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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
09:46
Production and Measurement of Organic Particulate Matter in the Harvard Environmental Chamber
Published on: November 18, 2018
Isoprene emission from plants: why and how
Thomas D Sharkey1, Amy E Wiberley, Autumn R Donohue
1Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA. tsharkey@wisc.edu
Annals of Botany
|October 9, 2007
Summary
Plants emit isoprene, a key hydrocarbon in atmospheric chemistry, to cope with heat and oxidative stress. This emission capacity, controlled by the isoprene synthase gene, has evolved multiple times in plants.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Plant Physiology
- Atmospheric Chemistry
Background:
- Isoprene emission is not universal in plants, unlike monoterpenes, but dominates biosphere-atmosphere hydrocarbon exchange.
- Isoprene plays a significant role in atmospheric processes, including ozone formation and aerosol generation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of isoprene emission in plant stress tolerance.
- To understand the regulation and evolution of isoprene emission in plants.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of isoprene synthase gene expression during leaf development.
- Investigation of seasonal variations in isoprene emission capacity.
- Examination of biochemical pathways regulating isoprene metabolism.
Main Results:
- Isoprene emission enhances plant tolerance to heat flecks and reactive oxygen species.
- Isoprene synthase gene expression controls emission capacity during leaf expansion.
- Mature leaf emission capacity shows seasonal variation, regulated at multiple metabolic points.
Conclusions:
- Isoprene emission likely evolved as a protective mechanism against heat stress and oxidative damage.
- Isoprenoids, including isoprene, enhance membrane function in plants.
- Advances in understanding substrate pathways are accelerating the study of isoprene emission regulation.
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