Journal
PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH
Volume 119, Issue 1-2, Pages 169-180Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s11120-013-9810-9
Keywords
Photorespiration; Single-cell C-4 photosynthesis; Kranz; Mesophyll; Bundle sheath; Chloroplast differentiation
Categories
Funding
- National Science Foundation [IOS 0641232, MCB 1146928]
- Civilian Research and Development Foundation [RUB1-2982-ST-10]
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [OF106/1-1]
- Div Of Molecular and Cellular Bioscience
- Direct For Biological Sciences [1146928] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Until about 10 years ago the general accepted textbook knowledge was that terrestrial C-4 photosynthesis requires separation of photosynthetic functions into two specialized cell types, the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells forming the distinctive Kranz anatomy typical for C-4 plants. This paradigm has been broken with the discovery of Suaeda aralocaspica, a chenopod from central Asia, performing C-4 photosynthesis within individual chlorenchyma cells. Since then, three more single-cell C-4 (SCC4) species have been discovered in the genus Bienertia. They are interesting not only because of their unusual mode of photosynthesis but also present a puzzle for cell biologists. In these species, two morphological and biochemical specialized types of chloroplasts develop within individual chlorenchyma cells, a situation that has never been observed in plants before. Here we review recent literature concerning the biochemistry, physiology, and molecular biology of SCC4 photosynthesis. Particularly, we focus on what has been learned in relation to the following questions: How does the specialized morphology required for the operation of SCC4 develop and is there a C-3 intermediate type of photosynthesis during development? What is the degree of specialization between the two chloroplast types and how does this compare to the chloroplasts of Kranz C-4 species? How do nucleus-encoded proteins that are targeted to chloroplasts accumulate differentially in the two chloroplast types and how efficient is the CO2 concentrating mechanism in SCC4 species compared to the Kranz C-4 forms?.
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