JXB Advance Access published online on September 21, 2006
Journal of Experimental Botany, doi:10.1093/jxb/erl125
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1 Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. has been described as a freezing-tolerant species based on freezing-resistance assays. Nonetheless, this type of experiment does not discriminate between freezing-tolerance and freezing-avoidance mechanisms. The purpose of this paper was to determine which of these two freezing-resistance mechanisms is responsible for freezing resistance in A. thaliana. This was achieved by comparing the thermal properties (ice-nucleation temperature and the freezing temperature) of leaves and the lethal temperature to 10, 50 and 90% of the plants (LT10, LT50, and LT90, respectively). Two wild-type genotypes were used (Columbia and Ler) and their mutants (esk-1 and frs-1, respectively), which differ in their freezing resistance. This study's results indicated that the mutant esk-1, described as a freezing-tolerant species showed freezing tolerance only after a cold-acclimation period. The mutant frs-1, described as freezing sensitive, presented freezing avoidance. Both wild genotypes presented LT50 similar to or higher than the ice-nucleation temperature. Thus, the main freezing-resistance mechanism for A. thaliana is avoidance of freezing by supercooling. No injury of the photosynthetic apparatus was shown by measuring the maximal photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) and pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoid) during cold acclimation in all genotypes. During cold acclimation, Columbia and esk-1 increased total soluble carbohydrates in leaves. esk-1 was the only genotype that presented freezing tolerance after cold acclimation. This feature could be related to an increase in sugar accumulation in the apoplast.
Received May 15, 2006
Accepted July 11, 2006
RESEARCH PAPER
Arabidopsis thaliana avoids freezing by supercooling
Marjorie Reyes-Díaz 1, Nancy Ulloa 2, Alejandra Zúñiga-Feest 2, Ana Gutiérrez 3, Manuel Gidekel 3, Miren Alberdi 2, Luis J. Corcuera 1, and León A. Bravo 1 *
2 Instituto de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
3 Departamento de Agroindustrias, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco
León A. Bravo, E-mail: lebravo{at}udec.cl
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