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Role of alternative oxidase pathway in protection against drought-induced photoinhibition in pepper leaves

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Photosynthetica

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway on energy metabolism in chloroplasts, and evaluate the importance of the AOX in alleviating drought-induced photoinhibition in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Inhibition of AOX pathway decreased photosynthesis and increased thermal energy dissipation in plants under normal conditions. It indicated that AOX pathway could influence chloroplast energy metabolism. Drought reduced carbon assimilation. Photoinhibition was caused by excess of absorbed light energy in spite of the increase of thermal energy dissipation and cyclic electron flow around PSI (CEF-PSI). Upregulation of AOX pathway in leaves experiencing drought would play a critical role in protection against photoinhibition by optimization of carbon assimilation and PSII function, which would avoid over-reduction of photosynthetic electron transport chain. However, inhibition of AOX pathway could be compensated by increasing the thermal energy dissipation and CEF-PSI under drought stress, and the compensation of CEF-PSI was especially significant.

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Abbreviations

AOX:

alternative oxidase

AQY:

apparent quantum yield

CEF-PSI:

cyclic electron flow around PSI

DM:

dry mass

ETR:

photosynthetic electron transport rate

F0 :

minimal fluorescence yield of the dark-adapted state

Fm :

maximal fluorescence yield of the dark-adapted state

FM:

fresh mass

Fv/Fm :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

LSP:

photosynthetic light-saturation points

NPQ:

nonphotochemical quenching coefficient

Pm :

maximal P700 changes

P max :

maximum net photosynthetic rate

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

PEG:

polyethylene glycol

qP:

photochemical quenching coefficient

RLCs:

rapid light curves

RWC:

relative water content

SHAM:

salicylhydroxamic acid

TM:

turgid mass

VKCN:

AOX pathway capacity

Vt :

total respiration rate

ΦPSI:

photochemical quantum yield of PSI

ΦPSII :

effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, 343009, China

    W. H. Hu, X. H. Yan & X. L. Ye

  2. Jiujiang Agricultural Bureau, Jiujiang, 332000, China

    Y. He

Authors
  1. W. H. Hu
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  2. X. H. Yan
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  3. Y. He
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  4. X. L. Ye
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to W. H. Hu.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31460513).

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Hu, W.H., Yan, X.H., He, Y. et al. Role of alternative oxidase pathway in protection against drought-induced photoinhibition in pepper leaves. Photosynthetica 56, 1297–1303 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0837-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0837-1

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