Heritability and expression of C sub 4 photosynthesis in hybrids between C sub 3 -C sub 4 and C sub 4 Flaveria

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6969633

Cheng, S H

In general, leaves of C{sub 4} plants are considered to be more efficient at fixing atmospheric CO{sub 2} than those of C{sub 3} plants. Such efficiency in carbon assimilation is attributed to unique C{sub 4} features in anatomy, physiology and biochemistry of leaves. In these studies I investigated whether these C{sub 4} characteristics can be inherited and expressed in C{sub 3}-C{sub 4} species through artificial hybridization with C{sub 4} species in genus Flaveria. The expression of C{sub 4} photosynthesis in the parent C{sub 4} parent F. brownii is influenced by the light intensity during growth. Characterization of these F{sub 1} hybrids demonstrates that several C{sub 4} traits are heritable. The expression of Kranz leaf anatomy, and the activities and/or quantities of key C{sub 4} enzymes in the F{sub 1} hybrids are intermediate between levels in the parents. Enzyme localization studies with isolated leaf mesophyll and bundle sheath protoplasts indicated that these hybrids lack a complete compartmentation of major photosynthetic enzymes, but they do exhibit a differential distribution of these enzymes between the two cell types. Furthermore, {sup 14}CO{sub 2} labeling experiments showed that they all possess a high degree of functional C{sub 4} photosynthesis, which may in part contribute to the reduced photorespiration observed in the F{sub 1} hybrids.

• Research Organization: Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6969633
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
CALVIN CYCLE SPECIES
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION
ENZYMES
GENETICS
HYBRIDIZATION
PLANT GROWTH
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VISIBLE RADIATION
BIOLOGY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GROWTH
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PLANTS
RADIATIONS
SYNTHESIS
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques
550401 - Genetics- Tracer Techniques