BackgroundPlants exhibit phenotypic plasticity and respond to differences in environmental conditions by acclimation. We have systematically compared leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown in the field and under controlled low, normal and high light conditions in the laboratory to determine their most prominent phenotypic differences.ResultsCompared to plants grown under field conditions, the "indoor plants" had larger leaves, modified leaf shapes and longer petioles. Their pigment composition also significantly differed; indoor plants had reduced levels of xanthophyll pigments. In addition, Lhcb1 and Lhcb2 levels were up to three times higher in the indoor plants, but differences in the PSI antenna were much smaller, with only the low-abundance Lhca5 protein showing altered levels. Both isoforms of early-light-induced protein (ELIP) were absent in the indoor plants, and they had less non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). The field-grown plants had a high capacity to perform state transitions. Plants lacking ELIPs did not have reduced growth or seed set rates, but their mortality rates were sometimes higher. NPQ levels between natural accessions grown under different conditions were not correlated.ConclusionOur results indicate that comparative analysis of field-grown plants with those grown under artificial conditions is important for a full understanding of plant plasticity and adaptation.
Background: Plant performance is affected by the level of expression of PsbS, a key photoprotective protein involved in the process of feedback de-excitation (FDE), or the qE component of non-photochemical quenching, NPQ.
Summary• Darwinian fitness analyses were performed, comparing single ftsh mutants with wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown under controlled laboratory conditions and in the field, by measuring plant size, survival rate, and silique and seed production.• Additionally, three genotypes of DFtsH6 were analysed, under controlled growth conditions, with respect to both their ability to degrade the light-harvesting complex of photosystem II during senescence and light acclimation.• In the field, substantial increases in variegation and reductions in growth were observed in the DFtsH2, DFtsH5 and DFtsH10 mutants; FtsH2 seemed particularly important for plant survival. Despite being grown in relatively cold weather, the DFtsH11 mutant displayed strong phenotypic deviations from wild type. Both DFtsH10 and DFtsH3 mutants exhibited less severe phenotypic changes, but were different from wild-type plants when placed in the field as young plants. When older DFtsH3 or DFtsH10 mutants were placed outdoors, no phenotypic differences from wild type were observed. Three genotypes of DFtsH6 displayed no phenotypic deviations from wild-type plants.• Under controlled growth conditions, during senescence and light acclimation, no differences in the amount of chlorophyll or Photosystem II light-harvesting complex b3 (Lhcb3) were detected in DFtsH6 mutants compared with the wild type. Therefore, FtsH6 seems to be unimportant for LHCII degradation in vivo.
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