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Improved photosynthesis in Arabidopsis roots by activation of GATA transcription factors

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Plant cells plastically change their functions according to the environment. Although Arabidopsis roots are heterotrophic organs, they increase photosynthetic capacity after shoot removal. Transcription factors regulating chloroplast development are involved in this response downstream of positive cytokinin and negative auxin regulation. To dissect the crosstalk of these regulators after shoot removal, we analyzed photosynthetic parameters in roots with chloroplast development enhanced by shoot removal, overexpression of transcription factors, or hormonal treatment. Our data suggest that shoot removal improves electron transfer downstream of PSII in roots, with a decrease in nonregulated energy dissipation. Cytokinin, auxin, and transcription factors affect the photosynthetic capacity of roots in a highly complex manner. Overexpression of two different types of transcription factors (GOLDEN 2-LIKE 1 and class-B GATAs) synergistically increased root chlorophyll content while maintaining high photosynthetic efficiency. Our data demonstrate the flexible regulation of the photosynthetic machinery by hormone signaling and downstream transcription factors.

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Abbreviations

ARR:

ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATOR

BA:

6-benzyladenine

B-GATA:

class B GATA transcription factor

Chl:

chlorophyll

Fv/Fm :

maximal quantum yield of PSII

Fv’/Fm’:

quantum yield of open PSII under actinic light

GLK:

GOLDEN 2-LIKE

GNC:

GATA, NITRATE-INDUCIBLE, CARBON METABOLISM INVOLVED

GNL/CGA1:

GNC-LIKE/ CYTOKININ-RESPONSIVE GATA TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR 1

IAA:

indole 3-acetic acid

MS:

Murashige and Skoog

NPQ:

nonphotochemical quenching

PAM:

pulse amplitude modulation

PCIB:

p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid

qP :

coefficient of photochemical quenching

ΦPSII :

effective quantum yield of PSII

ΦNO :

quantum yield of nonregulated energy dissipation

ΦNPQ :

quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation

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Correspondence to K. Kobayashi.

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Acknowledgements: This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 26711016.

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Ohnishi, A., Wada, H. & Kobayashi, K. Improved photosynthesis in Arabidopsis roots by activation of GATA transcription factors. Photosynthetica 56, 433–444 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0785-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0785-9

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