title: Direct impact of the sustained decline in the photosystem II efficiency upon plant productivity at different developmental stages.
abstract: The impact of chronic photoinhibition of photosystem II (PSII) on the productivity of plants remains unknown. The present study investigated the influences of persistent decline in the PSII yield on morphology and productivity of Arabidopsis plants that were exposed to lincomycin at two different developmental stages (seedling and rosette stage). The results indicated that, although retarded, the lincomycin treated plants were able to accomplish the entire growth period with only 50% of the maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry (Fv/Fm) of the control plants. The decline in quantum yield limited the electron transport rate (ETR). The impact of lincomycin on NPQ was not significant in seedlings, but was pronounced in mature plants. The treated plants produced an above ground biomass of 50% compared to control plants. Moreover, a linear relationship was found between the above ground biomass and total rosette leaf area, and the slope was decreased due to photoinhibition. The starch accumulation was highly inhibited by lincomycin treatment. Lincomycin induced a significant decrease in seed yield with plants treated from the rosette state showing higher yield than those treated from the seedling stage. Our data suggest that the sustained decline of PSII efficiency decreases plant productivity by constraining the ETR, leaf development and starch production.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK; Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China.
authors.forename: Yonglan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ungerer
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China.
authors.forename: Huayong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK. Electronic address: a.ruban@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alexander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ruban
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D018533:Biomass; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005453:Fluorescence; D008027:Light; D008034:Lincomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008954:Models, Biological; D010777:Photochemistry; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013213:Starch / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D002734:Chlorophyll; D013213:Starch; D008034:Lincomycin
keywords: Biomass accumulation; Electron transport; PSII efficiency; Photoinhibition; Productivity; Starch