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Updated: Mar 23, 2026

A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells
Published on: April 11, 2014
Effect of mitochondrial ascorbic acid synthesis on photosynthesis
M E Senn1, G E Gergoff Grozeff1, M L Alegre1
1Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal (INFIVE), Facultades de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales y de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CCT-CONICET La Plata, cc 327, 1900, La Plata, Argentina.
Abstract:
Ascorbic acid (AA) is synthesized in plant mitochondria through the oxidation of l-galactono-1,4-lactone (l-GalL) and then distributed to different cell compartments. AA-deficient Arabidopsis thaliana mutants (vtc2) and exogenous applications of l-GalL were used to generate plants with different AA content in their leaves. This experimental approach allows determining specific AA-dependent effects on carbon metabolism. No differences in O2 uptake, malic and citric acid and NADH content suggest that AA synthesis or accumulation did not affect mitochondrial activity; however, l-GalL treatment increased CO2 assimilation and photosynthetic electron transport rate in vtc2 (but not wt) leaves demonstrating a stimulation of photosynthesis after l-GalL treatment. Increased CO2 assimilation correlated with increased leaf stomatal conductance observed in l-GalL-treated vtc2 plants.
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