Temperature Response of Mesophyll Conductance. Implications for the Determination of Rubisco Enzyme Kinetics and for Limitations to Photosynthesis In vivo

CO2 transfer conductance from the intercellular airspaces of the leaf into the chloroplast, defined as mesophyll conductance ($g_{m}$), is finite. Therefore, it will limit photosynthesis when CO2 is not saturating, as in C3 leaves in the present atmosphere. Little is known about the processes that d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant physiology (Bethesda) 2002-12, Vol.130 (4), p.1992-1998
Main Authors: Carl J. Bernacchi, Archie R. Portis, Nakano, Hiromi, von Caemmerer, Susanne, Long, Stephen P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Algorithms
Aquaporins
Biological and medical sciences
Carbon dioxide
Carbon Dioxide - metabolism
Chloroplasts
Economic plant physiology
Estimation methods
Fluorescence
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
High temperature
Kinetics
Leaves
Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes
Mesophyll
Metabolism
Models, Biological
Net assimilation, photosynthesis, carbon metabolism. Photorespiration, respiration, fermentation (anoxia, hypoxia)
Nicotiana - physiology
Nutrition. Photosynthesis. Respiration. Metabolism
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis - physiology
Photosynthesis, respiration. Anabolism, catabolism
Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins - classification
Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins - metabolism
Plant Leaves - physiology
Plant physiology and development
Plants
Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase - metabolism
Temperature
Thermal Conductivity
Water vapor
Whole Plant and Ecophysiology
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Summary:CO2 transfer conductance from the intercellular airspaces of the leaf into the chloroplast, defined as mesophyll conductance ($g_{m}$), is finite. Therefore, it will limit photosynthesis when CO2 is not saturating, as in C3 leaves in the present atmosphere. Little is known about the processes that determine the magnitude of $g_{m}$. The process dominating $g_{m}$ is uncertain, though carbonic anhydrase, aquaporins, and the diffusivity of CO2 in water have all been suggested. The response of $g_{m}$ to temperature (10°C-40°C) in mature leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv W38) was determined using measurements of leaf carbon dioxide and water vapor exchange, coupled with modulated chlorophyll fluorescence. These measurements revealed a temperature coefficient (Q10) of approximately 2.2 for $g_{m}$, suggesting control by a protein-facilitated process because the Q10 for diffusion of CO2 in water is about 1.25. Further, $g_{m}$ values are maximal at 35°C to 37.5°C, again suggesting a protein-facilitated process, but with a lower energy of deactivation than Rubisco. Using the temperature response of $g_{m}$ to calculate CO2 at Rubisco, the kinetic parameters of Rubisco were calculated in vivo from 10°C to 40°C. Using these parameters, we determined the limitation imposed on photosynthesis by $g_{m}$. Despite an exponential rise with temperature, $g_{m}$ does not keep pace with increased capacity for CO2 uptake at the site of Rubisco. The fraction of the total limitations to CO2 uptake within the leaf attributable to $g_{m}$ rose from 0.10 at 10°C to 0.22 at 40°C. This shows that transfer of CO2 from the intercellular air space to Rubisco is a very substantial limitation on photosynthesis, especially at high temperature.
ISSN:0032-0889
1532-2548
DOI:10.1104/pp.008250