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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #102154
Title: PHOTOSYNTHETIC PROPERTIES OF TWO DIFFERENT SOYBEAN SUSPENSION CULTURES

Author
item Zhang, Xing Hai
item WIDHOLM, JACK - CROP SCIENCES UOFI URBANA
item PORTIS JR, ARCHIE

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Physiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/2000
Publication Date: 3/1/2001
Citation: Zhang, X., Widholm, J.M., Portis Jr, A.R. 2001. Photosynthetic properties of two different soybean suspension cultures. Journal of Plant Physiology. 158:357-365.

Interpretive Summary: Photosynthesis, the process by which plants use light energy from the sun to make carbohydrates for growth from carbon dioxide and water, occurs in the chloroplasts, which contain the genes encoding many of the chloroplast proteins. A process called chloroplast transformation can be used to modify these genes to improve photosynthesis or to insert new genes to express new proteins at high levels in leaves. As part of efforts to transform soybean chloroplasts, the photosynthetic properties of two transformable suspension cultures cell types were characterized. This information will benefit scientists attempting to transform chloroplasts when, as in the case of soybeans, non-leaf tissues must be used as targets for transformation and plant regeneration.

Technical Abstract: As a part of efforts to transform chloroplasts of soybean, the photosynthetic properties of two suspension cultured lines, embryogenic and photoautotrophic (PA) cells of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] were characterized. We found that compared to the green PA cells, the embryogenic cells contained fewer and smaller plastids with less-developed thylakoid membranes. The embryogenic cells also contained much lower contents of both chlorophyll and the larger subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco;EC 4.1.1.29) protein, an undetectable level of Rubisco small subnit protein, and very low rate of photosynthesis. While the DNA contents of the nuclear genome were similar in these two types of cultured cells, the embryogenic cells possessed a markedly lower content of plastid DNA. These findings may prove useful in the application of plastid transformation, particularly where nonleaf or nongreen tissues must be used as targets for transformation and plant regeneration.