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Photosynthetic Enzymes and Carbon Partitioning Studies in Different Switchgrass Populations
Author(s) -
Soundararajan Madhavan,
Wahlmeier Steve
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.787.3
Subject(s) - panicum virgatum , rubisco , photosynthesis , phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase , carbon fixation , biofuel , pyruvate carboxylase , biomass (ecology) , bioenergy , botany , agronomy , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , enzyme , microbiology and biotechnology
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a C4 perennial lignocellulosic biomass producing biofuel plant. Several populations of this plant have been already established and their potential use in biofuel production has become a topic of significant discussion. The large variation across various populations of switchgrass warranted an examination of carbon partitioning as well as primary photosynthetic enzymes. Using 13C as a tracer, we were able to examine the assimilation and partitioning of carbon into various carbohydrates, both structural and non‐structural in switchgrass over its growing season. Levels and activities of the primary photosynthetic enzymes (Ribulose 1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, NADP – Malic enzyme, Pyruvate Pi Dikinase) involved in the assimilation and fixation of carbon, in a few switchgrass populations were determined. Results from these studies suggest that not only is there a large amount of variation across populations, but also within them.