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Alenazi, A.S., Bianconi, M.E. orcid.org/0000-0002-1585-5947, Middlemiss, E. et al. (9 more authors) (2023) Leaf anatomy explains the strength of C4 activity within the grass species Alloteropsis semialata. Plant, Cell & Environment, 46 (8). pp. 2310-2322. ISSN 0140-7791
Abstract
C4 photosynthesis results from anatomical and biochemical characteristics that together concentrate CO2 around ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), increasing productivity in warm conditions. This complex trait evolved through the gradual accumulation of components, and particular species possess only some of these, resulting in weak C4 activity. The consequences of adding C4 components have been modelled and investigated through comparative approaches, but the intraspecific dynamics responsible for strengthening the C4 pathway remain largely unexplored. Here, we evaluate the link between anatomical variation and C4 activity, focusing on populations of the photosynthetically diverse grass Alloteropsis semialata that fix various proportions of carbon via the C4 cycle. The carbon isotope ratios in these populations range from values typical of C3 to those typical of C4 plants. This variation is statistically explained by a combination of leaf anatomical traits linked to the preponderance of bundle sheath tissue. We hypothesize that increased investment in bundle sheath boosts the strength of the intercellular C4 pump and shifts the balance of carbon acquisition towards the C4 cycle. Carbon isotope ratios indicating a stronger C4 pathway are associated with warmer, drier environments, suggesting that incremental anatomical alterations can lead to the emergence of C4 physiology during local adaptation within metapopulations.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2023 The Authors. Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Keywords: | C3-C4 intermediate; C4 photosynthesis; evolution; population genetics |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Biosciences (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL NE/M00208X/1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION - HORIZON 2020 638333 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL NE/T011025/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 22 May 2023 11:00 |
Last Modified: | 04 Sep 2024 08:57 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pce.14607 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/pce.14607 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:199403 |
Available Versions of this Item
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Identifying leaf anatomy and metabolic regulators that underpin C4 photosynthesis in Alloteropsis semialata. (deposited 04 Sep 2024 09:02)
- Leaf anatomy explains the strength of C4 activity within the grass species Alloteropsis semialata. (deposited 22 May 2023 11:00) [Currently Displayed]