Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity

The pattern of cell division, growth and separation during leaf development determines the pattern and volume of airspace in a leaf. The resulting balance of cellular material and airspace is expected to significantly influence the primary function of the leaf, photosynthesis, and yet the manner and...

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Main Authors: Lehmeier, Christoph, Pajor, Radoslaw, Lundgren, Marjorie R., Mathers, Andrew, Sloan, Jen, Bauch, Marion, Mitchell, Alice, Bellasio, Chandra, Green, Adam, Bouyer, Daniel, Schnittger, Arp, Sturrock, Craig, Osborne, Colin P., Rolfe, Stephen, Mooney, Sacha J., Fleming, Andrew J.
Format: Article
Published: Wiley 2017
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Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49097/
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author Lehmeier, Christoph
Pajor, Radoslaw
Lundgren, Marjorie R.
Mathers, Andrew
Sloan, Jen
Bauch, Marion
Mitchell, Alice
Bellasio, Chandra
Green, Adam
Bouyer, Daniel
Schnittger, Arp
Sturrock, Craig
Osborne, Colin P.
Rolfe, Stephen
Mooney, Sacha J.
Fleming, Andrew J.
author_facet Lehmeier, Christoph
Pajor, Radoslaw
Lundgren, Marjorie R.
Mathers, Andrew
Sloan, Jen
Bauch, Marion
Mitchell, Alice
Bellasio, Chandra
Green, Adam
Bouyer, Daniel
Schnittger, Arp
Sturrock, Craig
Osborne, Colin P.
Rolfe, Stephen
Mooney, Sacha J.
Fleming, Andrew J.
author_sort Lehmeier, Christoph
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description The pattern of cell division, growth and separation during leaf development determines the pattern and volume of airspace in a leaf. The resulting balance of cellular material and airspace is expected to significantly influence the primary function of the leaf, photosynthesis, and yet the manner and degree to which cell division patterns affect airspace networks and photosynthesis remains largely unexplored. In this paper we investigate the relationship of cell size and patterning, airspace and photosynthesis by promoting and repressing the expression of cell cycle genes in the leaf mesophyll. Using microCT imaging to quantify leaf cellular architecture and fluorescence/gas exchange analysis to measure leaf function, we show that increased cell density in the mesophyll of Arabidopsis can be used to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity. Our analysis suggests that this occurs both by increasing tissue density (decreasing the relative volume of airspace) and by altering the pattern of airspace distribution within the leaf. Our results indicate that cell division patterns influence the photosynthetic performance of a leaf, and that it is possible to engineer improved photosynthesis via this approach.
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institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
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publishDate 2017
publisher Wiley
recordtype eprints
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spelling nottingham-490972020-05-04T19:54:03Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49097/ Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity Lehmeier, Christoph Pajor, Radoslaw Lundgren, Marjorie R. Mathers, Andrew Sloan, Jen Bauch, Marion Mitchell, Alice Bellasio, Chandra Green, Adam Bouyer, Daniel Schnittger, Arp Sturrock, Craig Osborne, Colin P. Rolfe, Stephen Mooney, Sacha J. Fleming, Andrew J. The pattern of cell division, growth and separation during leaf development determines the pattern and volume of airspace in a leaf. The resulting balance of cellular material and airspace is expected to significantly influence the primary function of the leaf, photosynthesis, and yet the manner and degree to which cell division patterns affect airspace networks and photosynthesis remains largely unexplored. In this paper we investigate the relationship of cell size and patterning, airspace and photosynthesis by promoting and repressing the expression of cell cycle genes in the leaf mesophyll. Using microCT imaging to quantify leaf cellular architecture and fluorescence/gas exchange analysis to measure leaf function, we show that increased cell density in the mesophyll of Arabidopsis can be used to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity. Our analysis suggests that this occurs both by increasing tissue density (decreasing the relative volume of airspace) and by altering the pattern of airspace distribution within the leaf. Our results indicate that cell division patterns influence the photosynthetic performance of a leaf, and that it is possible to engineer improved photosynthesis via this approach. Wiley 2017-12 Article PeerReviewed Lehmeier, Christoph, Pajor, Radoslaw, Lundgren, Marjorie R., Mathers, Andrew, Sloan, Jen, Bauch, Marion, Mitchell, Alice, Bellasio, Chandra, Green, Adam, Bouyer, Daniel, Schnittger, Arp, Sturrock, Craig, Osborne, Colin P., Rolfe, Stephen, Mooney, Sacha J. and Fleming, Andrew J. (2017) Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity. The Plant Journal, 92 (6). pp. 981-994. ISSN 1365-313X leaf; cell division; photosynthesis; Arabidopsis thaliana; differentiation http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tpj.13727/abstract doi:10.1111/tpj.13727 doi:10.1111/tpj.13727
spellingShingle leaf; cell division; photosynthesis; Arabidopsis thaliana; differentiation
Lehmeier, Christoph
Pajor, Radoslaw
Lundgren, Marjorie R.
Mathers, Andrew
Sloan, Jen
Bauch, Marion
Mitchell, Alice
Bellasio, Chandra
Green, Adam
Bouyer, Daniel
Schnittger, Arp
Sturrock, Craig
Osborne, Colin P.
Rolfe, Stephen
Mooney, Sacha J.
Fleming, Andrew J.
Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity
title Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity
title_full Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity
title_fullStr Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity
title_full_unstemmed Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity
title_short Cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity
title_sort cell density and airspace patterning in the leaf can be manipulated to increase leaf photosynthetic capacity
topic leaf; cell division; photosynthesis; Arabidopsis thaliana; differentiation
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49097/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49097/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49097/