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Application of transgenic plants in understanding responses to atmospheric change
Author(s) -
HEINEKE D.,
KAUDER F.,
FROMMER W.,
KÜHN C.,
GILLISSEN B.,
LUDEWIG F.,
SONNEWALD U.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3040.1999.00397.x
Subject(s) - rubisco , sucrose , acclimatization , assimilation (phonology) , carbon fixation , invertase , carbon dioxide , photosynthesis , botany , pyruvate carboxylase , starch , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , enzyme , ecology , linguistics , philosophy
Acclimation of plants to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is a well described phenomenon. It is characterized by an increase in leaf carbohydrates and a degradation of ribulose 1, 5‐bisphosphate carboxylase protein (Rubisco) leading in the long term to a lower rate of CO 2 assimilation than expected from the kinetic constants of Rubisco. This article summarizes studies with transgenic plants grown in elevated pCO 2 which are modified in their capacity of CO 2 fixation, of sucrose and starch synthesis, of triosephosphate and sucrose transport and of sink metabolism of sucrose. These studies show that a feedback accumulation of carbohydrates in leaves play only a minor role in acclimation, because leaf starch synthesis functions as an efficient buffer for photoassimilates. There is some evidence that in elevated pCO 2 , plants grow faster and senescence is induced earlier.