Navigation Links
Gene helps plants use less water without biomass loss
Date:1/11/2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University researchers have found a genetic mutation that allows a plant to better endure drought without losing biomass, a discovery that could reduce the amount of water required for growing plants and help plants survive and thrive in adverse conditions.

Plants can naturally control the opening and closing of stomata, pores that take in carbon dioxide and release water. During drought conditions, a plant might close its stomata to conserve water. By doing so, however, the plant also reduces the amount of carbon dioxide it can take in, which limits photosynthesis and growth.

Mike Mickelbart, an assistant professor of horticulture; Mike Hasegawa, a professor of horticulture; and Chal Yul Yoo, a horticulture graduate student, found that a genetic mutation in the research plant Arabidopsis thaliana reduces the number of stomata. But instead of limiting carbon dioxide intake, the gene creates a beneficial equilibrium.

"The plant can only fix so much carbon dioxide. The fewer stomata still allow for the same amount of carbon dioxide intake as a wild type while conserving water," said Mickelbart, whose results were published in the early online version of the journal The Plant Cell. "This shows there is potential to reduce transpiration without a yield penalty."

Mickelbart and Yoo used an infrared gas analyzer to determine the amount of carbon dioxide taken in and water lost in the Arabidopsis mutant. Carbon dioxide is pumped into a chamber with the plant and the analyzer measures the amount left after a plant has started to take up the gas. A similar process measures water lost through transpiration, in which water is released from a plant's leaves.

Analysis showed that the plant, which has a mutant form of the gene GTL1, did not reduce carbon dioxide intake but did have a 20 percent reduction in transpiration. The plant had the same biomass as a wild type of Arabidopsis whe
'/>"/>

Contact: Brian Wallheimer
bwallhei@purdue.edu
765-496-2050
Purdue University
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. MSU scientists find new gene that helps plants beat the heat
2. Extreme nature helps scientists design nano materials
3. Diatom genome helps explain success in trapping excess carbon in oceans
4. Waste from gut bacteria helps host control weight, UT Southwestern researchers report
5. Swamping bad cells with good in ALS animal models helps sustain breathing
6. Boost from McGill, Gates Foundation helps Africans control pharma research
7. Study helps clarify role of soil microbes in global warming
8. New book helps medical students master clinical skills
9. New research helps explain genetics of Parkinsons disease
10. Exercise helps overweight children reduce anger expression
11. Tool helps identify gene function in soybeans
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/22/2013)... provide important new details on how climate change will ... 21 in the Journal of Animal Ecology . ... predictions and informing policymakers of how species are likely ... "There is a growing recognition among biologists that climate ... and that this is going to have very important ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... insects and wild plants have slowed in recent years, ... the University of Leeds and the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre ... in the diversity of species in Britain, Belgium and ... the picture brightened markedly after 1990, with a slowdown ... and wild plants. , Professor Bill Kunin, ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... long time that some creatures evolve more quickly than ... But it may be that height plays a role, ... U. S. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center. , In ... journal Nature Communications , Lanfear and colleagues report ... a database of global patterns in plant height for ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):UCLA life scientists present new insights on climate change and species interactions 2UCLA life scientists present new insights on climate change and species interactions 3UCLA life scientists present new insights on climate change and species interactions 4UCLA life scientists present new insights on climate change and species interactions 5Encouraging signs for bee biodiversity 2Encouraging signs for bee biodiversity 3Small but speedy: Short plants live in the evolutionary fast lane 2
... scientist David Valentine and colleagues published results of a study ... all the deepwater methane plumes after the 2010 Gulf of ... they asked the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) ... new results published this week in the journal Proceedings ...
... The discovery of a gene that causes a form of ... insight into what causes axons, the stems of our nerve ... In the Journal of Clinical Investigation today, an ... the University of Cambridge, and Dr Stephan Zuchner from the ...
... managers on the Olympic Peninsula joined in an exceptional ... University of Washington to develop a set of science-based ... resiliency and sustainability in the face of a changing ... vegetation, hydrology, roads, fish, and wildlife on the peninsulaare ...
Cached Biology News:Gulf of Mexico topography played key role in bacterial consumption of Deepwater Horizon spill 2Gulf of Mexico topography played key role in bacterial consumption of Deepwater Horizon spill 3Gulf of Mexico topography played key role in bacterial consumption of Deepwater Horizon spill 4Spasticity gene finding provides clues to causes of nerve cell degeneration 2Partnership yields options for adapting to climate change on the Olympic Peninsula 2
(Date:5/22/2013)... NEW ORLEANS , May 22, 2013  Organogenesis ... medicine, presented new data generated in collaboration with a ... health economics consultancy) demonstrating the significant healthcare resource and ... leg ulcers (VLU) place upon the US healthcare system. ... reveal annual costs of up to $15 billion and ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... May 22, 2013 Express Diagnostics ... Pty Ltd are pleased to announce a sponsorship ... Australian and New Zealand distributor of DrugCheck® onsite testing ... Team participated in the Austin 400 May 17-19 in ... an agreement that involves each car of the Erebus ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... 2013  Moderna Therapeutics, the pioneering company developing messenger ... the in vivo production of therapeutic proteins, ... will join Moderna in early July as its first ... proven leader in the design and implementation of information ... to translation, clinical operations and commercial preparedness. John has ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... Through science fairs, workshops, kits for ... equipment, 25 organizations will continue their work to increase ... photonics in daily life with the aid of ... in 10 countries, are the first of two groups ... SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics , ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Organogenesis Presents Findings from Groundbreaking Research Highlighting the Healthcare Resource and Economic Burden of Venous Leg Ulcers and Diabetic Foot Ulcers 2Organogenesis Presents Findings from Groundbreaking Research Highlighting the Healthcare Resource and Economic Burden of Venous Leg Ulcers and Diabetic Foot Ulcers 3Organogenesis Presents Findings from Groundbreaking Research Highlighting the Healthcare Resource and Economic Burden of Venous Leg Ulcers and Diabetic Foot Ulcers 4Australian Distributor of Express Diagnostics Signs Sponsorship Agreement with V8 Supercar Team 2Industry Leader John Reynders Joins Moderna Therapeutics as Chief Information Officer 2Industry Leader John Reynders Joins Moderna Therapeutics as Chief Information Officer 3Learning About Light: Education Outreach Projects Funded in 10 Countries Through First Round of SPIE Grants 2Learning About Light: Education Outreach Projects Funded in 10 Countries Through First Round of SPIE Grants 3
... Jan. 31 Cardium Therapeutics,(Amex: CXM ) ... purchase,agreement with institutional and other accredited or qualified ... stock and warrants to purchase shares,of its common ... the,transaction will result in gross proceeds to Cardium ...
... Jan. 22 Abaxis, Inc.,(Nasdaq: ABAX ), a ... a conference call to discuss its,financial results for the ... The call will be at 4:15 p.m. ET, Thursday, ... or (706) 643-0580 to access the,conference call, or can ...
... 2008, 8:30 a.m. EST at ... http://www.isispharm.com ... ISIS ) announced today that Abbott is,investing up to $40 million ... to further develop the Ibis T5000(TM),Biosensor System, which offers a unique ...
Cached Biology Technology:Cardium Announces $5.3 Million Registered Direct Offering 2Cardium Announces $5.3 Million Registered Direct Offering 3Cardium Announces $5.3 Million Registered Direct Offering 4Abaxis to Report Third Quarter Fiscal 2008 Financial Results Thursday, January 31, 2008 2Isis Announces Equity Investment in Ibis Biosciences Subsidiary by Abbott; Option Acquired to Purchase Remaining Ibis Equity 2Isis Announces Equity Investment in Ibis Biosciences Subsidiary by Abbott; Option Acquired to Purchase Remaining Ibis Equity 3Isis Announces Equity Investment in Ibis Biosciences Subsidiary by Abbott; Option Acquired to Purchase Remaining Ibis Equity 4
... PYREX Delong style shaker flasks have three ... agitation of solutions to improve oxygen or ... reciprocating shakers. The long neck reduces splashing ... Their uniform wall thickness provides the proper ...
... This high pressure gradient system uses ... pumps and the Adept CE 4200 dual wavelength ... data processing is provided by PowerStream data processing ... can be supplied. The supplied analytical ...
... A high quality source of ... the enzymatic digestion of casein. It ... fermentations and has been used in ... casein, pancreatic digest For microbiology pH6.8 ...
...
Biology Products: