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Arzac MI, Miranda-Apodaca J, de Los Ríos A, Castanyer-Mallol F, García-Plazaola JI, Fernández-Marín B. The outstanding capacity of Prasiola antarctica to thrive in contrasting harsh environments relies on the constitutive protection of thylakoids and on morphological plasticity. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 119:65-83. [PMID: 38608130 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The determination of physiological tolerance ranges of photosynthetic species and of the biochemical mechanisms underneath are fundamental to identify target processes and metabolites that will inspire enhanced plant management and production for the future. In this context, the terrestrial green algae within the genus Prasiola represent ideal models due to their success in harsh environments (polar tundras) and their extraordinary ecological plasticity. Here we focus on the outstanding Prasiola antarctica and compare two natural populations living in very contrasting microenvironments in Antarctica: the dry sandy substrate of a beach and the rocky bed of an ephemeral freshwater stream. Specifically, we assessed their photosynthetic performance at different temperatures, reporting for the first time gnsd values in algae and changes in thylakoid metabolites in response to extreme desiccation. Stream population showed lower α-tocopherol content and thicker cell walls and thus, lower gnsd and photosynthesis. Both populations had high temperatures for optimal photosynthesis (around +20°C) and strong constitutive tolerance to freezing and desiccation. This tolerance seems to be related to the high constitutive levels of xanthophylls and of the cylindrical lipids di- and tri-galactosyldiacylglycerol in thylakoids, very likely related to the effective protection and stability of membranes. Overall, P. antarctica shows a complex battery of constitutive and plastic protective mechanisms that enable it to thrive under harsh conditions and to acclimate to very contrasting microenvironments, respectively. Some of these anatomical and biochemical adaptations may partially limit photosynthesis, but this has a great potential to rise in a context of increasing temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miren I Arzac
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Jon Miranda-Apodaca
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Asunción de Los Ríos
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Serrano 115 dpdo, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francesc Castanyer-Mallol
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Department of Biology, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), INAGEA, Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - José I García-Plazaola
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Beatriz Fernández-Marín
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of La Laguna (ULL), Canary Islands, 38200, La Laguna, Spain
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Liu M, Wang Y, Zhang H, Hao Y, Wu H, Shen H, Zhang P. Mechanisms of photoprotection in overwintering evergreen conifers: Sustained quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 210:108638. [PMID: 38653096 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Evergreen conifers growing in high-latitude regions must endure prolonged winters that are characterized by sub-zero temperatures combined with light, conditions that can cause significant photooxidative stress. Understanding overwintering mechanisms is crucial for addressing winter adversity in temperate forest ecosystems and enhancing the ability of conifers to adapt to climate change. This review synthesizes the current understanding of the photoprotective mechanisms that conifers employ to mitigate photooxidative stress, particularly non-photochemical "sustained quenching", the mechanism of which is hypothesized to be a recombination or deformation of the original mechanism employed by conifers in response to short-term low temperature and intense light stress in the past. Based on this hypothesis, scattered studies in this field are assembled and integrated into a complete mechanism of sustained quenching embedded in the adaptation process of plant physiology. It also reveals which parts of the whole system have been verified in conifers and which have only been verified in non-conifers, and proposes specific directions for future research. The functional implications of studies of non-coniferous plant species for the study of coniferous trees are also considered, as a wide range of plant responses lead to sustained quenching, even among different conifer species. In addition, the review highlights the challenges of measuring sustained quenching and discusses the application of ultrafast-time-resolved fluorescence and decay-associated spectra for the elucidation of photosynthetic principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Liu
- College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Yu Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Huihui Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Yuanqin Hao
- College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Haibo Wu
- College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Engineering Technology Research Center of Korean Pine, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Hailong Shen
- College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Engineering Technology Research Center of Korean Pine, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Peng Zhang
- College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Engineering Technology Research Center of Korean Pine, Harbin, 150040, China.
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Putzier CC, Polich SB, Verhoeven AS. Sustained zeaxanthin-dependent thermal dissipation is induced by desiccation and low temperatures in the fern Polypodium virginianum. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2022; 174:e13743. [PMID: 35773786 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Desiccation and low temperatures inhibit photosynthetic carbon reduction and, in combination with light, result in severe oxidative stress, thus, tolerant organisms must utilize enhanced photoprotective mechanisms to prevent damaging reactions from occurring. We sought to characterize the desiccation tolerance of the fern Polypodium virginianum and to assess the role of the xanthophyll cycle and sustained forms of thermal dissipation in its response to desiccation, as well as to low temperatures during winter. Our results demonstrate that P. virginianum is desiccation-tolerant and that it increases its utilization of sustained forms of zexanthin (Z)-dependent thermal dissipation in response to desiccation and low temperatures during winter. Experiments with detached fronds were conducted in dark and natural light conditions and demonstrated that some dark-formation of Z occurs in this species. In addition, desiccation in the light resulted in more pronounced declines in maximal photochemical efficiency (Fv /Fm ) and higher Z levels than desiccation in the dark, indicating a substantial fraction of the sustained reduction in Fv /Fm is due to Z-dependent sustained dissipation. Recovery from desiccation and from low temperatures exhibited biphasic kinetics with a more rapid phase (1-4 h), which was accompanied by an increase in minimal fluorescence yield (Fo ) but no change in Z, and a slower phase (up to 24 h) correlating with reconversion of Z to violaxanthin. These data suggest that two mechanisms of sustained thermal dissipation occur in response to desiccation and low temperatures, possibly corresponding to sustained forms of the energy-dependent and zeaxanthin-dependent mechanisms of dynamic thermal dissipation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sidney B Polich
- Biology Department, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Amy S Verhoeven
- Biology Department, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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Exploring the High Variability of Vegetative Desiccation Tolerance in Pteridophytes. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11091222. [PMID: 35567223 PMCID: PMC9103120 DOI: 10.3390/plants11091222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the context of plant evolution, pteridophytes, which is comprised of lycophytes and ferns, occupy an intermediate position between bryophytes and seed plants, sharing characteristics with both groups. Pteridophytes is a highly diverse group of plant species that occupy a wide range of habitats including ecosystems with extreme climatic conditions. There is a significant number of pteridophytes that can tolerate desiccation by temporarily arresting their metabolism in the dry state and reactivating it upon rehydration. Desiccation-tolerant pteridophytes exhibit a strategy that appears to be intermediate between the constitutive and inducible desiccation tolerance (DT) mechanisms observed in bryophytes and angiosperms, respectively. In this review, we first describe the incidence and anatomical diversity of desiccation-tolerant pteridophytes and discuss recent advances on the origin of DT in vascular plants. Then, we summarize the highly diverse adaptations and mechanisms exhibited by this group and describe how some of these plants could exhibit tolerance to multiple types of abiotic stress. Research on the evolution and regulation of DT in different lineages is crucial to understand how plants have adapted to extreme environments. Thus, in the current scenario of climate change, the knowledge of the whole landscape of DT strategies is of vital importance as a potential basis to improve plant abiotic stress tolerance.
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Voronkov A, Ivanova T. Significance of Lipid Fatty Acid Composition for Resistance to Winter Conditions in Asplenium scolopendrium. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11040507. [PMID: 35453707 PMCID: PMC9024544 DOI: 10.3390/biology11040507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Plants growing at temperate and polar latitudes are exposed to cold stress. With climate change, different durations of low temperatures and sometimes frost are being increasingly observed in regions at low latitudes. This can cause especially great harm to agricultural crops, the mortality of which can pose a serious challenge to the food supply for the global population. One of the factors affecting plant resistance to low and negative temperatures is specific changes in the fatty acid (FA) composition of lipids. It should be noted that most of the crops studied in this regard are angiosperms. It is known that the FA composition of angiosperms has undergone significant evolutionary changes compared to that of nonflowering vascular plants. Studying the FA composition of various taxonomic groups can shed light on and reveal new mechanisms of plant resistance. Therefore, in this paper, we focused on the rare evergreen fern Asplenium scolopendrium, whose fronds can tolerate freezing. A number of specific features of its FA composition were discovered, which, in combination with other resistance mechanisms, determine its ability to grow in temperate climate zones and safely undergo wintering. Abstract Ferns are one of the oldest land plants. Among them, there are species that, during the course of evolution, have adapted to living in temperate climates and under winter conditions. Asplenium scolopendrium is one such species whose fronds are able to tolerate low subzero temperatures in winter. It is known that the resistance of ferns to freezing is associated with their prevention of desiccation via unique properties of the xylem and effective photoprotective mechanisms. In this work, the composition of A. scolopendrium lipid fatty acids (FAs) at different times of the year was studied by gas–liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry to determine their role in the resistance of this species to low temperatures. During the growing season, the polyunsaturated FA content increased significantly. This led to increases in the unsaturation and double-bond indices by winter. In addition, after emergence from snow, medium-chain FAs were found in the fronds. Thus, it can be speculated that the FA composition plays an important role in the adaptation of A. scolopendrium to growing conditions and preparation for successful wintering.
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Solanki T, García Plazaola JI, Robson TM, Fernández Marín B. Freezing induces an increase in leaf spectral transmittance of forest understorey and alpine forbs. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2022; 21:997-1009. [PMID: 35226331 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-022-00189-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Evergreen plants growing at high latitudes or high elevations may experience freezing events in their photosynthetic tissues. Freezing events can have physical and physiological effects on the leaves which alter leaf optical properties affecting remote and proximal sensing parameters. We froze leaves of six alpine plant species (Soldanella alpina, Ranunculus kuepferi, Luzula nutans, Gentiana acaulis, Geum montanum, and Centaurea uniflora) and three evergreen forest understorey species (Hepatica nobilis, Fragaria vesca and Oxalis acetosella), and assessed their spectral transmittance and optically measured pigments, as well as photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) as an indicator of freezing damage. Upon freezing, leaves of all the species transmitted more photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and some species had increased ultraviolet-A (UV-A) transmittance. These differences were less pronounced in alpine than in understorey species, which may be related to higher chlorophyll degradation, visible as reduced leaf chlorophyll content upon freezing in the latter species. Among these understorey forbs, the thin leaves of O. acetosella displayed the largest reduction in chlorophyll (-79%). This study provides insights into how freezing changes the leaf optical properties of wild plants which could be used to set a baseline for upscaling optical reflectance data from remote sensing. Changes in leaf transmittance may also serve to indicate photosynthetic sufficiency and physiological tolerance of freezing events, but experimental research is required to establish this functional association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Twinkle Solanki
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology (OEB), Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS), Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - José Ignacio García Plazaola
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - T Matthew Robson
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology (OEB), Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS), Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Beatriz Fernández Marín
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of La Laguna (ULL), 38200, Tenerife, Spain
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Bertel C, Hacker J, Neuner G. Protective Role of Ice Barriers: How Reproductive Organs of Early Flowering and Mountain Plants Escape Frost Injuries. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10051031. [PMID: 34065614 PMCID: PMC8161042 DOI: 10.3390/plants10051031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In the temperate zone of Europe, plants flowering in early spring or at high elevation risk that their reproductive organs are harmed by episodic frosts. Focusing on flowers of two mountain and three early-flowering colline to montane distributed species, vulnerability to ice formation and ice management strategies using infrared video thermography were investigated. Three species had ice susceptible flowers and structural ice barriers, between the vegetative and reproductive organs, that prevent ice entrance from the frozen stems. Structural ice barriers as found in Anemona nemorosa and Muscari sp. have not yet been described for herbaceous species that of Jasminum nudiflorum corroborates findings for woody species. Flowers of Galanthus nivalis and Scilla forbesii were ice tolerant. For all herbs, it became clear that the soil acts as a thermal insulator for frost susceptible below ground organs and as a thermal barrier against the spread of ice between individual flowers and leaves. Both ice barrier types presumably promote that the reproductive organs can remain supercooled, and can at least for a certain time-period escape from effects of ice formation. Both effects of ice barriers appear significant in the habitat of the tested species, where episodic freezing events potentially curtail the reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Bertel
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Jürgen Hacker
- Hechenbichler GmbH, Cusanusweg 7-9, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Gilbert Neuner
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
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Holmlund HI. Synergistic adaptations: freezing tolerance is associated with desiccation tolerance and activation of violaxanthin de-epoxidase in wintergreen ferns. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:2814-2817. [PMID: 33822176 PMCID: PMC8023176 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This article comments on: Fernández-Marín B, Arzac MI, López-Pozo M, Laza JM, Roach T, Stegner M, Neuner G, García-Plazaola JI. 2021. Frozen in the dark: interplay of night-time activity of xanthophyll cycle, xylem attributes, and desiccation tolerance in fern resistance to winter. Journal of Experimental Botany 72, 3168–3184.
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