Structural and Functional Heat Stress Responses of Chloroplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana

Temperature elevations constitute a major threat to plant performance. In recent years, much was learned about the general molecular mode of heat stress reaction of plants. The current research focuses on the integration of the knowledge into more global networks, including the reactions of cellular compartments. For instance, chloroplast function is central for plant growth and survival, and the performance of chloroplasts is tightly linked to the general status of the cell and vice versa. We examined the changes in photosynthesis, chloroplast morphology and proteomic composition posed in Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplasts after a single or repetitive heat stress treatment over a period of two weeks. We observed that the acclimation is potent in the case of repetitive application of heat stress, while a single stress results in lasting alterations. Moreover, the physiological capacity and its adjustment are dependent on the efficiency of the protein translocation process as judged from the analysis of mutants of the two receptor units of the chloroplast translocon, TOC64, and TOC33. In response to repetitive heat stress, plants without TOC33 accumulate Hsp70 proteins and plants without TOC64 have a higher content of proteins involved in thylakoid structure determination when compared to wild-type plants.

Pre-akinete formation in Zygnema sp. from polar habitats is associated with metabolite re-arrangement

In streptophytic green algae in the genus Zygnema, pre-akinete formation is considered a key survival strategy under extreme environmental conditions in alpine and polar regions. The transition from young, dividing cells to pre-akinetes is associated with morphological changes and the accumulation of storage products. Understanding the underlying metabolic changes could provide insights into survival strategies in polar habitats. Here, GC-MS-based metabolite profiling was used to study the metabolic signature associated with pre-akinete formation in Zygnema sp. from polar regions under laboratory conditions, induced by water and nutrient depletion, or collected in the field. Light microscopy and TEM revealed drastic changes in chloroplast morphology and ultrastructure, degradation of starch grains, and accumulation of lipid bodies in pre-akinetes. Accordingly, the metabolite profiles upon pre-akinete formation reflected a gradual shift in metabolic activity. Compared with young cells, pre-akinetes showed an overall reduction in primary metabolites such as amino acids and intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, consistent with a lower metabolic turnover, while they accumulated lipids and oligosaccharides. Overall, the transition to the pre-akinete stage involves re-allocation of photosynthetically fixed energy into storage instead of growth, supporting survival of extreme environmental conditions.

The photosynthetic apparatus ofConocarpus lancifoliusEngl. (Combretaceae) suffers damage in soil contaminated with heavy metals

Conocarpus lancifolius Engl. (Combretaceae), a heat tolerant plant, has potential for use in the phytoremediation of polluted soil. We analyzed the physiological changes in C. lancifolius exposed to single and mixed heavy metals (HMs; cadmium, nickel, and lead). For 30 days under controlled growth conditions, we exposed some groups of plants to a single HM at concentrations of 25 or 50 μmol·L–1and other groups were exposed to 25 μmol·L–1of a mixture of HMs. Photosynthetic parameters such as electron transport rate, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll content index, and photosynthetic pigments were measured. Chloroplast morphology was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In plants exposed to 25 μmol·L–1of HMs, the photosynthetic parameters were unaffected, whereas at 50 μmol·L–1of HMs, all parameters significantly decreased up to 20 days of exposure, followed by an increase up to 30 days, indicating a slow adaptation of plants to HM under stress. Compared with the single HMs, mixtures of HMs were more toxic at the same concentration. All parameters indicated damage to the photosynthetic apparatus due to stress from 25 μmol·L–1of the HM mixtures and 50 μmol·L–1of the single HMs. TEM analyses showed a dispersion of grana in the chloroplast of the affected C. lancifolius plants.

Sellaphora balashovae (Bacillariophyta), a new species from Siberian mountain Lake Frolikha (Baikal region), Russia

A new species, Sellaphora balashovae sp. nov., from Lake Frolikha is described based on light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The systematic position of this new species is determined based on molecular data. This species is placed in the genus Sellaphora based on chloroplast morphology, areolae covered by external hymenes, and uniseriate striae that are typical for the genus. Molecular data support this taxonomic assignment, and the new species is part of a monophyletic group with some other members of the genus Sellaphora. The new species is distinguishable from other Sellaphora species by its small size, valve shape, striae and areolae densities, striae orientation and distinctly large areolae bordering the sternum.

The Differential Response of Two Chrysanthemum Cultivars to Shading: Photosynthesis, Chloroplast, and Sieve Element-companion Cell Ultrastructure

The response to reduced light intensity of two contrasting cultivars Puma Sunny (shade intolerant) and Gongzi (shade tolerant) was characterized in terms of plant height, the root/shoot ratio, photosynthetic capacity, and the morphology and ultrastructure of their chloroplasts and phloem companion cells. The initial response to shading of cultivar Puma Sunny plants was to extend their stems, and while the equivalent response of cultivar Gongzi was less marked. Shading depressed the maximum relative electron transport rate (rETR) in both cultivars, and while the efficiency of light capture in cultivar Puma Sunny was compromised by shading, this was not the case for cultivar Gongzi. Low levels of incident light inhibited the formation of starch grains in the chloroplast and increased the volume of interspace between the grana lamellae. In cultivar Puma Sunny, but less so in cultivar Gongzi, the chloroplasts became more slender and the stroma lamellae more swollen. Adjusting chloroplast morphology by developing extra layers of grana lamellae and maintaining the integrity of the phloem companion cells are both adaptations which help make ‘Gongzi’ a more shade-tolerant cultivar.