Article
Plant Sciences
Renata Welc, Rafal Luchowski, Dariusz Kluczyk, Monika Zubik-Duda, Wojciech Grudzinski, Magdalena Maksim, Emilia Reszczynska, Karol Sowinski, Radoslaw Mazur, Artur Nosalewicz, Wieslaw I. Gruszecki
Summary: The research conducted with Arabidopsis thaliana revealed the synergistic effect of zeaxanthin and PsbS, showing that PsbS interferes with the formation of densely packed aggregates of thylakoid membrane proteins, thus affecting the incorporation and photophysical properties of xanthophyll cycle pigments. The study highlighted the importance of zeaxanthin in enhancing excitation quenching to protect the system against photo-damage, while violaxanthin led to minimized dissipation of excitation energy within supramolecular structures.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Uthman O. Badmus, Gaia Crestani, Natalie Cunningham, Michel Havaux, Otmar Urban, Marcel A. K. Jansen
Summary: UV radiation can cause plant stress and induce adaptive responses mediated by photoreceptors. While the impacts of UV radiation on flavonoids and glucosinolates have been well studied, less is known about its effects on carotenoid content. This study found that UV exposure led to specific changes in the carotenoid profile of plants, including increases in antheraxanthin, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, and lutein. Surprisingly, the accumulation of violaxanthin induced by UV radiation was not linked to protection of the photosynthetic machinery. It is suggested that plants may exploit UV radiation as a proxy for other stressors, such as high intensity visible light.
Review
Plant Sciences
Beatriz Fernandez-Marin, Thomas Roach, Amy Verhoeven, Jose Ignacio Garcia-Plazaola
Summary: Xanthophyll cycles play a crucial role in photoprotection and are not limited to excess light conditions but also occur under various abiotic stress conditions, including darkness. The dark-induced formation of zeaxanthin enhances stress tolerance in photosynthetic eukaryotes, yet more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and physiological roles of this process.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Mengyun Ouyang, Yiqun Huang, Yan Wang, Fenglian Luo, Luyan Liao
Summary: Research showed that during hot air drying of pumpkin, the degradation rate of lutein diesters was significantly lower than that of lutein, with a high retention rate of lutein diesters in the final dried products.
Article
Plant Sciences
Norma Valeria Ahumada-Fierro, Ernesto Garcia-Mendoza, Jose Miguel Sandoval-Gil, Christine Johanna Band-Schmidt
Summary: The study found that the toxic potential of Chattonella is associated with high ROS production, possibly due to a lack of effective photoprotection mechanisms. The three strains of Chattonella exhibited different NPQ and XC characteristics under light conditions, with ROS production related to XC-related thermal dissipation.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Clementina Sansone, Luigi Pistelli, Luana Calabrone, Angelo Del Mondo, Angelo Fontana, Marco Festa, Douglas M. Noonan, Adriana Albini, Christophe Brunet
Summary: This study investigates the potential of diatoxanthin (Dt), a photoprotective xanthophyll, in intercepting prostate cancer progression. The results demonstrate the chemopreventive effect of Dt even at low concentration, and suggest that Dt-induced cancer cell death is mediated by oxidative stress mechanisms. Furthermore, Dt also exhibits anti-angiogenic properties, providing a potential therapeutic approach for prostate cancer.
Article
Plant Sciences
Dimitrij Holzmann, Stephanie Bethmann, Peter Jahns
Summary: Zeaxanthin plays an important role in photoprotection in chloroplasts and its activity is influenced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) might be responsible for the inactivation of ZEP under high-light conditions.
PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Horticulture
Sara Bernardo, Maria Jesus Rodrigo, Vicente Vives-Peris, Aurelio Gomez-Cadenas, Lorenzo Zacarias, Nelson Machado, Jose Moutinho-Pereira, Lia-Tania Dinis
Summary: Kaolin-particle film is considered a low-cost technology to mitigate the adverse effects of high light and temperature, and drought in crops. This study found that kaolin treatment plays a protective role in chlorophyll and carotenoid accumulation in grapevines, especially in the TF variety, while also reducing NPQ processes.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Meijing Liu, Wei Ding, Yufang Pan, Hanhua Hu, Jin Liu
Summary: This study functionally characterized two zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP) genes (NoZEP1 and NoZEP2) in the marine alga Nannochloropsis oceanica, and found that NoZEP1 is more functional than NoZEP2 in light-dependent growth.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jin Quan, Weiwei Zheng, Jingru Tan, Zewei Li, Meifang Wu, Seung-Beom Hong, Yanting Zhao, Zhujun Zhu, Yunxiang Zang
Summary: This study investigated the potential of glutamic acid (Glu) and poly-gamma-glutamic acid (gamma-PGA) biostimulants in enhancing the thermotolerance of Chinese cabbage under heat stress. The results showed that both Glu and gamma-PGA treatments improved the parameters of vegetative growth, gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence. Moreover, these treatments increased the contents of total chlorophyll and carotenoid and reduced oxidative damage by enhancing the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression levels of genes involved in various metabolic pathways were up-regulated by both Glu and gamma-PGA priming. Overall, Glu was found to be more effective than gamma-PGA in enhancing the thermotolerance of Chinese cabbage.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Ranganathan Arunkumar, Binxing Li, Emmanuel K. Addo, Mary Elizabeth Hartnett, Paul S. Bernstein
Summary: Premature infants lack the transfer of carotenoids lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) during the third trimester, and previous studies have shown that prenatal supplementation of L and Z can raise carotenoid levels in newborns. In this study, macular pigment mice were used to investigate the impact of prenatal supplementation with L and Z on oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). The results showed significant reductions in areas of vaso-obliteration and intravitreal neovascularization in mice supplemented with L or Z, suggesting that prenatal supplementation with L and Z could be beneficial in preventing ROP.
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Diandian Hu, Xiaojing Zhang, Pengcheng Xue, Yuanyuan Nie, Jinyu Liu, Yan Li, Can Wang, Xueli Wan
Summary: This study found that spraying carnation leaves with 100 μM MT can effectively alleviate damage caused by high temperature stress. Additionally, MT can promote the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, enhance the performance of photosystem II, improve photosynthesis, reduce cell damage and lipid peroxidation, increase antioxidant enzyme activity, and regulate the accumulation of osmotic substances in carnation. Moreover, MT can increase the fresh/dry weight ratio of stems and roots, promote stomatal opening, and protect the integrity of chloroplast structure in carnation. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for mitigating the adverse effects of exogenous MT under heat stress and have important implications for the management of other plants affected by global warming.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
X. Li, Y. Wen, X. Chen, Y. Qie, K-F Cao, A. K. S. Wee
Summary: This study provides the first assessment of photosynthetic heat tolerance in 13 Asian mangrove species and reveals correlations with climatic niche and leaf traits. Mangrove trees exhibit high heat tolerance and a conservative evolutionary strategy in heat tolerance.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sujuan Duan, Beibei Dong, Ziqi Chen, Liu Hong, Pengxiang Zhang, Ziyue Yang, Hong-Bin Wang, Hong -Lei Jin
Summary: Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) is an important photoprotective mechanism that dissipates excess light energy as heat. A newly discovered form of NPQ, qH, remains unclear in terms of its specific mechanism. This study found that the damage repair factor HHL1 interacts with SOQ1, and together they regulate NPQ.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Kaori Kohzuma, Maro Tamaki, Kouki Hikosaka
Summary: A method using NPQ(T) to correct PRI for assessing plant responses to drought stress was proposed. Results suggest that PRI is an excellent indicator of environmental stress and recovery in plants, serving as a high-throughput stress detection tool in agriculture.
JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Anuli Onwumelu, William A. Powell, Andrew E. Newhouse, Garrett Evans, Gwen Hilles, Dakota F. Matthews, Vernon Coffey, John E. Drake
Summary: This study assessed the potential impacts of transgenes on the physiological aspects of American chestnut, specifically photosynthesis and respiration. The results showed that transgenic and non-transgenic trees exhibited similar rates of photosynthetic capacity, with only a slight increase in dark respiration in transgenic trees. However, this minor effect is unlikely to strongly impact the physiological ecology of this important species.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arianna Wills, Colin M. M. Beier, Greg B. B. Lawrence, John E. E. Drake
Summary: Acidic deposition has been found to negatively impact sugar maple in northeastern North America, but the physiological mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, foliar respiration rates were measured on sugar maple and American beech across a soil base saturation gradient. Results showed that foliar respiration rates were not correlated with acidity measures, but were associated with leaf traits related to light availability and foliar Mn content. These findings suggest that soil acidification is unrelated to foliar respiration rates, but the accumulation of foliar Mn on acidified soils may contribute to metabolic burden in trees.
Article
Ecology
Robert J. J. Griffin-Nolan, Jeff Chieppa, Alan K. K. Knapp, Uffe N. N. Nielsen, David T. T. Tissue
Summary: Leaf hydraulic traits play a crucial role in plant drought tolerance and responses to climate change. This study focused on perennial grass species in eastern Australia and investigated the trade-offs between drought tolerance and plant morphology. The results showed that taller and more productive grass species had less drought-tolerant leaves, characterized by low leaf dry matter content and less negative leaf hydraulic conductance. Stomatal closure and turgor loss occurred at more negative leaf water potential in species with greater tiller production. These findings contribute to our understanding of grass hydraulic traits and their responses to drought in Australia.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Manjunatha H. Chandregowda, Mark G. Tjoelker, Elise Pendall, Haiyang Zhang, Amber C. Churchill, Sally A. Power
Summary: Drought and warming can reduce forage production, but a trade-off between belowground production and root trait plasticity can offset the negative effects. However, there is a lack of understanding of belowground traits in maintaining aboveground growth in grazed systems. In this study, we found that drought and warming reduced plant production and biomass allocation belowground, while specific root length and root diameter were affected by both drought and warming.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Correction
Plant Sciences
Ximeng Li, Benye Xi, Xiuchen Wu, Brendan Choat, Jinchao Feng, Mingkai Jiang, David Tissue
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Garrett R. Evans, Julia I. Burton, William A. Powell, John E. Drake
Summary: Research shows that blight-tolerant American chestnut seedlings have better adaptability to light compared to oak and hickory. Lower residual shelterwood densities may promote the reintroduction of American chestnut, but caution should be taken to avoid detrimental effects on light availability.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jeff Chieppa, Ilka C. Feller, Kylie Harris, Susannah Dorrance, Matthew A. Sturchio, Eve Gray, Mark G. Tjoelker, Michael J. Aspinwall
Summary: Populations from different climates show unique growth responses to temperature, but it is unclear whether there are differences in physiological temperature acclimation among populations. In this study, we grew tropical and subtropical populations of two mangrove species under different temperature conditions and found that warming increased productivity of tropical populations more than subtropical populations. We also observed a consistent thermal acclimation of leaf respiration across populations, but with differences in the temperature sensitivity of leaf physiology.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Letter
Plant Sciences
John E. Drake
Article
Plant Sciences
Mahmuda Sharmin, Mark G. Tjoelker, Sebastian Pfautsch, Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez, Paul D. Rymer, Sally A. Power
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of trees on reducing air and surface temperatures in urban areas of Greater Sydney, Australia. The results showed that tree shade can significantly reduce air and surface temperatures, with a maximum reduction of 3.7 degrees C. The effectiveness of temperature reduction varies based on the tree characteristics and the context of the urban environment.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mahmuda Sharmin, Mark G. Tjoelker, Sebastian Pfautsch, Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez, Paul D. Rymer, Sally A. Power
Summary: This study evaluated the extent to which street trees can reduce sub-canopy air temperature relative to ambient conditions (Delta T), and how Delta T relates to tree traits and microclimatic variables. Species with high leaf area index (LAI) and wider canopies provided the greatest daytime cooling benefits and lower levels of nighttime warming. This study provides valuable information on how tree characteristics and microclimate influence potential cooling benefits that may aid planning decisions on the use of trees to mitigate heat in urban landscapes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Scott N. Johnson, Rebecca K. Vandegeer, Justin O. Borevitz, Susan E. Hartley, David T. Tissue, Casey R. Hall
Summary: A common garden experiment using 57 accessions of Brachypodium distachyon from different Mediterranean locations showed a negative correlation between silicon accumulation and temperature variables, as well as precipitation seasonality. However, these relationships were only observed in low-silicon soils and not in silicon-supplemented soils. These findings suggest that geographical origin and prevailing climatic conditions may influence patterns of silicon accumulation in grasses.
Article
Ecology
T. D. Morris, J. E. Drake, J. R. Gould, M. K. Fierke
Summary: Invasive woodboring insects, such as emerald ash borer (EAB), cause significant harm to forests. This study investigated the impact of urbanization on the establishment and distribution of introduced biological control agents and native parasitoids of EAB. The results showed that while some parasitoids were negatively affected by urbanization, the biological control agents of EAB successfully established and were widely distributed in Syracuse, NY.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Fatemeh Rasouli, Mohammad Babla, Lihua Li, Weiguang Liang, Miing-Tiem Yong, Talaat Ahmed, David Tissue, Samsul Huda, Zhong-Hua Chen
Summary: This study focused on the physiological traits and productivity of three eggplant cultivars in a high-tech glasshouse. The results showed that the cultivar Tracey had higher leaf growth and number of flowers per node compared to the other two varieties. Despite having the lowest net CO2 assimilation, Tracey produced the highest yield and better water use efficiency in terms of agronomic performance. However, further research is needed to understand the varietal performance of greenhouse eggplants and establish benchmarks for large-scale sustainable production.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xin Hou, Yagiz Alagoz, Ralf Welsch, Matthew D. Mortimer, Barry J. Pogson, Christopher Cazzonelli
Summary: PHYTOENE SYNTHASE (PSY) is an important enzyme in carotenoid biosynthesis, and changes in its gene expression and activity can affect carotenoid composition and plastid differentiation in plants. In this study, four genetic variants of PSY were identified, and they were found to regulate leaf virescence phenotypes and plastid abnormalities in mutant plants. These variants influenced alternative splicing, enzyme-substrate interactions, and protein binding, thereby fine-tuning the levels and activity of PSY. Additionally, they also affected the accumulation of specific substances and the regulation of plastid development.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ting Wu, Yuting Song, David Tissue, Wei Su, Hanyu Luo, Xu Li, Shimin Yang, Xujun Liu, Junhua Yan, Juan Huang, Juxiu Liu
Summary: This study investigated the phenotypic plasticity of four tree species under different precipitation and nitrogen deposition conditions. The results showed that changing precipitation reduced photosynthetic rate in Castanopsis fissa, while high nitrogen deposition increased photosynthetic rate in Ormosia pinnata. The growth of Dalbergia odorifera might be affected by precipitation and nitrogen deposition. These findings have important implications for selecting tree species that can adapt to future climate change.