Photosynthetic acclimation to elevated CO{sub 2} occurs in transformed tobacco with decreased ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase content
- Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
Inhibition of net carbon assimilation rates during growth at elevated CO{sub 2} was studied in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants containing zero to two copies of antisense DNA sequences to the small subunit polypeptide (rbcS) gene of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). High- and low-Rubisco tobacco plants were obtained from the selfed progeny of the original line 3 transformant. Assimilation rates of high- and low-Rubisco tobacco plants increased 22 and 71%, respectively, when transferred from 35- to 70-Pa CO{sub 2} chamber air at 900 {mu}mol m{sup -2} s{sup -1} photon flux density. However, CO{sub 2}-dependent increases of net carbon assimilation rates of high- and low-Rubisco plants virtually disappeared after 9 d of growth in elevated CO{sub 2} chamber air. Total above-ground dry matter production of high- and low-Rubisco plants was 28 and 53% greater, respectively, after 9 d of growth at 70 Pa compared with 35 Pa CO{sub 2}. Most of this dry weight gain was due to increased specific leaf weight. Rubisco activity, Rubisco protein, and total chlorophyll were lower in both high- and low-Rubisco plants grown in enriched compared with ambient CO{sub 2} chamber air. Soluble leaf protein also decreased in response to CO{sub 2} enrichment in high- but not in low-Rub tobacco plants. Decreased Rubisco activities in CO{sub 2}adapted high- and low-Rubisco plants were not attributable to changes in activation state of the enzyme. Carbonic anhydrase activities and subunit levels measured with specific antibodies were similar in high- and low-Rubisco tobacco plants and were unchanged by CO{sub 2} enrichment. Collectively, these findings suggested that photosynthetic acclimation to enriched CO{sub 2} occurred in tobacco plants either with or without transgenically decreased Rubisco in CO{sub 2}-adapted tobacco plants was related to decreased specific activity of this enzyme. 35 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.
- OSTI ID:
- 426053
- Journal Information:
- Plant Physiology (Bethesda), Vol. 104, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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