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Exploring C4-CAM plasticity within the Portulaca oleracea complex.

Renata Callegari Ferrari1, Bruna Coelho Cruz1, Vinícius Daguano Gastaldi1

  • 1Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.

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|August 30, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study shows that all subspecies of Portulaca oleracea can reversibly switch between C4 and Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis. This plasticity in photosynthetic pathways offers valuable insights for C4/CAM research.

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Area of Science:

  • Plant Physiology
  • Photosynthesis Research
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Portulaca oleracea is a globally distributed C4 herb known for its morphological variations.
  • This species exhibits Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plasticity, particularly under drought stress.
  • Intraspecific variations in photosynthetic behavior are suspected due to its polymorphic nature.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the CAM plasticity within different Portulaca oleracea genotypes.
  • To investigate the reversible C4-CAM-C4 photosynthetic switches in response to water availability.
  • To characterize morphological and physiological variations across P. oleracea subspecies.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological and physiological characterization of eleven P. oleracea subspecies and one cultivar.
  • Monitoring of C4 and CAM photosynthesis under well-watered, droughted, and rewatered conditions.
  • Analysis of C4-CAM signature gene expression to indicate photosynthetic pathway switching.

Main Results:

  • All evaluated P. oleracea subspecies demonstrated fully reversible CAM expression.
  • C4-related genes were downregulated during drought and re-expressed upon rewatering, while CAM-marker genes showed the opposite pattern.
  • A gradient of morphological traits and drought-induced nighttime malate accumulation was observed among genotypes.

Conclusions:

  • Portulaca oleracea exhibits significant CAM plasticity, allowing reversible shifts between C4 and CAM photosynthesis.
  • Gene expression patterns serve as reliable indicators for C4-CAM-C4 pathway transitions.
  • The P. oleracea complex offers diverse combinations of CAM expression levels and morphological traits, valuable for C4/CAM photosynthesis research.