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Gibberellic acid induces non-Kranz anatomy with C4-like biochemical traits in the amphibious sedge Eleocharis vivipara

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Abstract

Main conclusion

Gibberellic acid induces photosynthetic tissues with non-Kranz anatomy and C4-like biochemical traits in terrestrial-form plants of Eleocharis vivipara. This suggests that the structural and biochemical traits are independently regulated.

Abstract

The amphibious leafless sedge, Eleocharis vivipara Link, develops culms (photosynthetic organs) with C4-like traits and Kranz anatomy under terrestrial conditions, and C3 traits and non-Kranz anatomy under submerged conditions. The conversion from C3 mode to C4-like mode in E. vivipara is reportedly mediated by abscisic acid. Here, we investigated the effects of gibberellic acid (GA) on the differentiation of anatomical and photosynthetic traits because GA is involved in heterophylly in aquatic plants. When 100 µM GA was sprayed on terrestrial plants, the newly developed culms had non-Kranz anatomy in the basal part and Kranz-like anatomy in the upper part. In the basal part, the mesophyll cells were well developed, whereas the Kranz (bundle sheath) cells were reduced and contained few chloroplasts and mitochondria. Stomatal frequency was lower in the basal part than in the upper part. Nevertheless, these tissues had abundant accumulation and high activities of C4 photosynthetic enzymes and had C4-like δ13C values, as seen in the culms of the terrestrial form. When submerged plants were grown under water containing GA-biosynthesis inhibitors (uniconazole or paclobutrazol), the new culms had Kranz anatomy. The culms developed under paclobutrazol had the C3 pattern of cellular accumulation of photosynthetic enzymes. These data suggest that GA induces production of photosynthetic tissues with non-Kranz anatomy in terrestrial plants of E. vivipara, without concomitant expression of C3 biochemical traits. The data also suggest that the differentiation of C4 structural and biochemical traits is regulated independently.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. N. Furuya, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University for use of an electron microscope and Dr. Y. Hatakeyama, Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University for his help in preparation of the figures. Part of this study was supported by a grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan (Bio-Design Project) to OU and a grant from the Academic Challenge Program of Kyushu University to YS.

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  1. Graduate School of Bioresources and Environmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Motooka, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan

    Yoshinobu Suizu & Kazuya Takao

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Motooka, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan

    Osamu Ueno

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  1. Yoshinobu Suizu
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Correspondence to Osamu Ueno.

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Suizu, Y., Takao, K. & Ueno, O. Gibberellic acid induces non-Kranz anatomy with C4-like biochemical traits in the amphibious sedge Eleocharis vivipara. Planta 254, 10 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-021-03662-9

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