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Stomatal mechanism as the basis of the evolution of CAM and C 4 photosynthesis
Author(s) -
COCKBURN W.
Publication year - 1983
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 - 10.1111/1365-3040.ep11611925
Subject(s) - photosynthesis , crassulacean acid metabolism , biology , botany , metabolism , biochemistry
Abstract. The similarities between the component reactions of the presently known variants of photosynthetic carbon metabolism (crassulacean acid metabolism, the acid metabolism of Tillandsia usneoides , aquatic acid metabolism, and C 4 photosynthesis) when considered along with their widely scattered taxonomic distribution strongly suggest polyphyletic origins resulting from evolutionary modification of a common, universally distributed metabolic sequence. The synthesis and consumption of four‐carbon acids in the cation‐balancing reactions involved in the regulation of stomatal aperture appear to exhibit all of the characteristics likely to be displayed by such a metabolic progenitor. The present status of the proposal that the expression of aspects of stomatal metabolism in photosynthetic mesophyll cells represents the basis for the evolution of the variant of photosynthetic carbon metabolism is discussed. The prospects of experimental approaches which may yield information relevant to the proposal are also explored.