Arabidopsis Flavonoid Mutants Are Hypersensitive to UV-B Irradiation

Increases in the terrestrial levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation (280 to 320 nm) due to diminished stratospheric ozone have prompted an investigation of the protective mechanisms that contribute to UV-B tolerance in plants. In response to UV-B stress, flowering plants produce a variety of UV-absorptive secondary products derived from phenylalanine. Arabidopsis mutants with defects in the synthesis of these compounds were tested for UV-B sensitivity. The transparent testa-4 (tt4) mutant, which has reduced flavonoids and normal levels of sinapate esters, is more sensitive to UV-B than the wild type when grown under high UV-B irradiance. The tt5 and tt6 mutants, which have reduced levels of UV-absorptive leaf flavonoids and the monocyclic sinapic acid ester phenolic compounds, are highly sensitive to the damaging effects of UV-B radiation. These results demonstrate that both flavonoids and other phenolic compounds play important roles in vivo in plant UV-B protection.