Modulation of auxin signalling through DIAGETROPICA and ENTIRE differentially affects tomato plant growth via changes in photosynthetic and mitochondrial metabolism

Author(s):Show less -

Batista-Silva, Willian ^{[1, 2]} ; Medeiros, David B. ^{[1, 2]} ; Rodrigues-Salvador, Acacio ^{[1, 2]} ; Daloso, Danilo M. ^{[3, 4]} ; Omena-Garcia, Rebeca P. ^{[1, 2]} ; Oliveira, Franciele Santos ^{[1, 2]} ; Pino, Lilian Ellen ^[5] ; Pereira Peres, Lazaro Eustaquio ^[5] ; Nunes-Nesi, Adriano ^{[1, 2]} ; Fernie, Alisdair R. ^[4] ; Zsogon, Agustin ^[1] ; Araujo, Wagner L. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Vicosa, Dept Biol Vegetal, BR-36570900 Vicosa, MG - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Vicosa, Dept Biol Vegetal, Max Planck Partner Grp, Vicosa, MG - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Ceara, Dept Bioquim & Biol Mol, Fortaleza, Ceara - Brazil

^[4] Max Planck Inst Mol Plant Physiol, Cent Metab Grp, Potsdam - Germany

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Biolog, Escola Super Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Piracicaba - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT; v. 42, n. 2, p. 448-465, FEB 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Auxin modulates a range of plant developmental processes including embryogenesis, organogenesis, and shoot and root development. Recent studies have shown that plant hormones also strongly influence metabolic networks, which results in altered growth phenotypes. Modulating auxin signalling pathways may therefore provide an opportunity to alter crop performance. Here, we performed a detailed physiological and metabolic characterization of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) mutants with either increased (entire) or reduced (diageotropica-dgt) auxin signalling to investigate the consequences of altered auxin signalling on photosynthesis, water use, and primary metabolism. We show that reduced auxin sensitivity in dgt led to anatomical and physiological modifications, including altered stomatal distribution along the leaf blade and reduced stomatal conductance, resulting in clear reductions in both photosynthesis and water loss in detached leaves. By contrast, plants with higher auxin sensitivity (entire) increased the photosynthetic capacity, as deduced by higher V-cmax and J(max) coupled with reduced stomatal limitation. Remarkably, our results demonstrate that auxin-sensitive mutants (dgt) are characterized by impairments in the usage of starch that led to lower growth, most likely associated with decreased respiration. Collectively, our findings suggest that mutations in different components of the auxin signalling pathway specifically modulate photosynthetic and respiratory processes. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/16553-1 - Cytokinin action and its interaction with other plant hormones in the control of branching in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
• Grantee: Lilian Ellen Pino
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral