title: Cyclic-AMP levels in the lichen Evernia prunastri are modulated by light quantity and quality.
abstract: Changes in the accumulation of cAMP levels were measured by the isotope dilution assay using protein kinase A in the lichen Evernia prunastri at varying light conditions. cAMP levels decreased following exposure to low irradiance (20 micromol quanta m(-2) s(-1), and below the compensation point for photosynthesis) of red light (600-710-nm wave length) and increased by 50% after far-red light illumination (15 micromol quanta m(-2) s(-1), 710-800-nm wavelength). Far-red partially reverted the effect of red light when the former was supplied after the latter. cAMP increased to its maximum level under high irradiance supplied by a non-photomorphogenic yellow light source (400 micromol quanta m(-2) s(-1), reaching photosynthetic saturation). The addition of small quantities of red and far-red light, however, had profound restricting effects on cAMP accumulation. The addition of inhibitors of electron transport chains did not promote any significant change in cAMP levels in any of the treatments, indicating that cAMP accumulation could not depend on ATP synthesis. We propose that the response of cAMP accumulation at low irradiance comprises the activation of a morphogenic pathway through a red/far-red photoreceptor. In addition, at high irradiance the response would occur most likely through photosystems II and I acting as sensors of light quantity, that can be strongly modified by the red/far-red photomorphogenic system. Thus, cAMP would be involved in sensing the overall light environment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Campus Universitario de Teatinos s/n, 29071 Malaga, Spain. segovia@uma.es
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Segovia
authors.forename: Francisco J L
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Gordillo
authors.forename: Félix L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Figueroa
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000528:radiation effects; D008011:Lichens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008027:Light; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000242:Cyclic AMP