Team models photosynthesis, finds room for improvement

Marisa Patel

Published: March 4, 2014
Author: J. M. McGrath

URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140304113536.htm

Summary:
Professor Stephen Long from University of Illinois led a study to test if adding a higher concentration of carbon dioxide in plant leaves could increase the photosynthesis efficiency. The team took genes from cyanobacteria to test on a computer model identical to plants, to see the effect on photosynthesis. They chose to use cyanobacteria because it containes carboxysomes which contain carbon dioxide. After the test, the team concluded that the carboxysomes, both, worked and did not work to enhance photosynthesis. It enhanced photosynthesis in crops such as soybean, rice, and cassava. They calculated that by adding 8 times the amount of carboxysomes could result in 60% more photosynthesis. By knowing the mechanisms for modeling photosynthesis, it helps to know which manipulations cause fruitful results, rather than wasting time and money on experiments that could fail. Professor Long admitted that it could take around 5 years for the experimentation to result in a model plant, and about 15 to 20 years for a live crop plant. He also said that these types of experiments are very crucial to the market because the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said there will be a 70% percent growth in the crop business, so any innovation regarding crops is very useful.


Connection:
This connects to the Plant Diversity unit because we are learning how plants need to take advantage of as much photosynthesis as possible, because it is there main nutrition source besides roots. We also learned how carbon dioxide in the air is necessary in the process of photosynthesis, so therefore it is necessary for plants to be able to have a high amount of carbon dioxide in able to promote as much photosynthesis as possible. We also learned about the process of Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration in the past units, and that unit connects to this article because the team is studying ways to improve the frequency of photosynthesis.

Stomata development in plants unraveled

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120403085743.htm
Gustavo E. Gudesblat
April 3, 2012

Summary - Researchers have discovered the mechanism that regulates the stomata in plants. This is significant in protection against diseases and stress. Plants use hormones called Brassinosteroids to regulate the number of stomata, important especially during quick environmental change. More Brassinosteroids result in more stomata, and also improved disease and stress resistance, as well as healthy crops. Scientists discovered the effect of Brassinosteroids on the transcription factor of the gene regulating stomata.

Connection - The article relates to our unit on plants due to its relevance to leaf structure. The stomata, located on the underside of the leaf, regulate the exchange of gases of a plant, as well as the movement of water. The stomata are very important in the function of plants, and therefore knowledge of the controlling factors is also important. The article also relates to plant reproduction due to the involvement of Brassinosteroids in healthy crop production.

Plants, Microbes Team Up to Resist Drought

Futurity.org
Published February 20, 2013
No Author
http://www.futurity.org/science-technology/plants-microbes-team-up-to-resist-drought/

Summary

A study at Penn State has shown that viruses and fungi can help plants survive in certain tough conditions. The researchers tested infected different species of plants with different viruses and found that viruses helped increase drought resistance and sometimes cold tolerance. Further evidence suggests that the virus does not have to replicate in the specific cells where resistance occurs to produce this effect. Other studies have studied plants that live in volcanic soils and geothermal ground and found that the plants need to grow together with a fungi in order to tolerate the high temperatures. Plant fungi often have viruses, so viruses may also be responsible for this trend. Researchers do not understand how viruses help plants, but are researching more in hopes of finding a way to use this information to increase crop production in times of drought.

Connection

This relates to our study of plants and viruses. We learned that viruses are packages of nucleic acids wrapped in a protein coat that insert themselves into a host’s DNA in order to reproduce. We learned about pathogenic viruses, however this article shows that viruses are not always harmful. The virus DNA may be responsible for changing the plants characteristics. Also, it relates to what we learned about plants surviving in stressful environments. Plants normally would need an adaptation to survive during a drought, and the symbiotic relationship with a virus shows another adaptation to survive  a lack of water.