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Transgenic tobacco with suppressed zeaxanthin formation is susceptible to stress-induced photoinhibition

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Abstract

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) transformed with the antisense construct of tobacco violaxanthin de-epoxidase was analyzed for responses in growth chambers to both short and long-term stress treatments. Following a short-term (2 or 3 h) high-light treatment, antisense plants had a greater reduction in Fv/Fm relative to wild-type, indicating a greater susceptibility to photoinhibition. The responses of antisense plants to long-term stress were examined in two separate experiments, one with high light alone and the other wherein high light and water stress were combined. In the light-stress experiment, plants were grown at 1300 μmol photons m−2 s−1 under a 12 h photoperiod. In the light and water-stress experiment, plants were grown under moderately high light of 900 μmol photons m−2 s−1, under a 16 h photoperiod, in combination with water stress. Both conditions caused formation of high antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin levels in wild-type plants but not in antisense plants. In both cases, antisense plants showed significant reductions in Fv/Fm and total leaf-pigment content relative to wild-type. The data demonstrate a critical photoprotective function of the xanthophyll cycle-dependent energy dissipation in tobacco exposed suddenly to high amounts of excess light over extended times.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55105-1096, USA

    Amy S. Verhoeven

  2. Department of Molecular Biosciences and Biosystems Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1955 East West Road, Ag Sci 218, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    Robert C. Bugos

Authors
  1. Amy S. Verhoeven
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  2. Robert C. Bugos
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  3. Harry Y. Yamamoto
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Verhoeven, A.S., Bugos, R.C. & Yamamoto, H.Y. Transgenic tobacco with suppressed zeaxanthin formation is susceptible to stress-induced photoinhibition. Photosynthesis Research 67, 27–39 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010684327864

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010684327864