a+b) and carotenoids per unit fresh mass showed a progressive decrease upon increase in iron deficiency. Similar results were also observed in content of total soluble proteins and RuBPC activity. The marked loss of large (55 kDa) and small (15 kDa) subunits of RuBPC was also observed in severely chlorotic leaves. However, when various photosynthetic electron transport activities were analysed in isolated thylakoids, a major decrease in the rate of whole chain (H2O → methyl viologen) electron transport was observed in iron deficient leaves. Such reduction was mainly due to the loss of photosystem 2 (PS2) activity. The same results were obtained when Fv/Fm was evaluated by Chl fluorescence measurements in leaves. Smaller inhibition of photosystem 1 (PS1) activity was also observed in both mild and severely chlorotic leaves. The artificial electron donors, diphenyl carbazide and NH2OH, markedly restored the loss of PS2 activity in severely chlorotic leaves. The marked loss of PS2 activity was evidently due to the loss of 33, 23, 28-25, and 17 kDa polypeptides in iron deficient leaves. and M. Bertamini, N. Nedunchezhian, B. Borghi.
Fluorescence spectroscopy at 77 K showed that the application of glucose lead to the depletion of phycobilisomes (PBS) and photosystems (PS) 2 and 1, and that PS2 was more sensitive to glucose than PS1. The application of sodium thiosulfate, an effective scavenger of reactive oxygen intermediates, counteracted the effects of glucose. Sodium thiosulfate effectively protected photosynthetic apparatus, PS2, PS1, and PBS against glucose-induced depletion. Sodium thiosulfate showed strong capability to inhibit the disappearance of chlorophyll induced by glucose. At a relatively low concentration of glucose, the application of sodium thiosulfate can even be helpful for the assembly of photosynthetic apparatus. Hence the reactive oxygen species might be involved in the depletion of the photosynthetic apparatus in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 cells grown in the presence of glucose. and Zeneng Wang ... [et al.].