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Heat stress and the photosynthetic electron transport chain of the lichen Parmelina tiliacea (Hoffm.) Ach. in the dry and the wet state: differences and similarities with the heat stress response of higher plants

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Abstract

Thalli of the foliose lichen species Parmelina tiliacea were studied to determine responses of the photosynthetic apparatus to high temperatures in the dry and wet state. The speed with which dry thalli were activated by water following a 24 h exposure at different temperatures decreased as the temperature was increased. But even following a 24 h exposure to 50°C the fluorescence induction kinetics OJIP reflecting the reduction kinetics of the photosynthetic electron transport chain had completely recovered within 128 min. Exposure of dry thalli to 50°C for 24 h did not induce a K-peak in the fluorescence rise suggesting that the oxygen evolving complex had remained intact. This contrasted strongly with wet thalli were submergence for 40 s in water of 45°C inactivated most of the photosystem II reaction centres. In wet thalli, following the destruction of the Mn-cluster, the donation rate to photosystem II by alternative donors (e.g. ascorbate) was lower than in higher plants. This is associated with the near absence of a secondary rise peak (~1 s) normally observed in higher plants. Analysing the 820 nm and prompt fluorescence transients suggested that the M-peak (occurs around 2–5 s) in heat-treated wet lichen thalli is related to cyclic electron transport around photosystem I. Normally, heat stress in lichen thalli leads to desiccation and as consequence lichens may lack the heat-stress-tolerance-increasing mechanisms observed in higher plants. Wet lichen thalli may, therefore, represent an attractive reference system for the evaluation of processes related with heat stress in higher plants.

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Abbreviations

Chl:

Chlorophyll

DF:

Delayed fluorescence

F 0 :

Fluorescence intensity at 20 μs

F K :

Fluorescence intensity at ~0.3 ms

F J :

Fluorescence intensity at ~3 ms

F I :

Fluorescence intensity at ~30 ms

F P :

The maximum measured fluorescence intensity

F M :

Fluorescence intensity when all PSII reaction centres are closed

I 820 nm :

A measure for the reflected light at 820 nm

O–J–I–P–S–M:

Transient fluorescence induction transient defined by the names of its intermediate steps

P680 and P700:

The primary electron donors of photosystems II and I, respectively

PF:

Prompt fluorescence

PI:

Performance index

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Philippe Clerc from Jardin Botanique of Geneva for his help with the identification of P. tiliacea

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratories of Bioenergetics and Microbiology, Department of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, Chemin des Embrouchis 10, 1254, Jussy, Geneva, Switzerland

    Abdallah Oukarroum, Reto J. Strasser & Gert Schansker

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Quebec in Montreal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Abdallah Oukarroum

  3. Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, 6701, Szeged, Hungary

    Gert Schansker

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  1. Abdallah Oukarroum
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  2. Reto J. Strasser
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  3. Gert Schansker
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Correspondence to Abdallah Oukarroum.

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Oukarroum, A., Strasser, R.J. & Schansker, G. Heat stress and the photosynthetic electron transport chain of the lichen Parmelina tiliacea (Hoffm.) Ach. in the dry and the wet state: differences and similarities with the heat stress response of higher plants. Photosynth Res 111, 303–314 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-012-9728-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-012-9728-7

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