Increased α-ketoglutarate links the C3-C4 intermediate state to C4 photosynthesis in the genus Flaveria

As a complex trait, C4 photosynthesis has multiple independent origins in evolution. Phylogenetic evidence and theoretical analysis suggest that C2 photosynthesis, which is driven by glycine decarboxylation in the bundle sheath cell, may function as a bridge from C3 to C4 photosynthesis. However, the exact molecular mechanism underlying the transition between C2 photosynthesis to C4 photosynthesis remains elusive. Here, we provide evidence suggesting a role of higher α-ketoglutarate (AKG) concentration during this transition. Metabolomic data of 12 Flaveria species, including multiple photosynthetic types, show that AKG concentration initially increased in the C3-C4 intermediate with a further increase in C4 species. Petiole feeding of AKG increases the concentrations of C4-related metabolites in C3-C4 and C4 species but not the activity of C4-related enzymes. Sequence analysis shows that glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT), which catalyzes the generation of glutamate using AKG, was under strong positive selection during the evolution of C4 photosynthesis. Simulations with a constraint-based model for C3-C4 intermediate further show that decreasing the activity of Fd-GOGAT facilitated the transition from a C2-dominant to a C4-dominant CO2 concentrating mechanism. All these results provide insight into the mechanistic switch from C3-C4 intermediate to C4 photosynthesis.

The Evolution of C4 Photosynthesis in Flaveria (Asteraceae): Insights from the Flaveria linearis Complex

Flaveria is a leading model for C4 plant evolution due to the presence of a dozen C3-C4 intermediate species, many of which are associated with a phylogenetic complex centered around Flaveria linearis. To investigate C4 evolution in Flaveria, we updated the Flaveria phylogeny and evaluated gas exchange, starch δ13C, and activity of C4 cycle enzymes in 19 Flaveria species and 28 populations within the F. linearis complex. A principal component analysis identified six functional clusters: (1) C3, (2) sub-C2, (3) full C2, (4) enriched C2, (5) sub-C4, and (6) fully C4 species. The sub-C2 species lacked a functional C4 cycle, while a gradient was present in the C2 clusters from little to modest C4 cycle activity as indicated by δ13C and enzyme activities. Three Yucatan populations of F. linearis had photosynthetic CO2 compensation points equivalent to C4 plants but showed little evidence for an enhanced C4 cycle, indicating they have an optimized C2 pathway that recaptures all photorespired CO2 in the bundle sheath (BS) tissue. All C2 species had enhanced aspartate aminotransferase activity relative to C3 species and most had enhanced alanine aminotransferase activity. These aminotransferases form aspartate and alanine from glutamate and in doing so could help return photorespiratory nitrogen (N) from BS to mesophyll cells, preventing glutamate feedback onto photorespiratory N assimilation. Their use requires upregulation of parts of the C4 metabolic cycle to generate carbon skeletons to sustain N return to the mesophyll, and thus could facilitate the evolution of the full C4 photosynthetic pathway.

The evolution of stomatal traits along the trajectory toward C4 photosynthesis

C4 photosynthesis optimizes plant carbon and water relations, allowing high photosynthetic rates with low stomatal conductance. Stomata have long been considered a part of the C4 syndrome. However, it remains unclear how stomatal traits evolved along the path from C3 to C4. Here, we examined stomata in the Flaveria genus, a model used for C4 evolutionary study. Comparative, transgenic, and semi-in vitro experiments were performed to study the molecular basis that underlies the changes of stomatal traits in C4 evolution. The evolution from C3 to C4 species is accompanied by a gradual rather than an abrupt change in stomatal traits. The initial change appears near the Type I intermediate stage. Co-evolution of the photosynthetic pathway and stomatal traits is supported. On the road to C4, stomata tend to be fewer in number but larger in size and stomatal density dominates changes in anatomical maximum stomatal conductance (gsmax). Reduction of FSTOMAGEN expression underlies decreased gsmax in Flaveria and likely occurs in other C4 lineages. Decreased gsmax contributes to the increase in intrinsic water-use efficiency in C4 evolution. This work highlights the stomatal traits in the current C4 evolutionary model. Our study provides insights into the pattern, mechanism, and role of stomatal evolution along the road toward C4.

Overexpression of cytoplasmic C4 Flaveria bidentis carbonic anhydrase in C3 Arabidopsis thaliana increases amino acids, photosynthetic potential, and biomass

An important method to improve photosynthesis in C₃ crops, such as rice and wheat, is to transfer efficient C₄ characters to them. Here, cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (CA: βCA3) of the C₄ Flaveria bidentis (Fb) was overexpressed under the control of ³⁵ S promoter in Arabidopsis thaliana, a C₃ plant, to enhance its photosynthetic efficiency. Overexpression of CA resulted in a better supply of the substrate HCO3- for the endogenous phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in the cytosol of the overexpressers, and increased its activity for generating malate that feeds into the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This provided additional carbon skeleton for increased synthesis of amino acids aspartate, asparagine, glutamate, and glutamine. Increased amino acids contributed to higher protein content in the transgenics. Furthermore, expression of FbβCA3 in Arabidopsis led to a better growth due to expression of several genes leading to higher chlorophyll content, electron transport, and photosynthetic carbon assimilation in the transformants. Enhanced CO₂ assimilation resulted in increased sugar and starch content, and plant dry weight. In addition, transgenic plants had lower stomatal conductance, reduced transpiration rate, and higher water-use efficiency. These results, taken together, show that expression of C₄ CA in the cytosol of a C₃ plant can indeed improve its photosynthetic capacity with enhanced water-use efficiency.

Metabolic profiles in C3, C3-C4 intermediate, C4-like, and C4 species in the genus Flaveria

C4 photosynthesis concentrates CO2 around Rubisco in the bundle sheath, favouring carboxylation over oxygenation and decreasing photorespiration. This complex trait evolved independently in >60 angiosperm lineages. Its evolution can be investigated in genera such as Flaveria (Asteraceae) that contain species representing intermediate stages between C3 and C4 photosynthesis. Previous studies have indicated that the first major change in metabolism probably involved relocation of glycine decarboxylase and photorespiratory CO2 release to the bundle sheath and establishment of intercellular shuttles to maintain nitrogen stoichiometry. This was followed by selection for a CO2-concentrating cycle between phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in the mesophyll and decarboxylases in the bundle sheath, and relocation of Rubisco to the latter. We have profiled 52 metabolites in nine Flaveria species and analysed 13CO2 labelling patterns for four species. Our results point to operation of multiple shuttles, including movement of aspartate in C3-C4 intermediates and a switch towards a malate/pyruvate shuttle in C4-like species. The malate/pyruvate shuttle increases from C4-like to complete C4 species, accompanied by a rise in ancillary organic acid pools. Our findings support current models and uncover further modifications of metabolism along the evolutionary path to C4 photosynthesis in the genus Flaveria.

Overproduction of PGR5 enhances the electron sink downstream of photosystem I in a C4 plant, Flaveria bidentis

C₄ plants can fix CO₂ efficiently using CO₂ -concentrating mechanisms (CCMs), but they require additional ATP. To supply the additional ATP, C₄ plants operate at higher rates of cyclic electron transport around photosystem I (PSI), in which electrons are transferred from ferredoxin to plastoquinone. Recently, it has been reported that the NAD(P)H dehydrogenase-like complex (NDH) accumulated in the thylakoid membrane in leaves of C₄ plants, making it a candidate for the additional synthesis of ATP used in the CCM. In addition, C₄ plants have higher levels of PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION 5 (PGR5) expression, but it has been unknown how PGR5 functions in C₄ photosynthesis. In this study, PGR5 was overexpressed in a C₄ dicot, Flaveria bidentis. In PGR5-overproducing (OP) lines, PGR5 levels were 2.3- to 3.0-fold greater compared with wild-type plants. PGR5-like PHOTOSYNTHETIC PHENOTYPE 1 (PGRL1), which cooperates with PGR5, increased with PGR5. A spectroscopic analysis indicated that in the PGR5-OP lines, the acceptor side limitation of PSI was reduced in response to a rapid increase in photon flux density. Although it did not affect CO₂ assimilation, the overproduction of PGR5 contributed to an enhanced electron sink downstream of PSI.

A single serine to alanine substitution decreases bicarbonate affinity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in C4Flaveria trinervia

Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase (PEPc) catalyzes the first committed step of C4 photosynthesis generating oxaloacetate from bicarbonate (HCO3-) and PEP. It is hypothesized that PEPc affinity for HCO3- has undergone selective pressure for a lower KHCO3 (Km for HCO3-) to increase the carbon flux entering the C4 cycle, particularly during conditions that limit CO2 availability. However, the decrease in KHCO3 has been hypothesized to cause an unavoidable increase in KPEP (Km for PEP). Therefore, the amino acid residue S774 in the C4 enzyme, which has been shown to increase KPEP, should lead to a decrease in KHCO3. Several studies reported the effect S774 has on KPEP; however, the influence of this amino acid substitution on KHCO3 has not been tested. To test these hypotheses, membrane-inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS) was used to measure the KHCO3 of the photosynthetic PEPc from the C4Flaveria trinervia and the non-photosynthetic PEPc from the C3F. pringlei. The cDNAs for these enzymes were overexpressed and purified from the PEPc-less PCR1 Escherichia coli strain. Our work in comparison with previous reports suggests that KHCO3 and KPEP are linked by specific amino acids, such as S774; however, these kinetic parameters respond differently to the tested allosteric regulators, malate and glucose-6-phosphate.

Efficient 2-phosphoglycolate degradation is required to maintain carbon assimilation and allocation in the C4 plant Flaveria bidentis

Photorespiration is indispensable for oxygenic photosynthesis since it detoxifies and recycles 2-phosphoglycolate (2PG), which is the primary oxygenation product of Rubisco. However, C4 plant species typically display very low rates of photorespiration due to their efficient biochemical carbon-concentrating mechanism. Thus, the broader relevance of photorespiration in these organisms remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the importance of a functional photorespiratory pathway in the C4 plant Flaveria bidentis using knockdown of the first enzymatic step, namely 2PG phosphatase (PGLP). The isolated RNAi lines showed strongly reduced amounts of PGLP protein, but distinct signs of the photorespiratory phenotype only emerged below 5% residual PGLP protein. Lines with this characteristic were stunted in growth, had strongly increased 2PG content, exhibited accelerated leaf senescence, and accumulated high amounts of branched-chain and aromatic amino acids, which are both characteristics of incipient carbon starvation. Oxygen-dependent gas-exchange measurements consistently suggested the cumulative impairment of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate regeneration with increased photorespiratory pressure. Our results indicate that photorespiration is essential for maintaining high rates of C4 photosynthesis by preventing the 2PG-mediated inhibition of carbon utilization efficiency. However, considerably higher 2PG accumulation can be tolerated compared to equivalent lines of C3 plants due to the differential distribution of specific enzymatic steps between the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells.

Sulfate Metabolism in C4 Flaveria Species Is Controlled by the Root and Connected to Serine Biosynthesis

The evolution of C4 photosynthesis led to an increase in carbon assimilation rates and plant growth compared to C3 photosynthetic plants. This enhanced plant growth, in turn, affects the requirement for soil-derived mineral nutrients. However, mineral plant nutrition has scarcely been considered in connection with C4 photosynthesis. Sulfur is crucial for plant growth and development, and preliminary studies in the genus Flaveria suggested metabolic differences in sulfate assimilation along the C4 evolutionary trajectory. Here, we show that in controlled conditions, foliar accumulation of the reduced sulfur compounds Cys and glutathione (GSH) increased with progressing establishment of the C4 photosynthetic cycle in different Flaveria species. An enhanced demand for reduced sulfur in C4 Flaveria species is reflected in high rates of [35S]sulfate incorporation into GSH upon sulfate deprivation and increased GSH turnover as a reaction to the inhibition of GSH synthesis. Expression analyses indicate that the γ-glutamyl cycle is crucial for the recycling of GSH in C4 species. Sulfate reduction and GSH synthesis seems to be preferentially localized in the roots of C4 species, which might be linked to its colocalization with the phosphorylated pathway of Ser biosynthesis. Interspecies grafting experiments of F. robusta (C3) and F. bidentis (C4) revealed that the root system primarily controls sulfate acquisition, GSH synthesis, and sulfate and metabolite allocation in C3 and C4 plants. This study thus shows that evolution of C4 photosynthesis resulted in a wide range of adaptations of sulfur metabolism and points out the need for broader studies on importance of mineral nutrition for C4 plants.

An rbcL mRNA-binding protein is associated with C3 to C4 evolution and light-induced production of Rubisco in Flaveria

Nuclear-encoded RLSB protein binds chloroplastic rbcL mRNA encoding the Rubisco large subunit. RLSB is highly conserved across all groups of land plants and is associated with positive post-transcriptional regulation of rbcL expression. In C3 leaves, RLSB and Rubisco occur in all chlorenchyma cell chloroplasts, while in C4 leaves these accumulate only within bundle sheath (BS) chloroplasts. RLSB's role in rbcL expression makes modification of its localization a likely prerequisite for the evolutionary restriction of Rubisco to BS cells. Taking advantage of evolutionarily conserved RLSB orthologs in several C3, C3-C4, C4-like, and C4 photosynthetic types within the genus Flaveria, we show that low level RLSB sequence divergence and modification to BS specificity coincided with ontogeny of Rubisco specificity and Kranz anatomy during C3 to C4 evolution. In both C3 and C4 species, Rubisco production reflected RLSB production in all cell types, tissues, and conditions examined. Co-localization occurred only in photosynthetic tissues, and both proteins were co-ordinately induced by light at post-transcriptional levels. RLSB is currently the only mRNA-binding protein to be associated with rbcL gene regulation in any plant, with variations in sequence and acquisition of cell type specificity reflecting the progression of C4 evolution within the genus Flaveria.

Shared characteristics underpinning C4 leaf maturation derived from analysis of multiple C3 and C4 species of Flaveria

Most terrestrial plants use C3 photosynthesis to fix carbon. In multiple plant lineages a modified system known as C4 photosynthesis has evolved. To better understand the molecular patterns associated with induction of C4 photosynthesis, the genus Flaveria that contains C3 and C4 species was used. A base to tip maturation gradient of leaf anatomy was defined, and RNA sequencing was undertaken along this gradient for two C3 and two C4 Flaveria species. Key C4 traits including vein density, mesophyll and bundle sheath cross-sectional area, chloroplast ultrastructure, and abundance of transcripts encoding proteins of C4 photosynthesis were quantified. Candidate genes underlying each of these C4 characteristics were identified. Principal components analysis indicated that leaf maturation and the photosynthetic pathway were responsible for the greatest amount of variation in transcript abundance. Photosynthesis genes were over-represented for a prolonged period in the C4 species. Through comparison with publicly available data sets, we identify a small number of transcriptional regulators that have been up-regulated in diverse C4 species. The analysis identifies similar patterns of expression in independent C4 lineages and so indicates that the complex C4 pathway is associated with parallel as well as convergent evolution.

Evolution of carbonic anhydrase in C4 plants

During the evolution of C4 photosynthesis, the intracellular location with most carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity has changed. In Flaveria, the loss of the sequence encoding a chloroplast transit peptide from an ancestral C3 CA ortholog confined the C4 isoform to the mesophyll cell cytosol. Recent studies indicate that sequence elements and histone modifications controlling the expression of C4-associated CAs were likely present in the C3 ancestral chromatin, enabling the evolution of the C4 pathway. Almost complete abolishment of maize CA activity yields no obvious phenotype at ambient CO2 levels. This contrasts with results for Flaveria CA mutants, and has opened discussion on the role of CA in the C4 carbon concentrating mechanism.

Tracking the evolutionary rise of C4 metabolism

Upregulation of the C4 metabolic cycle is a major step in the evolution of C4 photosynthesis. Why this happened remains unclear, in part because of difficulties measuring the C4 cycle in situ in C3-C4 intermediate species. Now, Alonso-Cantabrana and von Caemmerer (2016) have described a new approach for quantifying C4 cycle activity, thereby providing the means to analyze its upregulation in an evolutionary context.

Carbon isotope discrimination as a diagnostic tool for C4 photosynthesis in C3-C4 intermediate species

The presence and activity of the C4 cycle in C3-C4 intermediate species have proven difficult to analyze, especially when such activity is low. This study proposes a strategy to detect C4 activity and estimate its contribution to overall photosynthesis in intermediate plants, by using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) coupled to gas exchange systems to simultaneously measure the CO2 responses of CO2 assimilation (A) and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) under low O2 partial pressure. Mathematical models of C3-C4 photosynthesis and Δ are then fitted concurrently to both responses using the same set of constants. This strategy was applied to the intermediate species Flaveria floridana and F. brownii, and to F. pringlei and F. bidentis as C3 and C4 controls, respectively. Our results support the presence of a functional C4 cycle in F. floridana, that can fix 12-21% of carbon. In F. brownii, 75-100% of carbon is fixed via the C4 cycle, and the contribution of mesophyll Rubisco to overall carbon assimilation increases with CO2 partial pressure in both intermediate plants. Combined gas exchange and Δ measurement and modeling is a powerful diagnostic tool for C4 photosynthesis.

Transcriptome comparisons shed light on the pre-condition and potential barrier for C4 photosynthesis evolution in eudicots

C4 photosynthesis evolved independently from C3 photosynthesis in more than 60 lineages. Most of the C4 lineages are clustered together in the order Poales and the order Caryophyllales while many other angiosperm orders do not have C4 species, suggesting the existence of biological pre-conditions in the ancestral C3 species that facilitate the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in these lineages. To explore pre-adaptations for C4 photosynthesis evolution, we classified C4 lineages into the C4-poor and the C4-rich groups based on the percentage of C4 species in different genera and conducted a comprehensive comparison on the transcriptomic changes between the non-C4 species from the C4-poor and the C4-rich groups. Results show that species in the C4-rich group showed higher expression of genes related to oxidoreductase activity, light reaction components, terpene synthesis, secondary cell synthesis, C4 cycle related genes and genes related to nucleotide metabolism and senescence. In contrast, C4-poor group showed up-regulation of a PEP/Pi translocator, genes related to signaling pathway, stress response, defense response and plant hormone metabolism (ethylene and brassinosteroid). The implications of these transcriptomic differences between the C4-rich and C4-poor groups to C4 evolution are discussed.

Insights into the regulation of C4 leaf development from comparative transcriptomic analysis

C4 photosynthesis is more efficient than C3 photosynthesis for two reasons. First, C4 plants have evolved a repertoire of C4 enzymes to enhance CO2 fixation. Second, C4 leaves have Kranz anatomy with a high vein density in which the veins are surrounded by one layer of bundle sheath (BS) cells and one layer of mesophyll (M) cells. The BS and M cells are not only functionally well differentiated, but also well-coordinated for rapid transport of photo-assimilates between the two types of photosynthetic cells. Recent comparative transcriptomic and anatomical analyses of C3 and C4 leaves have revealed early onset of C4-related processes in leaf development, suggesting that delayed mesophyll differentiation contributes to higher C4 vein density, and have identified some candidate regulators for the higher vein density in C4 leaves. Moreover, comparative transcriptomics of maize husk (C3) and foliar leaves (C4) has identified a cohort of candidate regulators of Kranz anatomy development. In addition, there has been major progress in the identification of transcription factor binding sites, greatly increasing our knowledge of gene regulation in plants.

Initial events during the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in C3 species of Flaveria

The evolution of C4 photosynthesis in many taxa involves the establishment of a two-celled photorespiratory CO2 pump, termed C2 photosynthesis. How C3 species evolved C2 metabolism is critical to understanding the initial phases of C4 plant evolution. To evaluate early events in C4 evolution, we compared leaf anatomy, ultrastructure, and gas-exchange responses of closely related C3 and C2 species of Flaveria, a model genus for C4 evolution. We hypothesized that Flaveria pringlei and Flaveria robusta, two C3 species that are most closely related to the C2 Flaveria species, would show rudimentary characteristics of C2 physiology. Compared with less-related C3 species, bundle sheath (BS) cells of F. pringlei and F. robusta had more mitochondria and chloroplasts, larger mitochondria, and proportionally more of these organelles located along the inner cell periphery. These patterns were similar, although generally less in magnitude, than those observed in the C2 species Flaveria angustifolia and Flaveria sonorensis. In F. pringlei and F. robusta, the CO2 compensation point of photosynthesis was slightly lower than in the less-related C3 species, indicating an increase in photosynthetic efficiency. This could occur because of enhanced refixation of photorespired CO2 by the centripetally positioned organelles in the BS cells. If the phylogenetic positions of F. pringlei and F. robusta reflect ancestral states, these results support a hypothesis that increased numbers of centripetally located organelles initiated a metabolic scavenging of photorespired CO2 within the BS. This could have facilitated the formation of a glycine shuttle between mesophyll and BS cells that characterizes C2 photosynthesis.

Photosynthetic characterization of Rubisco transplantomic lines reveals alterations on photochemistry and mesophyll conductance

Improving Rubisco catalysis is considered a promising way to enhance C3-photosynthesis and photosynthetic water use efficiency (WUE) provided the introduced changes have little or no impact on other processes affecting photosynthesis such as leaf photochemistry or leaf CO2 diffusion conductances. However, the extent to which the factors affecting photosynthetic capacity are co-regulated is unclear. The aim of the present study was to characterize the photochemistry and CO2 transport processes in the leaves of three transplantomic tobacco genotypes expressing hybrid Rubisco isoforms comprising different Flaveria L-subunits that show variations in catalysis and differing trade-offs between the amount of Rubisco and its activation state. Stomatal conductance (g s) in each transplantomic tobacco line matched wild-type, while their photochemistry showed co-regulation with the variations in Rubisco catalysis. A tight co-regulation was observed between Rubisco activity and mesophyll conductance (g m) that was independent of g s thus producing plants with varying g m/g s ratios. Since the g m/g s ratio has been shown to positively correlate with intrinsic WUE, the present results suggest that altering photosynthesis by modifying Rubisco catalysis may also be useful for targeting WUE.

Evolution of C4 photosynthesis in the genus flaveria: establishment of a photorespiratory CO2 pump

C4 photosynthesis is nature's most efficient answer to the dual activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and the resulting loss of CO(2) by photorespiration. Gly decarboxylase (GDC) is the key component of photorespiratory CO(2) release in plants and is active in all photosynthetic tissues of C(3) plants, but only in the bundle sheath cells of C(4) plants. The restriction of GDC to the bundle sheath is assumed to be an essential and early step in the evolution of C(4) photosynthesis, leading to a photorespiratory CO(2) concentrating mechanism. In this study, we analyzed how the P-protein of GDC (GLDP) became restricted to the bundle sheath during the transition from C(3) to C(4) photosynthesis in the genus Flaveria. We found that C(3) Flaveria species already contain a bundle sheath-expressed GLDP gene in addition to a ubiquitously expressed second gene, which became a pseudogene in C(4) Flaveria species. Analyses of C(3)-C(4) intermediate Flaveria species revealed that the photorespiratory CO(2) pump was not established in one single step, but gradually. The knowledge gained by this study sheds light on the early steps in C(4) evolution.

Carbonic anhydrase and the molecular evolution of C4 photosynthesis

C(4) photosynthesis, a biochemical CO(2)-concentrating mechanism (CCM), evolved more than 60 times within the angiosperms from C(3) ancestors. The genus Flaveria, which contains species demonstrating C(3), C(3)-C(4), C(4)-like or C(4) photosynthesis, is a model for examining the molecular evolution of the C(4) pathway. Work with carbonic anhydrase (CA), and C(3) and C(4) Flaveria congeners has added significantly to the understanding of this process. The C(4) form of CA3, a β-CA, which catalyses the first reaction in the C(4) pathway by hydrating atmospheric CO(2) to bicarbonate in the cytosol of mesophyll cells (mcs), evolved from a chloroplastic C(3) ancestor. The molecular modifications to the ancestral CA3 gene included the loss of the sequence encoding the chloroplast transit peptide, and mutations in regulatory regions that resulted in high levels of expression in the C(4) mesophyll. Analyses of the CA3 proteins and regulatory elements from Flaveria photosynthetic intermediates indicated C(4) biochemistry very likely evolved in a specific, stepwise manner in this genus. The details of the mechanisms involved in the molecular evolution of other C(4) plant β-CAs are unknown; however, comparative genetics indicate gene duplication and neofunctionalization played significant roles as they did in Flaveria.

Regulation of the photorespiratory GLDPA gene in C(4) flaveria: an intricate interplay of transcriptional and posttranscriptional processes

The mitochondrial Gly decarboxylase complex (GDC) is a key component of the photorespiratory pathway that occurs in all photosynthetically active tissues of C(3) plants but is restricted to bundle sheath cells in C(4) species. GDC is also required for general cellular C(1) metabolism. In the Asteracean C(4) species Flaveria trinervia, a single functional GLDP gene, GLDPA, encodes the P-subunit of GDC, a decarboxylating Gly dehydrogenase. GLDPA promoter reporter gene fusion studies revealed that this promoter is active in bundle sheath cells and the vasculature of transgenic Flaveria bidentis (C(4)) and the Brassicacean C(3) species Arabidopsis thaliana, suggesting the existence of an evolutionarily conserved gene regulatory system in the bundle sheath. Here, we demonstrate that GLDPA gene regulation is achieved by an intricate interplay of transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. The GLDPA promoter is composed of two tandem promoters, P(R2) and P(R7), that together ensure a strong bundle sheath expression. While the proximal promoter (P(R7)) is active in the bundle sheath and vasculature, the distal promoter (P(R2)) drives uniform expression in all leaf chlorenchyma cells and the vasculature. An intron in the 5' untranslated leader of P(R2)-derived transcripts is inefficiently spliced and apparently suppresses the output of P(R2) by eliciting RNA decay.

Characterization of C₃--C₄ intermediate species in the genus Heliotropium L. (Boraginaceae): anatomy, ultrastructure and enzyme activity

Photosynthetic pathway characteristics were studied in nine species of Heliotropium (sensu lato, including Euploca), using assessments of leaf anatomy and ultrastructure, activities of PEP carboxylase and C₄ acid decarboxylases, and immunolocalization of ribulose 1·5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and the P-subunit of glycine decarboxylase (GDC). Heliotropium europaeum, Heliotropium calcicola and Heliotropium tenellum are C₃ plants, while Heliotropium texanum and Heliotropium polyphyllum are C₄ species. Heliotropium procumbens and Heliotropium karwinskyi are functionally C₃, but exhibit 'proto-Kranz' anatomy where bundle sheath (BS) cells are enlarged and mitochondria primarily occur along the centripetal (inner) wall of the BS cells; GDC is present throughout the leaf. Heliotropium convolvulaceum and Heliotropium greggii are C₃--C₄ intermediates, with Kranz-like enlargement of the BS cells, localization of mitochondria along the inner BS wall and a loss of GDC in the mesophyll (M) tissue. These C₃--C₄ species of Heliotropium probably shuttle photorespiratory glycine from the M to the BS tissue for decarboxylation. Heliotropium represents an important new model for studying C₄ evolution. Where existing models such as Flaveria emphasize diversification of C₃--C₄ intermediates, Heliotropium has numerous C₃ species expressing proto-Kranz traits that could represent a critical initial phase in the evolutionary origin of C₄ photosynthesis.

Water-use efficiency and nitrogen-use efficiency of C(3) -C(4) intermediate species of Flaveria Juss. (Asteraceae)

Plants using the C(4) pathway of carbon metabolism are marked by greater photosynthetic water and nitrogen-use efficiencies (PWUE and PNUE, respectively) than C(3) species, but it is unclear to what extent this is the case in C(3) -C(4) intermediate species. In this study, we examined the PWUE and PNUE of 14 species of Flaveria Juss. (Asteraceae), including two C(3) , three C(4) and nine C(3) -C(4) species, the latter containing a gradient of C(4) -cycle activities (as determined by initial fixation of (14) C into C-4 acids). We found that PWUE, PNUE, leaf ribulose 1·5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) content and intercellular CO(2) concentration in air (C(i) ) do not change gradually with C(4) -cycle activity. These traits were not significantly different between C(3) species and C(3) -C(4) species with less than 50% C(4) -cycle activity. C(4) -like intermediates with greater than 65% C(4) -cycle activity were not significantly different from plants with fully expressed C(4) photosynthesis. These results indicate that a gradual increase in C(4) -cycle activity has not resulted in a gradual change in PWUE, PNUE, intercellular CO(2) concentration and leaf Rubisco content towards C(4) levels in the intermediate species. Rather, these traits arose in a stepwise manner during the evolutionary transition to the C(4) -like intermediates, which are contained in two different clades within Flaveria.

Isoleucine 309 acts as a C4 catalytic switch that increases ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco) carboxylation rate in Flaveria

Improving global yields of important agricultural crops is a complex challenge. Enhancing yield and resource use by engineering improvements to photosynthetic carbon assimilation is one potential solution. During the last 40 million years C(4) photosynthesis has evolved multiple times, enabling plants to evade the catalytic inadequacies of the CO(2)-fixing enzyme, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco). Compared with their C(3) ancestors, C(4) plants combine a faster rubisco with a biochemical CO(2)-concentrating mechanism, enabling more efficient use of water and nitrogen and enhanced yield. Here we show the versatility of plastome manipulation in tobacco for identifying sequences in C(4)-rubisco that can be transplanted into C(3)-rubisco to improve carboxylation rate (V(C)). Using transplastomic tobacco lines expressing native and mutated rubisco large subunits (L-subunits) from Flaveria pringlei (C(3)), Flaveria floridana (C(3)-C(4)), and Flaveria bidentis (C(4)), we reveal that Met-309-Ile substitutions in the L-subunit act as a catalytic switch between C(4) ((309)Ile; faster V(C), lower CO(2) affinity) and C(3) ((309)Met; slower V(C), higher CO(2) affinity) catalysis. Application of this transplastomic system permits further identification of other structural solutions selected by nature that can increase rubisco V(C) in C(3) crops. Coengineering a catalytically faster C(3) rubisco and a CO(2)-concentrating mechanism within C(3) crop species could enhance their efficiency in resource use and yield.

Evolution of C4 photosynthesis in the genus Flaveria: how many and which genes does it take to make C4?

Selective pressure exerted by a massive decline in atmospheric CO(2) levels 55 to 40 million years ago promoted the evolution of a novel, highly efficient mode of photosynthetic carbon assimilation known as C(4) photosynthesis. C(4) species have concurrently evolved multiple times in a broad range of plant families, and this multiple and parallel evolution of the complex C(4) trait indicates a common underlying evolutionary mechanism that might be elucidated by comparative analyses of related C(3) and C(4) species. Here, we use mRNA-Seq analysis of five species within the genus Flaveria, ranging from C(3) to C(3)-C(4) intermediate to C(4) species, to quantify the differences in the transcriptomes of closely related plant species with varying degrees of C(4)-associated characteristics. Single gene analysis defines the C(4) cycle enzymes and transporters more precisely and provides new candidates for yet unknown functions as well as identifies C(4) associated pathways. Molecular evidence for a photorespiratory CO(2) pump prior to the establishment of the C(4) cycle-based CO(2) pump is provided. Cluster analysis defines the upper limit of C(4)-related gene expression changes in mature leaves of Flaveria as 3582 alterations.

The efficiency of C(4) photosynthesis under low light conditions: assumptions and calculations with CO(2) isotope discrimination

Leakiness (Φ), the proportion of carbon fixed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylation that leaks out of the bundle-sheath cells, determines C(4) photosynthetic efficiency. Large increases in Φ have been described at low irradiance. The underlying mechanisms for this increase remain uncertain, but changes in photorespiration or the energy partitioning between the C(4) and C(3) cycles have been suggested. Additionally, values of Φ at low light could be magnified from assumptions made when comparing measured photosynthetic discrimination against (13)C (Δ) with the theoretical formulation for Δ. For example, several simplifications are often made when modelling Δ to predict Φ including: (i) negligible fractionation during photorespiration and dark respiration; (ii) infinite mesophyll conductance; and (iii) CO(2) inside bundle-sheath cells (C(s)) is much larger than values in mesophyll cells (C(m)). Theoretical models for C(4) photosynthesis and C(4) Δ were combined to evaluate how these simplifications affect calculations of Δ and Φ at different light intensities. It was demonstrated that the effects of photorespiratory fractionations and mesophyll conductance were negligible at low light. Respiratory fractionation was relevant only when the magnitude of the fractionation factor was artificially increased during measurements. The largest error in estimating Φ occurred when assuming C(s) was much larger than C(m) at low light levels, when bundle-sheath conductance was large (g(s)), or at low O(2) concentrations. Under these conditions, the simplified equation for Δ overestimated Φ, and compromised comparisons between species with different g(s), and comparisons across O(2) concentrations.

Alternative splicing produces an H-protein with better substrate properties for the P-protein of glycine decarboxylase

Several thousand plant genes are known to produce multiple transcripts, but the precise function of most of the alternatively encoded proteins is not known. Alternative splicing has been reported for the H-protein subunit of glycine decarboxylase in the genus Flaveria. H-protein has no catalytic activity itself but is a substrate of the three enzymatically active subunits, P-, T- and L-protein. In C(4) species of Flaveria, two H-proteins originate from single genes in an organ-dependent manner. Here, we report on differences between the two alternative H-protein variants with respect to their interaction with the glycine-decarboxylating subunit, P-protein. Steady-state kinetic analyses of the alternative Flaveria H-proteins and artificially produced 'alternative' Arabidopsis H-proteins, using either pea mitochondrial matrix extracts or recombinant cyanobacterial P-protein, consistently demonstrate that the alternative insertion of two alanine residues at the N-terminus of the H-protein elevates the activity of P-protein by 20%in vitro, and could promote glycine decarboxylase activity in vivo.

Phosphorylation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase is not essential for high photosynthetic rates in the C4 species Flaveria bidentis

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC; EC4.1.1.31) plays a key role during C(4) photosynthesis. The enzyme is activated by metabolites such as glucose-6-phosphate and inhibited by malate. This metabolite sensitivity is modulated by the reversible phosphorylation of a conserved serine residue near the N terminus in response to light. The phosphorylation of PEPC is modulated by a protein kinase specific to PEPC (PEPC-PK). To explore the role PEPC-PK plays in the regulation of C(4) photosynthetic CO(2) fixation, we have transformed Flaveria bidentis (a C(4) dicot) with antisense or RNA interference constructs targeted at the mRNA of this PEPC-PK. We generated several independent transgenic lines where PEPC is not phosphorylated in the light, demonstrating that this PEPC-PK is essential for the phosphorylation of PEPC in vivo. Malate sensitivity of PEPC extracted from these transgenic lines in the light was similar to the malate sensitivity of PEPC extracted from darkened wild-type leaves but greater than the malate sensitivity observed in PEPC extracted from wild-type leaves in the light, confirming the link between PEPC phosphorylation and the degree of malate inhibition. There were, however, no differences in the CO(2) and light response of CO(2) assimilation rates between wild-type plants and transgenic plants with low PEPC phosphorylation, showing that phosphorylation of PEPC in the light is not essential for efficient C(4) photosynthesis for plants grown under standard glasshouse conditions. This raises the intriguing question of what role this complexly regulated reversible phosphorylation of PEPC plays in C(4) photosynthesis.

Biochemical and molecular characterization of flavonoid 7-sulfotransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana

Flavonoid compounds play important roles as flower pigments, stress metabolites formed in response to UV, during pollen germination and for polar auxin transport (Trends Plant Sci. 1 (1996) 377). Flavonoid sulfate esters are common in plants, especially the Asteraceae; however, due to the lack of information regarding the factors that regulate their accumulation, their exact role remains to be elucidated. The biosynthesis of flavonol sulfate esters is catalyzed by a number of position specific flavonol sulfotransferases (STs). An Arabidopsis thaliana database search has allowed us to identify and classify 18 putative ST coding sequences. We report here the cloning and characterization of the AtST3a member of this family that is expressed at early stages of seedling development and in the inflorescence stem and siliques of mature plants. The recombinant AtST3a protein exhibits strict specificity for position 7 of flavonoids. In contrast to previously characterized flavonol 7-ST from Flaveria bidentis that sulfonates only flavonol disulfates, AtST3a was found to accept as substrates a number of flavonols and flavone aglycones, as well as their monosulfate esters. The discovery of a flavonol ST from A. thaliana suggests that flavonol sulfates are more widely distributed than originally believed and this model plant could be used to study their biological significance.

A transgenic approach to understanding the influence of carbonic anhydrase on C18OO discrimination during C4 photosynthesis

The oxygen isotope composition of atmospheric CO(2) is an important signal that helps distinguish between ecosystem photosynthetic and respiratory processes. In C(4) plants the carbonic anhydrase (CA)-catalyzed interconversion of CO(2) and bicarbonate (HCO(3)(-)) is an essential first reaction for C(4) photosynthesis but also plays an important role in the CO(2)-H(2)O exchange of oxygen as it enhances the rate of isotopic equilibrium between CO(2) and water. The C(4) dicot Flaveria bidentis containing genetically reduced levels of leaf CA (CA(leaf)) has been used to test whether changing leaf CA activity influences online measurements of C(18)OO discrimination (Delta(18)O) and the proportion of CO(2) in isotopic equilibrium with leaf water at the site of oxygen exchange (theta). The Delta(18)O in wild-type F. bidentis, which contains high levels of CA relative to the rates of net CO(2) assimilation, was less than predicted by models of Delta(18)O. Additionally, Delta(18)O was sensitive to small decreases in CA(leaf). However, reduced CA activity in F. bidentis had little effect on net CO(2) assimilation, transpiration rates (E), and stomatal conductance (g(s)) until CA levels were less than 20% of wild type. The values of theta determined from measurements of Delta(18)O and the (18)O isotopic composition of leaf water at the site of evaporation (delta(e)) were low in the wild-type F. bidentis and decreased in transgenic plants with reduced levels of CA activity. Measured values of theta were always significantly lower than the values of theta predicted from in vitro CA activity and gas exchange. The data presented here indicates that CA content in a C(4) leaf may not represent the CA activity associated with the CO(2)-H(2)O oxygen exchange and therefore may not be a good predictor of theta during C(4) photosynthesis. Furthermore, uncertainties in the isotopic composition of water at the site of exchange may also limit the ability to accurately predict theta in C(4) plants.

Photosynthesis research on yellowtops: macroevolution in progress

The vast majority of angiosperms, including most of the agronomically important crop plants (wheat, etc.), assimilate CO2 through the inefficient C3 pathway of photosynthesis. Under ambient conditions these organisms loose about 1/3 of fixed carbon via photorespiration, an energetically wasteful process. Plants with C4 photosynthesis (such as maize) eliminate photorespiration via a biochemical CO2-pump and thus have a larger rate of carbon gain. The genus Flaveria (yellowtops, Asteraceae) contains not only C3 and C4 species, but also many C3-C4 intermediates, which have been interpreted as evolving from C3 to fully expressed C4 metabolism. However, the evolutionary significance of C3-C4Flaveria-intermediates has long been a matter of debate. A well-resolved phylogeny of nearly all Flaveria species has recently been published. Here, we review pertinent background information and combine this novel phylogeny with physiological data. We conclude that the Flaveria species complex provides a robust model system for the study of the transition from C3 to C4 photosynthesis, which is arguably a macroevolutionary event. We conclude with comments relevant to the current Intelligent Design debate.

Untranslated regions of FbRbcS1 mRNA mediate bundle sheath cell-specific gene expression in leaves of a C4 plant

C4 photosynthesis typically requires two specialized leaf cell types, bundle sheath (bs) and mesophyll (mp), which provide the foundation for this highly efficient carbon assimilation pathway. In leaves of Flaveria bidentis, a dicotyledonous C4 plant, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (rubisco) accumulates only in bs cells surrounding the vascular centers and not in mp cells. This is in contrast to the more common C3 plants, which accumulate rubisco in all photosynthetic cells. Many previous studies have focused on transcriptional control of C4 cell type-specificity; however, post-transcriptional regulation has also been implicated in the bs-specific expression of genes encoding the rubisco subunits. In this current study, a biolistic leaf transformation assay has provided direct evidence that the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of F. bidentis FbRbcS1 mRNA (from a nuclear gene encoding the rubisco small subunit), in themselves, confer strong bs cell-specific expression to gfpA reporter gene transcripts when transcribed from a constitutive CaMV promoter. In transformed leaf regions, strong bs cell-specific GFP expression was accompanied by corresponding bs cell-specific accumulation of the constitutively transcribed FbRbcS1 5'-UTR-gfpA-3'-UTR mRNAs. Control constructs lacking any RbcS mRNA sequences were expressed in all leaf cell types. These findings demonstrate that characteristic cell type-specific FbRbcS1 expression patterns in C4 leaves can be established entirely by sequences contained within the transcribed UTRs of FbRbcS1 mRNAs. We conclude that selective transcript stabilization (in bs cells) or degradation (in mp cells) plays a key role in determining bs cell-specific localization of the rubisco enzyme.

Diel patterns of leaf C export and of main shoot growth for Flaveria linearis with altered leaf sucrose-starch partitioning

Diel C export from source leaves of two Flaveria linearis lines [85-1: high cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (cytFBPase) and 84-9: low cytFBPase] were estimated using three methods, including leaf steady-state (14)CO(2) labelling, leaf metabolite analysis, and leaf dry mass analysis in conjunction with leaf CO(2) exchange measurements. Synthesis and accumulation of starch during the daytime were much higher in 84-9. Relative (14)C-export (export as a % of photosynthesis) in the light was 36% higher in 85-1. The diel export patterns from (14)C-analyses correlated with those based on metabolite or dry weight/gas exchange analyses during the daytime, but not during the night. Night-time export estimated from (14)C-disappearance was 3.6 times lower than those estimated using the other methods. Even though the starch degradation at night was greater for 84-9, night-time export in 84-9 was similar to 85-1, since 84-9 showed both higher respiration and accumulation of soluble sugars (i.e. glucose) at night. Patterns of (14)C allocation to sink organs were also different in the two lines. Main stem growth was less in 84-9, being reduced most in the light when leaf export was lower relative to 85-1. Supplementation with sucrose for 1 h daily via the roots at a time when leaf export in 84-9 was low relative to 85-1 increased the stem growth rate of 84-9 to a level similar with that of 85-1. This study provides evidence that diel C availability predicted by source strength (e.g. C-export rate) influences main stem extension growth and the pattern of sink development in F. linearis.

Untranslated regions from C4 amaranth AhRbcS1 mRNAs confer translational enhancement and preferential bundle sheath cell expression in transgenic C4 Flaveria bidentis

Many aspects of photosynthetic gene expression are posttranscriptionally regulated in C4 plants. To determine if RbcS mRNA untranslated regions (UTRs) in themselves could confer any characteristic C4 expression patterns, 5'- and 3'-UTRs of AhRbcS1 mRNA from the C4 dicot amaranth were linked to a gusA reporter gene. These were constitutively transcribed from a cauliflower mosaic virus promoter and assayed for posttranscriptional expression patterns in transgenic lines of the C4 dicot Flaveria bidentis. Three characteristic C4 expression patterns were conferred by heterologous AhRbcS1 UTRs in transgenic F. bidentis. First, the AhRbcS1 UTRs conferred strong translational enhancement of gusA expression, relative to control constructs lacking these UTRs. Second, while the UTRs did not appear to confer tissue-specific expression when analyzed by beta-glucuronidase activity assays, differences in gusA mRNA accumulation were observed in leaves, stems, and roots. Third, the AhRbcS1 UTRs conferred preferential gusA expression (enzyme activity and gusA mRNA accumulation) in leaf bundle sheath cells. AhRbcS1 UTR-mediated translational enhancement was also observed in transgenic C3 plants (tobacco [Nicotiana tabacum]) and in in vitro translation extracts. These mRNAs appear to be translated with different efficiencies in C4 versus C3 plants, indicating that processes determining overall translational efficiency may vary between these two categories of higher plants. Our findings suggest that the AhRbcS1 5'-UTR functions as a strong translational enhancer in leaves and other tissues, and may work synergistically with the 3'-UTR to modulate overall levels of Rubisco gene expression in different tissues and cell types of C4 plants.

The Arabidopsis mutant dct is deficient in the plastidic glutamate/malate translocator DiT2

The Arabidopsis mutant dicarboxylate transport (dct) is one of the classic mutants in the photorespiratory pathway. It requires high CO2 levels for survival. Physiologic and biochemical characterization of dct indicated that dct is deficient in the transport of dicarboxylates across the chloroplast envelope membrane. Hence, re-assimilation of ammonia generated by the photorespiratory cycle is blocked. However, the defective gene in dct has not been identified at the molecular level. Here, we report on the molecular characterization of the defective gene in dct, on the complementation of the mutant phenotype with a wild-type cDNA, and on the functional characterization of the gene product, DiT2, in a recombinant reconstituted system. Furthermore, we provide the kinetic constants of recombinant DiT1 and DiT2, and we discuss these data with respect to their functions in ammonia assimilation. Moreover, an analysis of the transcript levels of DiT1 and DiT2 in different C3- and C4-type plant species is presented, and we demonstrate that the substrate specificity of DiT2 from the C4-plant Flaveria bidentis is similar to its counterpart from C3 plants.

C4 photosynthesis at low temperature. A study using transgenic plants with reduced amounts of Rubisco

C(4) plants are rare in the cool climates characteristic of high latitudes and elevations, but the reasons for this are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that CO(2) fixation by Rubisco is the rate-limiting step during C(4) photosynthesis at cool temperatures. We measured photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence from 6 degrees C to 40 degrees C, and in vitro Rubisco and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity from 0 degrees C to 42 degrees C, in Flaveria bidentis modified by an antisense construct (targeted to the nuclear-encoded small subunit of Rubisco, anti-RbcS) to have 49% and 32% of the wild-type Rubisco content. Photosynthesis was reduced at all temperatures in the anti-Rbcs plants, but the thermal optimum for photosynthesis (35 degrees C) did not differ. The in vitro turnover rate (kcat) of fully carbamylated Rubisco was 3.8 mol mol(-)(1) s(-)(1) at 24 degrees C, regardless of genotype. The in vitro kcat (Rubisco Vcmax per catalytic site) and in vivo kcat (gross photosynthesis per Rubisco catalytic site) were the same below 20 degrees C, but at warmer temperatures, the in vitro capacity of the enzyme exceeded the realized rate of photosynthesis. The quantum requirement of CO(2) assimilation increased below 25 degrees C in all genotypes, suggesting greater leakage of CO(2) from the bundle sheath. The Rubisco flux control coefficient was 0.68 at the thermal optimum and increased to 0.99 at 6 degrees C. Our results thus demonstrate that Rubisco capacity is a principle control over the rate of C(4) photosynthesis at low temperatures. On the basis of these results, we propose that the lack of C(4) success in cool climates reflects a constraint imposed by having less Rubisco than their C(3) competitors.