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Evidence for a role of raffinose in stabilizing photosystem II during freeze–thaw cycles

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Abstract

A role of non-reducing sugars like sucrose and raffinose in the protection of plant cells against damage during freezing has been proposed for many species, but reports on physiological effects are conflicting. Non-aqueous fractionation of mesophyll cell compartments in Arabidopsis thaliana was used to show that sucrose and raffinose accumulate in plastids during low temperatures, pointing to a physiological role in protecting the photosynthetic apparatus. Comparing a previously described raffinose synthase (RS) mutant of A. thaliana with its corresponding wild type, accession Col-0, revealed that a lack of raffinose has no effect on electrolyte leakage from leaf cells after freeze–thaw cycles, supporting that raffinose is not essential for protecting the plasma membrane. However, in situ chlorophyll fluorescence showed that maximum quantum yield of PS II photochemistry (F v/F m) and other fluorescence parameters of cold acclimated leaves subjected to freeze–thaw cycles were significantly lower in the raffinose synthase mutant than in the corresponding wild type, indicating that raffinose is involved in stabilizing PS II of cold acclimated leaf cells against damage during freezing.

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Abbreviations

NAC:

Non-acclimated

ACC:

Acclimated

Fv/Fm:

Maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

PSII:

Photosystem II

RFO:

Raffinose family oliogosaccharides

RS:

Raffinose synthase

EL:

Electrolyte leakage

LT50 :

Temperature of half-maximal damage

DW:

Dry weight

FW:

Fresh weight

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Martin Trtilek (Photon Systems Instruments, http://www.psi.cz) for providing handy FluorCam to measure the fluorescence data, Annika Allinger for excellent plant cultivation and Imke I. Hörmiller for help with sugar analysis. The technical assistance of Anamika Mishra (Institute of Physical Biology, University of South Bohemia, Nove Hrady), is duly acknowledged. This work was supported by the European Union, COST Action FA0605. KBM acknowledges the financial support from the Czech ministry of education, youth and sports, grant number OC08055 and 2B06068 (INTERVIRON).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550, Stuttgart, Germany

    Markus Knaupp & Arnd G. Heyer

  2. CzechGlobe - Global Change Research Centre AS CR, v.v.i, Zámek-136, Nové Hardy, 37333, Czech Republic

    Kumud B. Mishra & Ladislav Nedbal

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  1. Markus Knaupp
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  2. Kumud B. Mishra
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  4. Arnd G. Heyer
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Correspondence to Arnd G. Heyer.

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Knaupp, M., Mishra, K.B., Nedbal, L. et al. Evidence for a role of raffinose in stabilizing photosystem II during freeze–thaw cycles. Planta 234, 477–486 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-011-1413-0

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