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An exceptional irradiance-induced decrease of light trapping in two Tradescantia species: an unexpected relationship with the leaf architecture and zeaxanthin-mediated photoprotection

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Leaf anatomy and irradiance-dependent leaf transmittance changes serving as irradiance acclimation mechanisms in leaves were studied in two ecologically contrasting Tradescantia species, a shade plant T. fluminensis Vell. and a sun plant T. sillamontana Matuda, grown at different irradiances. A dramatic increase in leaf thickness (2 to 4-fold) under a high growth irradiance (800 μmol m−2 s−1) compared with a low growth irradiance (60 μmol m−2 s−1), achieved mainly by expansion of the epidermis, was recorded in both species. The effect took place on the background of modest changes in mesophyll thickness (1.8-fold in T. fluminensis and 1.15-fold in T. sillamontana) and chloroplast size (0.8-fold in T. fluminensis and an insignificant change in T. sillamontana). Mesophyll structure and growth irradiance response did not seem to facilitate significantly light-dependent chloroplast (avoidance) movement in these species. Nevertheless, an exceptionally large (2 to 4-fold) irradiance-induced increase in light transmittance attributable to chloroplast avoidance movement was revealed. This increase by far exceeded that in other higher plants according to available literature. The magnitude of the irradiance-dependent transmittance changes positively correlated both with the rate of photosystem II recovery and with the extent of xanthophyll deepoxidation in the leaves. This was opposite to a negative correlation observed between the same parameters in different plant species. We hypothesize that, at the evolutionary timescale, chloroplast avoidance movement might adjust independently from other photoprotective mechanisms, e.g., non-photochemical quenching, whereas, on the ontogenetic timescale, adjustment of these mechanisms inevitably follows the same trend.

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Abbreviations

DE:

coefficient of deepoxidation

HI:

high irradiance

IIT:

irradiance-induced increase in leaf light transmittance

LI:

low irradiance

NPQ:

non-photochemical quenching

PS:

photosystem

qNPQ :

coefficient of non-photochemical quenching

T:

transmittance

ΦPSII :

quantum yield of photochemical reaction in photosystem II

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia

    V. V. Ptushenko

  2. Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334, Moscow, Russia

    V. V. Ptushenko & O. P. Samoilova

  3. Moscow Secondary School 261, 121108, Moscow, Russia

    O. S. Ptushenko

  4. Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia

    A. E. Solovchenko

Authors
  1. V. V. Ptushenko
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  2. O. S. Ptushenko
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  3. O. P. Samoilova
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  4. A. E. Solovchenko
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Correspondence to V. V. Ptushenko.

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Acknowledgments: This research was partially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project 12-04-31162). The studies of pigment composition were funded by the Russian Scientific Fund (contract # 14-50-00029). The authors are grateful to Prof. A.N. Tikhonov for careful reading the manuscript and to Axioma Electrica LLC for consultations on and supply of the light emitting diodes equipment.

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Ptushenko, V.V., Ptushenko, O.S., Samoilova, O.P. et al. An exceptional irradiance-induced decrease of light trapping in two Tradescantia species: an unexpected relationship with the leaf architecture and zeaxanthin-mediated photoprotection. Biol Plant 60, 385–393 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-016-0593-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-016-0593-7

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