C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco (2024)

Kubien, D., von Caemmerer, S., Furbank, R. T., & Sage, R. (2003). C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco. Plant Physiology, 132, 1577-1585. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.103.021246

Kubien, Daniel ; von Caemmerer, Susanne ; Furbank, Robert Thomas et al. / C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco. In: Plant Physiology. 2003 ; Vol. 132. pp. 1577-1585.

@article{17a549c260d9467daf68a00c88439507,

title = "C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco",

abstract = "C4 plants are rare in the cool climates characteristic of high latitudes and elevations, but the reasons for this are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that CO2 fixation by Rubisco is the rate-limiting step during C4 photosynthesis at cool temperatures. We measured photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence from 6{\^A}°C to 40{\^A}°C, and in vitro Rubisco and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity from 0{\^A}°C to 42{\^A}°C, in Flaveria bidentis modified by an antisense construct (targeted to the nuclear-encoded small subunit of Rubisco, anti-RbcS) to have 49% and 32% of the wild-type Rubisco content. Photosynthesis was reduced at all temperatures in the anti-Rbcs plants, but the thermal optimum for photosynthesis (35{\^A}°C) did not differ. The in vitro turnover rate (kcat) of fully carbamylated Rubisco was 3.8 mol mol-1 s-1 at 24{\^A}°C, regardless of genotype. The in vitro kcat (Rubisco Vcmax per catalytic site) and in vivo kcat (gross photosynthesis per Rubisco catalytic site) were the same below 20{\^A}°C, but at warmer temperatures, the in vitro capacity of the enzyme exceeded the realized rate of photosynthesis. The quantum requirement of CO2 assimilation increased below 25{\^A}°C in all genotypes, suggesting greater leakage of CO2 from the bundle sheath. The Rubisco flux control coefficient was 0.68 at the thermal optimum and increased to 0.99 at 6{\^A}°C. Our results thus demonstrate that Rubisco capacity is a principle control over the rate of C4 photosynthesis at low temperatures. On the basis of these results, we propose that the lack of C4 success in cool climates reflects a constraint imposed by having less Rubisco than their C3 competitors.",

author = "Daniel Kubien and {von Caemmerer}, Susanne and Furbank, {Robert Thomas} and Rowan Sage",

year = "2003",

doi = "10.1104/pp.103.021246",

language = "English",

volume = "132",

pages = "1577--1585",

journal = "Plant Physiology",

publisher = "American Society of Plant Biologists",

}

Kubien, D, von Caemmerer, S, Furbank, RT & Sage, R 2003, 'C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco', Plant Physiology, vol. 132, pp. 1577-1585. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.103.021246

C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco. / Kubien, Daniel; von Caemmerer, Susanne; Furbank, Robert Thomas et al.
In: Plant Physiology, Vol. 132, 2003, p. 1577-1585.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco

AU - Kubien, Daniel

AU - von Caemmerer, Susanne

AU - Furbank, Robert Thomas

AU - Sage, Rowan

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - C4 plants are rare in the cool climates characteristic of high latitudes and elevations, but the reasons for this are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that CO2 fixation by Rubisco is the rate-limiting step during C4 photosynthesis at cool temperatures. We measured photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence from 6°C to 40°C, and in vitro Rubisco and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity from 0°C to 42°C, in Flaveria bidentis modified by an antisense construct (targeted to the nuclear-encoded small subunit of Rubisco, anti-RbcS) to have 49% and 32% of the wild-type Rubisco content. Photosynthesis was reduced at all temperatures in the anti-Rbcs plants, but the thermal optimum for photosynthesis (35°C) did not differ. The in vitro turnover rate (kcat) of fully carbamylated Rubisco was 3.8 mol mol-1 s-1 at 24°C, regardless of genotype. The in vitro kcat (Rubisco Vcmax per catalytic site) and in vivo kcat (gross photosynthesis per Rubisco catalytic site) were the same below 20°C, but at warmer temperatures, the in vitro capacity of the enzyme exceeded the realized rate of photosynthesis. The quantum requirement of CO2 assimilation increased below 25°C in all genotypes, suggesting greater leakage of CO2 from the bundle sheath. The Rubisco flux control coefficient was 0.68 at the thermal optimum and increased to 0.99 at 6°C. Our results thus demonstrate that Rubisco capacity is a principle control over the rate of C4 photosynthesis at low temperatures. On the basis of these results, we propose that the lack of C4 success in cool climates reflects a constraint imposed by having less Rubisco than their C3 competitors.

AB - C4 plants are rare in the cool climates characteristic of high latitudes and elevations, but the reasons for this are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that CO2 fixation by Rubisco is the rate-limiting step during C4 photosynthesis at cool temperatures. We measured photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence from 6°C to 40°C, and in vitro Rubisco and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity from 0°C to 42°C, in Flaveria bidentis modified by an antisense construct (targeted to the nuclear-encoded small subunit of Rubisco, anti-RbcS) to have 49% and 32% of the wild-type Rubisco content. Photosynthesis was reduced at all temperatures in the anti-Rbcs plants, but the thermal optimum for photosynthesis (35°C) did not differ. The in vitro turnover rate (kcat) of fully carbamylated Rubisco was 3.8 mol mol-1 s-1 at 24°C, regardless of genotype. The in vitro kcat (Rubisco Vcmax per catalytic site) and in vivo kcat (gross photosynthesis per Rubisco catalytic site) were the same below 20°C, but at warmer temperatures, the in vitro capacity of the enzyme exceeded the realized rate of photosynthesis. The quantum requirement of CO2 assimilation increased below 25°C in all genotypes, suggesting greater leakage of CO2 from the bundle sheath. The Rubisco flux control coefficient was 0.68 at the thermal optimum and increased to 0.99 at 6°C. Our results thus demonstrate that Rubisco capacity is a principle control over the rate of C4 photosynthesis at low temperatures. On the basis of these results, we propose that the lack of C4 success in cool climates reflects a constraint imposed by having less Rubisco than their C3 competitors.

U2 - 10.1104/pp.103.021246

DO - 10.1104/pp.103.021246

M3 - Article

VL - 132

SP - 1577

EP - 1585

JO - Plant Physiology

JF - Plant Physiology

ER -

Kubien D, von Caemmerer S, Furbank RT, Sage R. C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco. Plant Physiology. 2003;132:1577-1585. doi: 10.1104/pp.103.021246