Photosynthetica 2008, 46(3):400-409 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-008-0072-2

Glycine betaine improves thylakoid membrane function of tobacco leaves under low-temperature stress

C. Wang1, X. L. Ma2, Z. Hui1, W. Wang1,*
1 State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, China
2 Chemistry Department, Jining University, Jining, Shandong, China

Glycine betaine (GB) is an effective compatible solute that improves the tolerance in plants to various stresses. We investigated the effects of 2 mM GB applied to the roots of a tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cultivar on enhancing photosynthesis under low-temperature (LT) stress (5/5 °C, 12/12 h, 300 µmol m-2 s-1) and in the subsequent recovery (25/18 °C) from the stress. The net photosynthetic rate, intrinsic efficiency measured as the ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence, and actual efficiency of the photochemistry of photosystem 2 as well as the ATPase activity in the thylakoid membrane decreased, and a distinct K step in the fluorescence transient O-J-I-P appeared under cold stress. Exogenous GB alleviated the decrease in all these parameters. The LT-stress induced the accumulation of 33-66 kDa polypeptides and decreased the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in the thylakoid membrane. In plants subjected to LT-stress, GB protected these polypeptides from damage and enhanced the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. An increase in non-radiative energy dissipation (NPQ) may be involved in the improvement of the function of the thylakoid membrane by GB since exogenous GB protected violaxanthin de-epoxidase and enhanced NPQ.

Additional key words: ATPase; chlorophyll fluorescence induction; fatty acids; net photosynthetic rate; peptides; Nicotiana; violaxanthin de-epoxidase; xanthophyll cycle

Received: January 4, 2008; Accepted: May 9, 2008; Published: September 1, 2008  Show citation

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Wang, C., Ma, X.L., Hui, Z., & Wang, W. (2008). Glycine betaine improves thylakoid membrane function of tobacco leaves under low-temperature stress. Photosynthetica, 46(3), 400-409. doi: 10.1007/s11099-008-0072-2
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