Patterns of thermotolerance, chlorophyll fluorescence, and heat shock gene expression vary among fourBoecheraspecies andArabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Thermotolerance is a property of all organisms, but owing to their sessile nature, this trait is particularly important in plants. Basal thermotolerance is based on inherent tolerance to heat stress. Acquired thermotolerance is attained through stress-induced gene expression, often of those genes encoding heat shock proteins (HSPs). Both basal and acquired thermotolerance have been extensively studied in model species such as Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., but much less is known about thermotolerance in wild plant species. The aims of this study were to examine the basal and acquired thermotolerance of four species of Boechera, and of A. thaliana. Mots-clés : Arabidopsis, Boechera, fluorescence de la chlorophylle, expression génique induite par la chaleur, stress thermique, thermotolérance.

Patterns of alternative splicing vary between species during heat stress

“…Previous research has shown that B. depauperata is both more tolerant to high light and combined high light and high heat stress than is A. thaliana . Boechera depauperata can also maintain photosynthesis at higher temperatures ( Gallas and Waters 2015 ; Halter et al 2017 ). While the genes associated with photosystem II and photosystem repair did not have enough AS change to be included in Fig.…”

“…Plants were grown, and basal and acquired heat stress experiments were conducted as described in ( Larkindale and Vierling 2008 ; Gallas and Waters 2015 ; Halter et al 2017 ). Basal and acquired heat stress experiments were conducted.…”

“…Its species live in a variety of habitats from high elevation mountains—to coastal regions and deserts ( Alexander et al 2013 ). The combination of being closely related to A. thaliana and having undergone natural selection under varying climatic conditions provides a useful system with which to examine stress tolerance ( Gallas and Waters 2015 ; Halter et al 2017 ). To study AS and its role in heat stress, we compared AS in heat-stressed A. thaliana and B. depauperata .…”

“…To study AS and its role in heat stress, we compared AS in heat-stressed A. thaliana and B. depauperata . Previous studies have reported that B. depauperata can maintain photosynthesis and organismal thermotolerance under stress conditions that are two extreme for A. thaliana to tolerate, and that this tolerance is not the result of higher levels of heat shock protein expression ( Gallas and Waters 2015 ; Halter et al 2017 ). To further understand thermotolerance in B. depauperata , we examined AS patterns during heat stress.…”