Increased leaf photosynthesis caused by elevated stomatal conductance in a rice mutant deficient in SLAC1, a guard cell anion channel protein

Author： Kusumi Kensuke

Publisher： Oxford University Press

ISSN： 1460-2431

Source： Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.63, Iss.15, 2012-09, pp. : 5635-5644

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Abstract

In rice (Oryza sativa L.), leaf photosynthesis is known to be highly correlated with stomatal conductance; however, it remains unclear whether stomatal conductance dominantly limits the photosynthetic rate. SLAC1 is a stomatal anion channel protein controlling stomatal closure in response to environmental [CO₂]. In order to examine stomatal limitations to photosynthesis, a SLAC1-deficient mutant of rice was isolated and characterized. A TILLING screen of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-derived mutant lines was conducted for the rice SLAC1 orthologue gene Os04g0674700, and four mutant lines containing mutations within the open reading frame were obtained. A second screen using an infrared thermography camera revealed that one of the mutants, named SLAC1, had a constitutive low leaf temperature phenotype. Measurement of leaf gas exchange showed that SLAC1 plants grown in the greenhouse had significantly higher stomatal conductance (g _s), rates of photosynthesis (A), and ratios of internal [CO₂] to ambient [CO₂] (C _i/C _a) compared with wild-type plants, whereas there was no significant difference in the response of photosynthesis to internal [CO₂] (A/C _i curves). These observations demonstrate that in well-watered conditions, stomatal conductance is a major determinant of photosynthetic rate in rice.