Photosynthesis. Volume II: Development, Carbon Metabolism, and Plant Productivity

585 Pages·1982·14.003 MB·English

by  Govindjee (Eds.)

CELL BIOLOGY: A Series of Monographs
EDITORS
D. E. BUETOW I. L. CAMERON
Department of Physiology Department of Anatomy
and Biophysics University of Texas
University of Illinois Health Science Center at San Antonio
Urbana, Illinois San Antonio, Texas
G. M. PADILLA A. M. ZIMMERMAN
Department of Physiology Department of Zoology
Duke University Medical Center University of Toronto
Durham, North Carolina Toronto, Ontario, Canada
G. M. Padilla, G. L. Whitson, and I. L. Cameron (editors). THE CELL CYCLE:
Gene-Enzyme Interactions, 1969
A. M. Zimmerman (editor). HIGH PRESSURE EFFECTS ON CELLULAR
PROCESSES, 1970
I. L. Cameron and J. D. Thrasher (editors). CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR
RENEWAL IN THE MAMMALIAN BODY, 1971
I. L. Cameron, G. M. Padilla, and A. M. Zimmerman (editors). DEVELOPMENTAL
ASPECTS OF THE CELL CYCLE, 1971
P. F. Smith. The BIOLOGY OF MYCOPLASMAS; 1971
Gary L. Whitson (editor). CONCEPTS IN RADIATION CELL BIOLOGY, 1972
Donald L. Hill. THE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF TETRA-
HYMENA, 1972
Kwang W. Jeon (editor). THE BIOLOGY OF AMOEBA, 1973
Dean F. Martin and George M. Padilla (editors). MARINE PHARMACOGNOSY:
Action of Marine Biotoxins at the Cellular Level, 1973
Joseph A. Erwin (editor). LIPIDS AND BIOMEMBRANES OF EUKARYOTIC
MICROORGANISMS, 1973
A. M. Zimmerman, G. M. Padilla, and I. L. Cameron (editors). DRUGS AND THE
CELL CYCLE, 1973
The list of titles in this series continues on the last page of this volume.
P h o t o s y n t h e s is
VOLUME II
Development, Carbon Metabolism,
and Plant Productivity
Edited by
GOVINDJEE
Departments of Botany
and Physiology and Biophysics
University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign
Urbana, Illinois
ACADEMIC PRESS 1982
A Subsidiary of Ηarcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers
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COPYRIGHT © 1982, BY ACADEMIC PRESS, INC.
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United Kingdom Edition published by
ACADEMIC PRESS, INC. (LONDON) LTD.
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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Photosynthesis: Development, carbon metabolism, and plant productivity.
v. 2. Cell biology.
Includes bibliographies and index.
1. Photosynthesis. 2. Crop yields. 3. Primary
productivity (Biology) I. Govindjee, Date.
II. Series. III. Series: Cell biology.
QK882.P546 1982, vol. 2 581.1'3342s 82-8700
ISBN 0-12-294302-3 (v. 2) [581.1'3342] AACR2
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
82 83 84 85 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
/ am especially indebted to my daughter
ANITA GOVINDJEE
for her technical and editorial assistance
during the preparation of this volume.
List of Contributors
Numbers in parentheses indicate the pages on which the authors' contributions begin.
JAMES A. BASSHAM (141), Laboratory of Chemical Biodynamics, Law­
rence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Cal­
ifornia 94720
JOSEPH A. BERRY (263), Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institu­
tion of Washington, Stanford, California 94305
NORMAN I. BISHOP (xxi), Department of Botany and Plant Pathology,
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
BOB B. BUCHANAN (141), Department of Plant and Soil Biology, Univer­
sity of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
DENNIS E. BUETOW (13, 43), Department of Physiology and Biophysics,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
RAYMOND CHOLLET (191), Department of Agricultural Biochemistry,
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583
A. LAWRENCE CHRISTY (499), Research Department, Monsanto Agri­
cultural Products Company, St. Louis, Missouri 63141
W. JOHN S. DOWNTON (263), Division of Horticultural Research, Com­
monwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Adelaide,
S. A. 5001, Australia
GERHART DREWS (89), Lehrstuhl fur Mikrobiologie, Biologisches In-
stitut II Albert Ludwigs Universitat, D-7800 Freiburg, West Germany
DONALD R. GEIGER (345), Department of Biology, University of Dayton,
Dayton, Ohio 45469
ROBERT T. GIAQUINTA (345), Central Research and Development De­
partment, Experimental Station, Ε. I. du Pont de Nemours & Com­
pany, Wilmington, Delaware 19801
ROGER M. GIFFORD (419, 459), Plant Physiology Section, Division of
Plant Industry, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Or­
ganization, Canberra City, ACT 2601, Australia
GOVINDJEE (541), Departments of Botany, and Physiology and Bio­
physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
61801
xiii
xiv LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
JOHN D. HESKETH (387), United States Department of Agriculture,
Agricultural Research Service, University of Illinois at Ur-
bana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
COLIN L. D. JENKINS (419), Biochemistry Section, Division of Plant Indus
try, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization,
Canberra City, ACT 2601, Australia
MARTIN D. KAMEN (xix), Professor Emeritus, Department of Chemistry,
University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
MANFRED KLUGE (231), Fachbereich Biologie (10), Institut fur Botanik,
Technische Hochschule, D-6100 Darmstadt, West Germany
WILLIAM L. OGREN (191), United States Department of Agriculture, Ag
ricultural Research Service, Department of Agronomy, University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
ITZHAK OHAD (89), Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Life
Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904,
Israel
DOYLE B. PETERS (387), United States Department of Agriculture, Agri
cultural Research Service, Department of Agronomy, University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
CLARK A. PORTER (499), Research Department, Monsanto Agricultural
Products Company, St. Louis, Missouri 63166
ARCHIE R. PORTIS, JR. (1), United States Department of Agriculture,
Agricultural Research Service, University of Illinois at Ur
bana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
VENETIA A. SAUNDERS (13, 17), Department of Biology, Liverpool Poly
technic, Liverpool L3 3AF, England
ALAN J. STEMLER (513), Department of Botany, University of California
at Davis, Davis, California 95616
WIM F. J. VERMAAS (541), Vakgroep Plantenfysiologisch Onderzoek,
Landbouwhogeschool, 6703 BW Wageningen, The Netherlands
JOSEPH T. WOOLLEY (387), United States Department of Agriculture,
Agricultural Research Service, Department of Agronomy, University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
Preface
Future generations face challenges that are only now becoming of
interest to the present generation. Fossil fuels (gasoline or petroleum),
the products of past photosynthesis, are disappearing at a fast rate, and
the population of our world is increasing with alarming speed. Thus,
food and energy per capita is expected to decrease. The ultimate source
of our food is from those organic compounds that are produced by
higher plants and photosynthetic microorganisms through the process
of photosynthesis. In plant photosynthesis, C0 , H 0, and 8-10 pho­
2 2
tons of light are converted into 0 and 1/6 (C H 0 ). In photosynthetic
2 6 1 2 6
bacteria, H 0 is replaced by other H donors, and 0 is not evolved.
2 2 2
Attempts are being made to improve the productivity of existing crops
and to introduce new crops for food and biomass. It is our belief that a
basic understanding of photosynthesis is needed before we can manipu­
late it for improving the overall rate of photosynthesis of a single plant.
Can such an improvement lead to an increase in crop productivity? Can
we improve photosynthesis by manipulating the genetics and molecular
biology of the system? By regulating reactions in C0 fixation pathways?
2
By decreasing photorespiration? Or, by manipulating environmental pa­
rameters (water, temperature, light, atmosphere, etc.)? It is our belief
that a fundamental understanding of photosynthesis is necessary before
we can answer these questions.
It is with this idea that we present here chapters by A. Portis (Intro­
duction, Chapter 1), V. A. Saunders and D. E. Buetow (Genetics and
Molecular Biology, Chapters 2-4), I. Ohad and G. Drews (Biogenesis of
the Photosynthetic Apparatus, Chapter 5), J. A. Bassham and Β. B.
Buchanan (C0 Fixation Pathways, Chapter 6), W. L. Ogren and R.
2
Chollet (Photorespiration, Chapter 7), M. Kluge (Crassulacean Acid Me­
tabolism, Chapter 8), and J. Berry and W.J. S. Downton (Environmental
Regulation, Chapter 9). Plant productivity depends upon a variety of
factors including translocation of photosynthates, which is discussed by
D. R. Geiger and R. T. Giaquinta (Chapter 10). Prediction of leaf behav­
ior and canopy behavior is covered by J. D. Hesketh, J. T. Woolley, and
XV
xvi PREFACE
D. B. Peters (Chapter 11). There are many opinions on the prospects of
applying knowledge of photosynthesis to plant productivity (for exam
ple, see The Biology of Crop Productivity). R. M. Gifford and C. L. D.
Jenkins discuss this topic in Chapter 12. This is followed by a discussion
of global photosynthesis and its relation to our food and energy needs
also by R. M. Gifford (Chapter 13). Two Special Topics are included in
this book. First, A. L. Christy and C. A. Porter (Chapter 14) discuss the
canopy photosynthesis and yield in a particular crop (soybean). This is
one of best examples in which whole plant photosynthesis is related to
the crop yield, and it fosters optimism that studies on photosynthesis are
indeed relevant to crop productivity. Whether the same is true for other
crops depends upon the future. Second, A. Stemler (Chapter 15) dis
cusses a unique effect of C0 or bicarbonate on photosynthetic electron
2
transport; it is not related directly to the subject matter of the present
volume, but is presented here so that the readers may realize that C0 is
2
not only fixed in photosynthesis and provides us with food, but has other
important roles (e.g., stimulation of photophosphorylation and of elec
tron transport following light reactions). Stemler emphasizes his person
al view that C0 may play a significant role in the evolution of 0 from
2 2
H 0 (see accompanying volume; Photosynthesis: Energy Conversion by
2
Plants and Bacteria, Vol. I). Owing to the controversial nature of this view
and in order to provide a balanced picture of the role of C0 in photo
2
synthetic electron flow, W. F. J. Vermaas and I (Chapter 16) have pro
vided a brief critique of the phenomena that emphasizes that the major
unique role of C0 is not in the 0 -evolution mechanism but in the
2 2
electron flow between the two photoreactions of photosynthesis. A close
relationship between the binding site of C0 and the herbicides seems to
2
emerge. Volume I covers aspects of photosynthesis such as the absorp
tion of light, conversion of this energy into redox energy and proton
motive force (proton gradient and membrane potential), and the pro
duction of the reducing power in the form of reduced nicotinamide
adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) in plants (or NADH in bac
teria) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP); the use of the latter two in
C0 fixation are dealt with in this volume.
2
Each chapter in the present volume is written by international au
thorities in the field. As much as possible, the chapters provide an inte
grated approach to both green plant and bacterial photosynthesis. Mo
lecular biology (Chapters 2-4), biogenesis of the photosynthetic
apparatus (Chapter 5), and C0 fixation pathways (Chapter 6) in both
2
green plants and bacterial systems have been presented; the authors
were chosen for their expertise in one of the two systems. The remaining
chapters deal mostly with work on higher plants because they are of
Preface xvii
agronomic importance and because this is where a great deal of atten
tion has been paid recently. It seems that in the future there will be a
larger emphasis on biomass production by photosynthetic microorga
nisms where the possibilities of applying genetic engineering seem closer
at hand.
Each chapter in this volume is a comprehensive review of the area
chosen and is illustrated with diagrams and bibliographies. The aim of
most of the authors was to include a review of the historical development
of major concepts, a critical analysis of experimental approaches, and an
exposition of recent findings. It is hoped that the individual chapters will
serve as a reference work integrating experimental results and theoreti
cal considerations represented in a large number of research publica
tions in addition to those in the authors' laboratories. We expect the
present book not only to be a reference source for researchers but also
an introductory book for graduate students in agronomy, plant bio
chemistry, plant biology, plant biophysics, botany, cell biology, ecology,
microbiology, comparative physiology, and plant physiology. Some of
the chapters will have a much wider audience. I hope that this book will
be read by scientific administrators and research planners who sit in
judgment on national priorities and on the future of biology.
I am grateful to my wife (Rajni) and my children (Anita and Sanjay)
for tolerating me during the preparation of the manuscripts. I am
thankful to my present graduate students (Danny Blubaugh, William
Coleman, James Fenton and Julian Eaton-Rye) for not complaining
loudly about the time I did not spend with fhem when I was doing the
clerical work related to the editing of this book. I am also thankful to
Shubha Govind, Wim F. J. Vermaas, Christa Critchley, and Ion Baianu.
Thanks are due to several colleagues (the photosynthesis group of the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that includes Tony Crofts,
Don De Vault, Bill Ogren, Don Ort, Archie Portis, Tino Rebeiz, John
Whitmarsh, and Colin Wraight) who aided me in the initial planning of
this book. Don Ort, Charlie Arntzen, and John Whitmarsh were es
pecially helpful.
GOVINDJEE
Hans Gaffron (1902-1979)
A Tribute
A germinal figure in photosynthesis research such as Hans Gaffron is
not to be encapsulated in any brief tribute. The esteem in which he was
and is held is attested by the distinguished group of contributors dedi­
cating this volume to his memory.
In an illustrious career extending well over five decades, Hans
Gaffron made basic, important observations and fashioned penetrating
insights into phenomena centering around the photometabolism of
higher plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. He will be remem­
bered for his role with K. Wohl in the mid 1930s in generating the
concept of the "photosynthetic unit." In addition, he was a leader and
innovator in furthering knowledge of basic processes in photoreduction,
dark reduction of C0 coupled to chemosynthetic metabolism, and evo­
2
cation of photohydrogenase activity in algae following dark anaerobic
adaptation. (I recall how eagerly I read his classic paper* in the late
1940s.) Nor did his level of creativity lessen as the years went by—witness
his findings with W. Kowallik in the 1960s of the unexpected effect of
blue light on chlorophyll-independent respiration in algae,t and the
general productivity of the group he founded in Tallahassee (Florida
State University) beginning a new career after two decades of dis­
tinguished research at the University of Chicago. Ν. I. Bishop and, later,
P. Homann helped to form the Tallahassee laboratory, and others
(Wiessner, Kaltwasser, Kowallik, and Schmid) helped to establish it. Al­
ways, Gaffron's work was characterized by adherence to the highest
standards of reliability and integrity—an accomplishment aided incal­
culably by his laboratory associate and devoted wife, Clara. In the con­
troversies with O. Warburg on quantum efficiency and with M. Calvin
and A. Benson on the nature of the initial product of C0 assimilation,
2
or in the confrontation with C. B. van Niel on the ultimate fate of
*H. Gaffron (1944). "Photosynthesis, Photoreduction and Dark Reduction in Certain
Algae," Biol. Revs. 19, 1-19.
tW. Kowallik and H. Gaffron (1966). "Respiration Induced by Blue Light," Planta
(Berlin) 69, 92-95.
xix