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Interpretations of gradients in δ13C value in thick photosynthetic tissues of plants with Crassulacean acid metabolism

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Abstract

In Ceropegia dichotoma, Crassula argentea, Esheveria colorata, Kalanchoë beharensis, Opuntia ficus-indica, Sansveria stuckyi and Opuntia inermis the carbon-isotope ratio (δ 13C) of tissues close to the epidermis is 2–4.3‰ more negative than those in the centre of the leaf or cladode. The greatest change in δ 13C value occurs between the epidermal layer and the layer of mesophyll tissue immediately underneath. Analysis of major metabolic and structural components in successive layers of Crassula argentea grown under controlled environmental conditions conducive to Crassulacean acid metabolism confirmed that much of the variation in δ 13C values of bulk carbon is caused by differences in chemical composition. Thus the steep gradient in δ 13C value at the epidermis reflects, in part, the contribution of more-negative δ 13C values of lipids in these tissues. Moreover, during nocturnal CO2 fixation the amount of malic acid synthesised decreases with depth and the δ 13C value of the methanol-soluble fraction is less negative with distance away from the upper epidermis. These results are consistent with diffusion limitation to CO2 uptake in these thick leaf tissues, which also contributes to the observed gradients in δ 13C value.

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Abbreviations

CAM:

Crassulacean acid metabolism

FW:

fresh weight

PEPCase:

phospoenolpyruvate carboxylase

Rubisco:

ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase

δ 13C:

carbon-isotope ratio

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Author notes

  1. Sharon A. Robinson & C. Barry Osmond

    Present address: Research School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Advanced Studies, The Australian National University, Box 475, 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Duke University, 27706, Durham, NC, USA

    Sharon A. Robinson, C. Barry Osmond & Larry Giles

Authors
  1. Sharon A. Robinson
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  2. C. Barry Osmond
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  3. Larry Giles
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Additional information

This work was supported by grants from the North Carolina Biotechnology Centre to Duke University, National Science Foundation (NSF) grant DCB90-06830, Department of Energy, Division of Energy Biosciences grant DE-FG05-89 ER 14005, and NSF grant BSR 87-06429 to Duke University Phytotron.

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Robinson, S.A., Osmond, C.B. & Giles, L. Interpretations of gradients in δ13C value in thick photosynthetic tissues of plants with Crassulacean acid metabolism. Planta 190, 271–276 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196621

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