Photosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petioles
Abstract Background Photosynthesis in the green leafless blade tissues or organs of plants has been studied in some plants, but the photosynthetic characteristics of stems and petioles are poorly understood. Cucurbitaceous plants are climbing plants that have substantial stem and petiole biomass. Un...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Plant Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-021-03233-w |
| _version_ | 1818930286042284032 |
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| author | Weike Sun Ning Ma Hongyu Huang Jingwei Wei Si Ma Huan Liu Shi Zhang Zhenxian Zhang Xiaolei Sui Xin Li |
| author_facet | Weike Sun Ning Ma Hongyu Huang Jingwei Wei Si Ma Huan Liu Shi Zhang Zhenxian Zhang Xiaolei Sui Xin Li |
| author_sort | Weike Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Photosynthesis in the green leafless blade tissues or organs of plants has been studied in some plants, but the photosynthetic characteristics of stems and petioles are poorly understood. Cucurbitaceous plants are climbing plants that have substantial stem and petiole biomass. Understanding the photosynthetic contribution of cucumber stems and petioles to their growth and the underlying molecular mechanisms are important for the regulating of growth in cucumber production. Results In this study, the photosynthetic capacity of cucumber stems and petioles were determined by 14CO2 uptake. The total carbon fixed by the stems and petioles was approximately 4% of that fixed by one leaf blade in the cucumber seedling stage, while the proportion of the carbon accumulated in the stems and petioles that redistributed to sink organs (roots and shoot apexes) obviously increased under leafless conditions. The photosynthetic properties of cucumber stems and petioles were studied using a combination of electron microscopy and isotope tracers to compare these properties of stems and petioles with those of leaf blade using two genotypes of cucumber (dark green and light green). Compared with those of the leaf blades, the chlorophyll contents of the cucumber stems and petioles were lower, and the stems and petioles had lower chloroplast numbers and lower stoma numbers but higher thylakoid grana lamella numbers and larger stoma sizes. The Chl a/b ratios were also decreased in the petioles and stems compared with those in the leaf blades. The total photosynthetic rates of the stems and petioles were equivalent to 6 ~ 8% of that of one leaf blade, but the respiration rates were similar in all the three organs, with an almost net 0 photosynthetic rate in the stems and petioles. Transcriptome analysis showed that compared with the leaf blades, the stems and petioles has significantly different gene expression levels in photosynthesis, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism; photosynthetic antenna proteins; and carbon fixation. PEPC enzyme activities were higher in the stems and petioles than in the leaf blades, suggesting that the photosynthetic and respiratory mechanisms in stems and petioles are different from those in leaf blade, and these results are consistent with the gene expression data. Conclusions In this study, we confirmed the photosynthetic contribution to the growth of cucumber stems and petioles, and showed their similar photosynthetic patterns in the terms of anatomy, molecular biology and physiology, which were different from those of cucumber leaf blades. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T03:58:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cdfacca817ad41799c53f3255ede599c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2229 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T03:58:17Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Plant Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-cdfacca817ad41799c53f3255ede599c2022-12-21T19:54:15ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292021-10-0121111410.1186/s12870-021-03233-wPhotosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petiolesWeike Sun0Ning Ma1Hongyu Huang2Jingwei Wei3Si Ma4Huan Liu5Shi Zhang6Zhenxian Zhang7Xiaolei Sui8Xin Li9Department of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityState Key Laboratory of Vegetable Germplasm Innovation, Tianjin Kernel Cucumber Research InstituteDepartment of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Vegetable Science, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops. College of Horticulture, China Agricultural UniversityAbstract Background Photosynthesis in the green leafless blade tissues or organs of plants has been studied in some plants, but the photosynthetic characteristics of stems and petioles are poorly understood. Cucurbitaceous plants are climbing plants that have substantial stem and petiole biomass. Understanding the photosynthetic contribution of cucumber stems and petioles to their growth and the underlying molecular mechanisms are important for the regulating of growth in cucumber production. Results In this study, the photosynthetic capacity of cucumber stems and petioles were determined by 14CO2 uptake. The total carbon fixed by the stems and petioles was approximately 4% of that fixed by one leaf blade in the cucumber seedling stage, while the proportion of the carbon accumulated in the stems and petioles that redistributed to sink organs (roots and shoot apexes) obviously increased under leafless conditions. The photosynthetic properties of cucumber stems and petioles were studied using a combination of electron microscopy and isotope tracers to compare these properties of stems and petioles with those of leaf blade using two genotypes of cucumber (dark green and light green). Compared with those of the leaf blades, the chlorophyll contents of the cucumber stems and petioles were lower, and the stems and petioles had lower chloroplast numbers and lower stoma numbers but higher thylakoid grana lamella numbers and larger stoma sizes. The Chl a/b ratios were also decreased in the petioles and stems compared with those in the leaf blades. The total photosynthetic rates of the stems and petioles were equivalent to 6 ~ 8% of that of one leaf blade, but the respiration rates were similar in all the three organs, with an almost net 0 photosynthetic rate in the stems and petioles. Transcriptome analysis showed that compared with the leaf blades, the stems and petioles has significantly different gene expression levels in photosynthesis, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism; photosynthetic antenna proteins; and carbon fixation. PEPC enzyme activities were higher in the stems and petioles than in the leaf blades, suggesting that the photosynthetic and respiratory mechanisms in stems and petioles are different from those in leaf blade, and these results are consistent with the gene expression data. Conclusions In this study, we confirmed the photosynthetic contribution to the growth of cucumber stems and petioles, and showed their similar photosynthetic patterns in the terms of anatomy, molecular biology and physiology, which were different from those of cucumber leaf blades.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-021-03233-wCucumberStemPetiole14CPhotosynthesis |
| spellingShingle | Weike Sun Ning Ma Hongyu Huang Jingwei Wei Si Ma Huan Liu Shi Zhang Zhenxian Zhang Xiaolei Sui Xin Li Photosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petioles BMC Plant Biology Cucumber Stem Petiole 14C Photosynthesis |
| title | Photosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petioles |
| title_full | Photosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petioles |
| title_fullStr | Photosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petioles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Photosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petioles |
| title_short | Photosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petioles |
| title_sort | photosynthetic contribution and characteristics of cucumber stems and petioles |
| topic | Cucumber Stem Petiole 14C Photosynthesis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-021-03233-w |
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