Skip to main content
PMC home page
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1990 Jun;93(2):541–548. doi: 10.1104/pp.93.2.541

Regulation of Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase Expression in Second Leaves of Maize Seedlings from Low and High Yield Populations 1

Herminia Loza-Tavera 1, Eleazar Martínez-Barajas 1, Estela Sánchez-de-Jiménez 1
PMCID: PMC1062547  PMID: 16667500

Abstract

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39) (Rubisco) activity, Rubisco-protein, and Rubisco large and small subunit gene (rbcL and rbcS) transcripts were measured at seven stages of development in the second leaf of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings belonging to low and high yield populations. During the three early stages of development, when the leaf has not yet expanded, it was determined that increments in Rubisco-activity were caused by increases in Rubisco-protein and its mRNAs. Afterward, the rbcS level decreased sharply down to nondetectable levels at the seventh stage, when the leaf was at the beginning of senescence. As a contrast, rbcL transcript decreased slowly and Rubisco-protein accumulated up to the fifth stage, when the leaf reached its maximum expansion. A slight decrease in Rubisco-protein was then observed. These results suggest that at early stages of development Rubisco-activity and Rubisco-protein are regulated mainly at the transcriptional level. At the later phase the regulation seems to be at other biochemical levels. Neither Rubisco activity nor Rubisco-protein showed correlation with yield for both maize populations at this stage of development. Slightly higher levels of both transcripts were observed in the high yield population.

Full text

PDF
541

Images in this article

542Figure 1
on p.542
547Figure 6
on p.547

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Humphrey T. J., Davies D. D. A sensitive method for measuring protein turnover based on the measurement of 2-3H-labelled amino acids in protein. Biochem J. 1976 Jun 15;156(3):561–568. doi: 10.1042/bj1560561. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Kobza J., Seemann J. R. Regulation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity in response to diurnal changes in irradiance. Plant Physiol. 1989 Mar;89(3):918–924. doi: 10.1104/pp.89.3.918. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Laurell C. B. Composition and variation of the gel electrophoretic fractions of plasma, cerebrosinal fluid and urine. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Suppl. 1972;124:71–82. doi: 10.3109/00365517209102754. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Miziorko H. M., Lorimer G. H. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase. Annu Rev Biochem. 1983;52:507–535. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.52.070183.002451. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Nelson T., Harpster M. H., Mayfield S. P., Taylor W. C. Light-regulated gene expression during maize leaf development. J Cell Biol. 1984 Feb;98(2):558–564. doi: 10.1083/jcb.98.2.558. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Nikolau B. J., Klessig D. F. Coordinate, Organ-Specific and Developmental Regulation of Ribulose 1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase Gene Expression in Amaranthus hypochondriacus. Plant Physiol. 1987 Sep;85(1):167–173. doi: 10.1104/pp.85.1.167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Peterson G. L. A simplification of the protein assay method of Lowry et al. which is more generally applicable. Anal Biochem. 1977 Dec;83(2):346–356. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(77)90043-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Portis A. R., Salvucci M. E., Ogren W. L. Activation of Ribulosebisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase at Physiological CO(2) and Ribulosebisphosphate Concentrations by Rubisco Activase. Plant Physiol. 1986 Dec;82(4):967–971. doi: 10.1104/pp.82.4.967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Randall D. D., Nelson C. J., Asay K. H. Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase: altered genetic expression in tall fescue. Plant Physiol. 1977 Jan;59(1):38–41. doi: 10.1104/pp.59.1.38. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Sheen J. Y., Bogorad L. Differential expression of the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit gene in bundle sheath and mesophyll cells of developing maize leaves is influenced by light. Plant Physiol. 1985 Dec;79(4):1072–1076. doi: 10.1104/pp.79.4.1072. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Sheen J. Y., Bogorad L. Expression of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit gene and three small subunit genes in two cell types of maize leaves. EMBO J. 1986 Dec 20;5(13):3417–3422. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04663.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Sugita M., Gruissem W. Developmental, organ-specific, and light-dependent expression of the tomato ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit gene family. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Oct;84(20):7104–7108. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.20.7104. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES