Photosynthetic Characteristics of Some South African Parasitic Flowering Plants

Harpe, A. C. De La; Visser, J.H.; Grobbelaar, N.

doi:10.1016/s0044-328x(81)80159-6

Cited by 46 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Both species retain rudimentary leaves and very low levels of chlorophyll despite having no net carbon gain under high light conditions (17,36). These observations suggest that these ''borderline'' holoparasitic lineages may be of relatively recent origin.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolution of plastid gene rps2 in a lineage of hemiparasitic and holoparasitic plants: Many losses of photosynthesis and complex patterns of rate variation

dePamphilis

Young

Wolfe

1997

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

149

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The plastid genomes of some nonphotosynthetic parasitic plants have experienced an extreme reduction in gene content and an increase in evolutionary rate of remaining genes. Nothing is known of the dynamics of these events or whether either is a direct outcome of the loss of photosynthesis. The parasitic Scrophulariaceae and Orobanchaceae, representing a continuum of heterotrophic ability ranging from photosynthetic hemiparasites to nonphotosynthetic holoparasites, are used to investigate these issues. We present a phylogenetic hypothesis for parasitic Scrophulariaceae and Orobanchaceae based on sequences of the plastid gene rps2, encoding the S2 subunit of the plastid ribosome. Parasitic Scrophulariaceae and Orobanchaceae form a monophyletic group in which parasitism can be inferred to have evolved once. Holoparasitism has evolved independently at least five times, with certain holoparasitic lineages representing single species, genera, and collections of nonphotosynthetic genera. Evolutionary loss of the photosynthetic gene rbcL is limited to a subset of holoparasitic lineages, with several holoparasites retaining a full length rbcL sequence. In contrast, the translational gene rps2 is retained in all plants investigated but has experienced rate accelerations in several hemi-as well as holoparasitic lineages, suggesting that there may be substantial molecular evolutionary changes to the plastid genome of parasites before the loss of photosynthesis. Independent patterns of synonymous and nonsynonymous rate acceleration in rps2 point to distinct mechanisms underlying rate variation in different lineages. Parasitic Scrophulariaceae (including the traditional Orobanchaceae) provide a rich platform for the investigation of molecular evolutionary process, gene function, and the evolution of parasitism.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within this group are facul-tative as well as obligate parasites, hemiparasites of widely varying photosynthetic ability, and a diverse collection of fully heterotrophic holoparasites (1,2,(17)(18)(19). No other group of parasitic plants displays this continuum of parasitic abilities.…”

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confidence: 99%

Evolution of plastid gene rps2 in a lineage of hemiparasitic and holoparasitic plants: Many losses of photosynthesis and complex patterns of rate variation

dePamphilis

Young

Wolfe

1997

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

149

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“…Although precise quantification is limited by the extent of the model and a knowledge of contributions from respiration, export and import, we suggest that mature S. hermonthica and S. asiatica plants obtain about a third of their carbon from their host. This contrasts with the view held from earlier studies on Striga (2,3). This loss of host photosynthate, coupled with the pathogenic effect that Striga has on photosynthesis in sorghum (22), probably account for the massive growth reductions observed in sorghum parasitized by Striga ( 19,21).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon Isotope Ratios Demonstrate Carbon Flux from C₄ Host to C₃ Parasite

Press

Shah²,

Tuohy³

et al. 1987

Plant Physiol.

105

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Carbon isotope ratios of mature leaves from the C3 angiosperm root hemiparasites Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth (-26.7%o) and S. asiatica (L.) Kuntze (-25.6%o) were more negative than their C4 host, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench cv CSHI), (-13.5%o Although environmental factors other than those affecting Ci may influence carbon isotope ratios, the magnitude of these is thought to be small (16), and experimental evidence is accruing to support the model (Eq. 1) (5,6,8,10,11,17,27).Striga hermonthica and Striga asiatica are root hemiparasitic angiosperms possessing the C3 pathway of carbon fixation. Their preferred host is the C4 plant, sorghum, from which they obtain a large proportion of their water and inorganic solutes. Although transfer of '4C-labeled metabolites has been demonstrated (15,25), the extent of the C flux is unknown. In Striga the carbon isotope composition will not only reflect its own photosynthetic and environmental characteristics, but also those ofthe host (23).In this paper we report the carbon isotope composition of the

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“…8 δ 13 C of mistletoe-C3 host pairs from New Zealand, Australia, Africa and Madagascar, and Brazil. The dashed line indicates 1:1 correspondence between mistletoe and host δ 13 C and the solid line the overall regression of mistletoe δ 13 C on host δ 13 C. Data for individual mistletoe-host pairs from Australia, Africa and Madgascar are from Ziegler (1995) and supplemented by African data from Richter et al (1995) and De la Harpe et al (1980, 1981, data from Brazil are from Lüttge et al (1998) When the formulae (Eqs. 1, 2) used by Marshall and Ehleringer (1990) are applied to the mean values for the ten mistletoe-host pairs in Table 2, the calculated mean level of heterotrophy is 79%.…”

Section: Water Relations Photosynthesis and Heterotrophymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, nitrogen content (Ehleringer et al 1986;Bannister 1989) and δ 15 N (Schulze et al 1991) of mistletoes and hosts are usually strongly correlated. De la Harpe et al (1980, 1981 measured δ 13 C in various holoparasitic and hemiparasitic plants (including mistletoes) and, in their 1981 paper, suggested that differences in δ 13 C between host and parasite might be related to the degree of heterotrophy of the parasite. Subsequently Marshall and Ehleringer (1990), using the methodology of Press et al (1987), calculated the degree of heterotrophy of a mistletoe by assuming that the difference between observed and calculated δ 13 C of mistletoe tissue was a function of heterotrophy, and that the δ 13 C of a fully heterotrophic mistletoe would be identical to its host.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, nitrogen content and heterotrophy in New Zealand mistletoes

Bannister

Strong

2001

Oecologia

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The carbon isotope ratio (δC) of New Zealand mistletoes (-29.51±0.10‰) and their hosts (-28.89±0.12‰) is generally more negative, and shows less difference between mistletoes and their hosts, than found in previous studies. In 37% of the examined pairs, the δC of mistletoes was less negative than that of their hosts. These reversals were not associated with the relative position (proximal or distal) of the host material with regard to the mistletoe. Differences between host and mistletoe tended to be greater on hosts with less negative δC. Both nitrogen content and isotope ratio (δN) of the mistletoe leaves were strongly correlated with those of their hosts. Nitrogen contents of mistletoe leaves were similar to those of their hosts at low nitrogen contents but proportionately less on hosts with a high nitrogen content, whereas δN of mistletoes was consistently similar to that of their hosts. The δC of mistletoes was related to both host nitrogen content and δN, but δC in host tissue was related to neither, suggesting that the mistletoes derived both nitrogen and carbon from their hosts. The δC of both hosts and mistletoes were significantly related to leaf conductance and carbon dioxide concentration but relationships with transpiration and water use efficiency were not significant. In all cases there was no clear separation between the responses of hosts and mistletoes. This may be related to the similarity of stomatal conductance, transpiration and photosynthesis in the studied mistletoes and their hosts and is consistent with the small differences in δC between mistletoes and hosts found in this study. Consequently, the estimation of mistletoe heterotrophy from carbon discrimination is confounded, as the small difference between host and mistletoe carbon discrimination could equally well result from either similarities in photosynthesis and water relations or heterotrophic assimilation of host-derived carbon. The differences between our study and previous studies (which are mostly from seasonally dry or semi-arid to arid environments) may be related to the temperate environment in which these mistletoes grow. Water is freely available so that the mistletoe is able to obtain sufficient water and dissolved nutrients without having to maintain the high transpiration rate and low water potentials that are needed to extract water from a water-stressed host. Similarly, mistletoe photosynthesis is less inhibited by water stress. The physiological similarities between mistletoe and hosts from a temperate environment are reflected in their similar δC values.

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Photosynthetic Characteristics of Some South African Parasitic Flowering Plants

Cited by 46 publications

References 20 publications

Evolution of plastid gene rps2 in a lineage of hemiparasitic and holoparasitic plants: Many losses of photosynthesis and complex patterns of rate variation

Evolution of plastid gene rps2 in a lineage of hemiparasitic and holoparasitic plants: Many losses of photosynthesis and complex patterns of rate variation

Carbon Isotope Ratios Demonstrate Carbon Flux from C₄ Host to C₃ Parasite

Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, nitrogen content and heterotrophy in New Zealand mistletoes

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Photosynthetic Characteristics of Some South African Parasitic Flowering Plants

Cited by 46 publications

References 20 publications

Evolution of plastid gene rps2 in a lineage of hemiparasitic and holoparasitic plants: Many losses of photosynthesis and complex patterns of rate variation

Evolution of plastid gene rps2 in a lineage of hemiparasitic and holoparasitic plants: Many losses of photosynthesis and complex patterns of rate variation

Carbon Isotope Ratios Demonstrate Carbon Flux from C4 Host to C3 Parasite

Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, nitrogen content and heterotrophy in New Zealand mistletoes

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Carbon Isotope Ratios Demonstrate Carbon Flux from C₄ Host to C₃ Parasite