High-Resolution Chlorophyll Fluorescence Imaging Serves as a Non-Invasive Indicator to Monitor the Spatio-Temporal Variations of Metabolism during the Day-Night Cycle and during the Endogenous Rhythm in Continuous Light in the CAM Plant Kalanchoë daigremontiana

Abstract

Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging is a powerful tool to monitor temporal and spatial dynamics of photosynthesis and photosynthesis-related metabolism. In this communication, we use high resolution chlorophyll fluorescence imaging techniques under strictly controlled conditions to quantify day courses of relative effective quantum yield (φ_PSII) of an entire leaf of the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant Kalanchoë daigremontiana at different light intensities. Careful interpretation of the combined gas exchange and fluorescence data, in combination with micro malate samples, allow the interpretation of underlying metabolic properties, such as leaf internal CO₂ concentration (ci_CO2 ) and energy demand of the cells. Spatial variations of φ_PSII, which occur as running wave fronts at the transition from phase III to phase IV of CAM, may reflect spatial differences of ci_CO2 , which are preserved in the tightly packed mesophyll cells of K. daigremontiana. An endogenous rhythm is driven by a master switch which mediates between malate storage and malate release to and from the vacuole, however, using fluorescence techniques, four different metabolic states can be distinguished which also account for the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase.

Symbols and Abbreviations

φ_PSII: relative quantum efficiency of photosystem II

∫φ_PSII: relative quantum efficiency of photosystem II integrated over one leaf

ΔF/F_m′: effective quantum yield of PS II (ΔF = F_m′ - F)

CAM: crassulacean acid metabolism

ci_CO2 : leaf internal CO₂ concentration

HIGH: maximum fluorescence yield of the light-adapted leaf at the end of a saturating light pulse

LOW: ground fluorescence yield of the light-adapted leaf under low, steady state light intensities

PEPCase: phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase

PFD: photon flux density (λ = 400 - 700 nm)

PS: photosystem

Rubisco: ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase

Key words

Kalanchoë daigremontiana - chlorophyll fluorescence imaging - photosynthetic efficiency - quantum yield of photosynthesis - crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) - internal CO₂ concentration - malate

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