Chang-Lian Peng

Responses of chlorophyll fluorescence and xanthophyll cycle in leaves of Schima superba Gardn. & Champ. and Pinus massoniana Lamb. to simulated acid rain at Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, China

Schima superba and Pinus massoniana distributed over large areas in southern China both are dominant species at Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve. In the present study, the changes of chlorophyll fluorescence and xanthophyll cycle in the leaves of S. superba and P. massoniana exposed to simulated acid rain (SAR) were measured. When exposed to high light, the PSII photochemistry efficiency (Fv/Fm), efficiency of energy conversion in PSII (ΦPSII) and photochemical quenching (qP) of both S. superba and P. massoniana all decreased when acidity of SAR increased. Regarding non-photochemical quenching (qN), S. superba exposed to SAR had higher value than control plants, but there was no significant difference between the respective seedlings of P. massoniana. As for xanthophyll cycle of the two plant species, the leaves of S. superba exposed to SAR showed a higher content of carotenoids and a higher ability to convert violaxanthin to zeaxanthin than leaves of P. massoniana, which was consistent with S. superba exhibiting a stronger resistance to high light than P. massoniana. Although both species were susceptible to acid rain as shown by our results, P. massoniana was more susceptible compared to S. superba. These results provide an insight into how to protect the forest ecosystem at Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve.

Photosynthetic Characteristics of Two New Chlorophyll b-Less Rice Mutants

Two yellow rice mutants VG28-1 and VG30-5 were obtained during the tissue culture process from a rice plant (cv. Zhonghua No.11 japonica) with inserted maize Ds transposon element. Absorption spectra and pigment composition showed that two mutants had no chlorophyll (Chl) b and lower Chl a content in comparison to the wild type (WT). Net photosynthetic rate (PN), total electron transport rate (JF), photochemical quenching (qp), quantum yield of PS2 dependent non-cyclic electron transport (ΦPS2), fraction of Prate, and leaf area were lower but Fv/Fm and apparent quantum yield (AQY) remained at similar levels as in the WT plant. Xanthophyll cycle pool size (V+A+Z) on a Chl basis, and de-epoxidation state were enhanced in the mutants. The mutants had larger amounts of soluble protein and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO), especially the small subunit of RuBPCO, than WT. The characteristics of two rice mutants differed somewhat from the other common Chl b-less mutants originating from mutagenic agent treatments.

The antioxidative function of lutein: electron spin resonance studies and chemical detection

In the present study, both electron spin resonance (ESR) and chemical detection confirmed that lutein [extracted from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)], the most abundant xanthophyll in thylakoids of chloroplasts, could serve as an antioxidant to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro. Lutein exhibited a greater capacity for scavenging hydroxyl (OH·) and superoxide (O2·-) radicals than β-carotene at the same concentration, whereas the opposite trend was observed in the capacity for scavenging singlet oxygen (1O2). The capacity of lutein for scavenging ROS from high to low is OH· > O2·- > 1O2. We hypothesise that lutein plays an important photoprotective role in scavenging O2·- and OH· under severe stress. This hypothesis is consistent with our previous report that the lut2 (lutein-deficient) Arabidopsis mutant is more susceptible to damage than the npq1 (lutein-replete but violaxanthin de-epoxidase-deficient) Arabidopsis mutant under severe stress during exposure to high light intensity at low temperature (Peng and Gilmore 2003).

Alteration of Components of Chlorophyll-Protein Complexes and Distribution of Excitation Energy Between the Two Photosystems in Two New Rice Chlorophyll b-less mutants

Two new yellow rice chlorophyll (Chl) b-less (lack) mutants VG28-1 and VG30-5 differ from the other known Chl b-less mutants with larger amounts of soluble protein and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small sub-unit and smaller amounts of Chl a. We investigated the altered features of Chl-protein complexes and excitation energy distribution in these two mutants, as compared with wild type (WT) rice cv. Zhonghua 11 by using native mild green gel electrophoresis and SDS-PAGE, and 77 K Chl fluorescence in the presence of Mg2+. WT rice revealed five pigment-protein bands and fourteen polypeptides in thylakoid membranes. Two Chl b-less mutants showed only CPI and CPa pigment bands, and contained no 25 and 26 kDa polypeptides, reduced amounts of the 21 kDa polypeptide, but increased quantities of 32, 33, 56, 66, and 19 kDa polypeptides. The enhanced absorption of CPI and CPa and the higher Chl fluorescence emission ratio of F685/F720 were also observed in these mutants. This suggested that the reduction or loss of the antenna LHC1 and LHC2 was compensated by an increment in core component and the capacity to harvest photon energy of photosystem (PS) 1 and PS2, as well as in the fraction of excitation energy distributed to PS2 in the two mutants. 77 K Chl fluorescence spectra of thylakoid membranes showed that the PS1 fluorescence emission was shifted from 730 nm in WT rice to 720 nm in the mutants. The regulation of Mg2+ to excitation energy distribution between the two photosystems was complicated. 10 mM Mg2+ did not affect noticeably the F685/F730 emission ratio of WT thylakoid membranes, but increased the ratio of F685/F720 in the two mutants due to a reduced emission at 685 nm as compared to that at 720 nm.

Effects of b-carotene feeding on chlorophyll fluorescence, zeaxanthin content, and D1 protein turnover in rice (Oryza sativa L.) leaves exposed to high irradiance

To examine the mechanism of photoprotective effect of exogenous β-carotene against photoinhibition under strong light conditions, leaves of rice (Oryza sativa L.) were fed with 30 mmolfL/L β-carotene through the transpiration stream at a PPFD of 20 μmol m^(-2) s^(-1) for 3 h. The leaves were then exposed to strong light at a PPFD of 2000 μmol m^(-2) s^(-1) for another 3 h. The photo-induced decrease in activity of PS2 in β-carotene fed leaves, as estimated in terms of the changes of Fv/Fm, photochemical quenching (qP), and PSII electron transport rate (J(subscript F)), was smaller than that in control leaves during exposure to strong illumination. However, the presence of chloramphenicol produced no significant difference. Furthermore, feeding of β-carotene increased endogenous β-carotene content. In addition, the content of zeaxanthin and the xanthophyll cycle pigments pool size (V+A+Z) were increased in comparison with control leaves when the leaves were exposed to high light for 3 h. However, no significant difference was observed in the presence of chloramphenicol. These results indicate that the photoprotective effect of β-carotene feeding can be partially explained by the conversion of β-carotene to zeaxanthin, a process involved in the rapid Dl protein turnover during the reassembly of PS2 in high irradiance.

Contrasting Changes of Photosystem 2 Efficiency in Arabidopsis Xanthophyll Mutants at Room or Low Temperature Under High Irradiance Stress

We compared the responses of wild type (WT) and three mutants including npq1 (lutein-replete and violaxanthin deepoxidase-deficient), lut2 (lutein-deficient), and lut2-npq1 (double mutant) to high irradiance (HI, 2 000 μmol m−2 s−1) at both low (LT, 5 °C) and room (25 °C) temperature. Xanthophyll-dependent energy dissipation was highest in the WT, followed by the lut2, npq1, and npq1-lut2. At 25 °C the relative stress tolerance expressed by Fv/Fm was consistent with the energy dissipation capacity for the first 2 h of treatment. After 3–4 h, the Fv/Fm levels in lut2 and npq1 converged. Under combined LT and HI the relative tolerance sequence was in contrast to the energy dissipation capacity being WT > npq1> lut2 > lut2-npq1. There were little or no significant change in the contents of xanthophylls and carotenes or the chlorophyll (Chl) a/b ratio in any of the materials. Thus lutein (L) substitution possibly alters the conformation/organisation of L binding proteins to enhance damage susceptibility under HI at LT. The enhanced vulnerability is not compensated for the energy dissipation capacity in the lut2 background at LT.

Daily changes in components of xanthophyll cycle and antioxidant systems in leaves of rice at different developing stage

The daily changes in the behavior of xanthophyll cycle and antioxidant systems in flag leaves of superhigh-yield hybrid rice were investigated in relation to various developing stages. Dark-adapted Fv/Fm decreased with the increasing incident light intensity on leaf surface in the morning and then minimized at midday; Deepoxidation State showed an opposed daily pattern to Fv/Fm at different developing stage. As compared with increased deepoxidation state maximum value, the relative content of xanthophyll cycle pigments remained almost constant during development. The daily changes in activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate-peroxidase and glutathione reductase and the content of ascorbate and glutathione displayed a similar pattern, where they increased from 8:00 and reached maximum at midday, however, a lower daily fluctuation of superoxide dismutase activity was observed in senescent leaves. The enhanced contribution of xanthophyll cycle and Mehler-ascorbate peroxidase reaction to photoprotection in old leaves could be partially due to the altered leaf posture. In conclusion, daily changes of xanthophyll cycle and antioxidant systems in leaves of rice at various developing stages were dependent on leaf age, leaf angle and intensity of solar irridiance.